16 September 1943

THURSDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command
Mission 97: 5 targets in France are hit:
1. 131 of 147 B-17's dispatched hit two targets in Nantes; 79 hit Nantes
harbor installations at 1502-1512 hours and 52 hit Nantes/Chateau-Bougon
Airfield at 1509-1512 hours; they claim 22-2-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17's
are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 47 are damaged; casualties are 9
WIA and 60 MIA. This mission is escorted by 79 P-47's; they claim 2-0-1
Luftwaffe aircraft and suffer no losses or casualties.
2. 93 of 148 B-17's hit La Pallice harbor installations at 1755-1758
hours, Larochelle/Laleau Airfield at 1755-1758 and Cognac/Chateaubernard
Airfield at 1731 hours; they claim 22-3-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are
lost, 5 damaged beyond repair and 17 damaged; casualties are 44 KIA, 9 WIA
and 30 MIA.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 98: 5 B-17's of the 422d Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), join the RAF in a night
attack on the marshalling yard at Modane, France; there are no losses or
casualties.
VIII Air Support Command Mission 59: 67 of 72 B-26's hit the Beaumont le
Roger Airfield at 1735 hours and Tricoueville Airfield in France at 1735
hours; 2 B-26's are damaged.
HQ 40th and 41st Combat Bombardment Wings (Heavy) transfer from Brampton
Grange to Thurleigh and Molesworth, England respectively.