5 January 1944

WEDNESDAY, 5 JANUARY 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): An Eighth Air Force report
concludes that the US daylight strategic bombing program against Germany will
be threatened unless steps are taken to reduce the enemy's fighter force,
which has increased in strength in the W as a result of step-up in
production, strengthening of firepower, and transfer of a larger percentage
of fighters to the Western Front.
Mission 176: Four targets are hit costing 24 bombers and 12 fighters.
1. 119 of 131 B-17's and 96 of 114 B-24's hit the shipyard and industrial
area at Kiel, Germany plus 10 aircraft hit targets of opportunity; they claim
41-6-13 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17's and 5 B-24's are lost, 3 B-17's and 1
B-24 are damaged beyond repair and 61 B-17's and 15 B-24's are damaged;
casualties are 36 KIA, 5 WIA and 100 MIA. This mission is escorted by 70
P-38's and 41 Ninth Air Force P-51's; they claim 22-1-8 Luftwaffe aircraft;
7 P-38's are lost; casualties are 7 MIA.
2. 112 of 117 B-17's hit the Bordeaux/Merignac Airfield in France; they
claim 50-10-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 B-17's are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair
and 49 damaged; casualties are 11 KIA, 21 WIA and 110 MIA. This mission is
escorted by 76 P-47's; they claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 P-47's are
lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; casualties are 5 MIA.
3. 78 of 79 B-17's hit the Tours Airfield in France; they claim 2-0-0
Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is lost and 10 damaged; casualties are 10 MIA.
This mission is escorted by 149 P-47's; they claim 3-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft;
1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; no casualties.
4. 73 of 78 hit targets of opportunity at Neuss, Geilenkirchen, Dusseldorf
and Wassenburg, Germany; they claim 2-5-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17's are
lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 22 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 20
MIA.