The Mighty Eighth Air Force
 plane

16 July 1943

FRIDAY, 16 JULY 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Air Support Command Mission Number 1: 16 B-26B's are dispatched
against the marshalling yard at Abbeville, France; 14 hit the target at
2000 hours; 10 aircraft are damaged; casualties are 2 WIA. With this mis-
sion, the VIII Air Support Command begins combat operations, having
acquired the 322d, 323d, 386th, and 387th Bombardment Groups (Medium).