22 June 1943

TUESDAY, 22 JUNE 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 65: In the first large-scale daylight
raid on the Ruhr, 235 B-17's are dispatched to hit the chemical works and
synthetic rubber plant at Huls in the main attack; 183 bomb the target; we
claim 46-21-35 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 16 and 75 others are damaged;
casualties are 2 KIA, 16 WIA and 151 MIA; this plant, representing a large
percentage of the country's producing capacity, is severely damaged. 11
YB-40's accompany the Huls raid; 1 is lost. In a second raid, 42 B-17's
are dispatched to bomb the former Ford and General Motors plants at
Antwerp; 39 hit the target; they claim 1-2-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose
4, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 17 others are damaged; casualties are 1
KIA, 3 WIA and 40 MIA. An additional 21 B-17's fly an uneventful diversion