31 March 1943

WEDNESDAY, 31 MARCH 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission No. 48: 78 B-17's and 24 B-24's are
dispatched against the shipyards and dock area at Rotterdam, The
Netherlands. The target is clouded and only 33 B-17's drop 99 tons of
bombs at 1225 hours; we claim 1-1-2; we lose 3 B-17's and 1 B-24 plus 3
B-17's are damaged beyond repair and 4 B-17's and 1 B-24 are damaged;
casualties are 16 KIA, 10 WIA and 10 MIA.
The air echelons of the 414th and 415th Night Fighter Squadrons, AAF
School of Applied Tactics arrive in England from the U.S.; the ground
echelons are enroute to Algeria. Both squadrons will train with
Beaufighters before moving to North Africa.