8 March 1943

MONDAY, 8 MARCH 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission No. 41: 67 B-17's of the 1st Bombardment Wing
and 16 B-24's of the 2d Bombardment Wing are dispatched against the
marshalling yard at Rouen, France. Thirteen B-24's drop 39 tons of bombs on
the target at 1402-1403 hours local; we claim 14 aircraft destroyed, 3
probably destroyed and 3 damaged; we lose 2 B-24's, 1 is damaged beyond
repair and 3 others are damaged; casualties are 5 KIA, 3 WIA and 17 MIA.
54 B-17's hit the target at 1430 hours dropping 134.75 tons of bombs; they
claim 14 enemy aircraft destroyed, 1 probably destroyed and 5 damaged; we
lose 2 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 9 others are damaged;
casualties are 8 WIA and 20 MIA. The bomb run over Rouen is considerably
disrupted by the well-executed attack of fighters which down 2 bombers
including the lead aircraft. This action is preceded by an earlier wave of
German fighters which occupy the fighter escort while the second wave
attacks the bombers