TUESDAY, 26 DECEMBER 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 762: Poor weather inhibits operations but 151 bombers and 336
fighters are dispatched to hit rail targets behind the Bulge; they claim
11-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 fighters are lost:
1. 74 B-17s are sent to hit the railroad bridge at Neuwied (23) and the
Andernach marshalling yard (9); secondary targets hit are the marshalling
yard at Neuwied (12) and communications center at Sinzig (12); 1 B-17 hits a
target of opportunity, the communication center at Mayen; they claim 0-0-1
aircraft; 30 B-17s are damaged.
2. 77 B-24s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Niederlahnstein
(36) and the rail bridge at Sinzig (35) without loss.
3. The bombers are escorted by 249 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 11-0-0
aircraft without loss.
4. 70 of 73 P-51s make a sweep in the Bonn area to support the bombers;
they claim 3-0-0 aircraft; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 damaged beyond
repair.
5. 2 of 2 P-51s fly a scouting mission without loss.
Mission 763: 3 B-17s and 6 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and
Germany during the night.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): The 9th Bombardment Division attacks
road junctions, rail bridges, rail head, communications and casual targets in
the breakthrough area as the enemy's westward drive ends short of the Maas
River; fighters fly escort, armed reconnaissance, sweeps, and support the US
III and VIII Corps S of Bastogne, Belgium, as the US 4th Armored Division
breaks the ring around the city.