The Mighty Eighth Air Force
 plane
10 December 1944
SUNDAY, 10 DECEMBER 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 745: 534 bombers and 690
fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks and a fighter sweep in Germany; 2
fighters are lost:
1. 173 of 225 B-24s hit the marshalling yard at Bingen and 3 hit targets of
opportunity; 4 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 287 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47
and 1 P-51 are lost and 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are damaged beyond repair.
2. 277 of 309 B-17s hit the Lutzel marshalling yard at Koblenz and 13 hit
targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 27 damaged; 2
airmen are KIA. Escorting are 226 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
3. 96 of 111 P-51s make a fighter sweep E of the bomber's targets; they
claim 0-0-1 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
4. 22 of 22 P-51s fly a scouting mission.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, about 130 B-26s bomb
defended positions at Birkesdorf, and Huchem-Stammeln; fighters escort the
9th Bombardment Division, strafe and dive-bomb numerous targets in W Germany,
and support the US 8th, 9th, 83d, and 104th Infantry Divisions and 3d and 5th
Armored Divisions in areas around Bergstein, Duren, and along the W bank of
the Roer River.