29 June 1943

TUESDAY, 29 JUNE 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 70: 108 B-17's are dispatched against
the air depot at Villacoublay, France and another 40 against the airfield
at Tricqueville, France; neither groups hit the target due to heavy cloud
cover and return to base; they claim 0-3-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 14 B-17's
are damaged. Another 84 B-17's are dispatched against the aeroengine works
at Le Mans, France; 76 hit the target between 1959 and 2003 hours local.
Both of the 2 YB-40's dispatched as escorts are forced to abort. The lack
of success of the YB-40's in this and previous missions in Jun 43
convinces Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker, Commanding General Eighth Air
Force, that if the escort bomber is to succeed it must be able to carry
bombs and must be endowed with the same flight performance as the B-l7.
The 548th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 385th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
arrives at Great Ashfield, England from the US with B-17's. The squadron
will fly it's first mission on 17 Jul 43.