8 October 1943

FRIDAY, 8 OCTOBER 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 111.
4 locations in Germany are targetted. On this mission the Eighth Air Forces
uses, for the first time, airborne transmitters (Carpet equipment) to jam
German radar. 30 bombers and 3 fighters are lost.
1. 105 of 118 B-17's dispatched to the shipyard at Breman hit the target
at 1505-1513 hours; they claim 42-2-28 Luftwaffe aircraft; 9 B-17's are
lost and 61 damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 18 WIA and 90 MIA.
2. 53 of 56 B-17's dispatched to the industrial area at Breman hit the
target at 1512-1513 hours; they claim 24-7-17 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's
are lost and 44 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 12 WIA and 41 MIA.
3. 43 of 55 B-24's dispatched to the U-boat yards at Vegesack hit the
target at 1622-1624 hours; they claim 17-1-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-24's
are lost and 21 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 5 WIA and 30 MIA.
4. 156 of 170 B-17's dispatched to the city of Bremen hit the target and
targets of opportunity at 1505-1527 hours; they claim 84-12-33 Luftwaffe
aircraft; 14 B-17's are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 110 damaged;
casualties are 21 WIA and 140 MIA.
The B-17's are escorted by 274 P-47's; they claim 12-2-4 Luftwaffe
aircraft; 3 P-47's are lost and 5 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 3 MIA.
VIII Air Support Command Mission 80: 144 B-26's are dispatched to
Lille/Vendeville and Chievres Airfields in France; the mission is abandoned
due to thick haze and generally unsuitable weather; 4 B-26's are damaged.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 112: 2 B-17's drop 266,336 leaflets over
Rennes at 0005-0011 hours, 9 Oct 43.