The Mighty Eighth Air Force
 plane
30 September 1944
SATURDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): In France, HQ 440th Troop
Carrier Group and the 98th Troop Carrier Squadron move from Reims to Le Mans
with C-47s; the 93d Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, moves
from Juvincourt to Lonray with C-47s.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 655: 834 bombers and 629
fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on marshalling yards and
airfields in W Germany; 8 bombers are lost:
1. 257 of 266 B-17s hit Bielefeld marshalling yard; 4 B-17s are lost, 1
damaged beyond repair and 24 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 28 MIA. Escort is
provided by 240 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
2. 255 B-24s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Hamm (206);
targets of opportunity are Munster (12) and other (1); 1 B-24 is lost and 32
damaged; 10 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 170 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s
without loss.
3. 313 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Munster (35) and
Munster/Handorf Airfield (14); targets of opportunity are Munster (239) and
other (1); 3 B-17s are lost and 85 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2 WIA and 36
MIA. Escort is provided by 177 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond
repair.
86 of 97 P-51s fly a sweep over NW Germany; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond
repair.
116 B-24s fly a TRUCKIN' mission carrying fuel to France.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 14 B-26s bomb the Arnhem, the
Netherlands road bridge with poor results; fighters fly sweeps over Belgium,
E France, and W Germany and attack rail targets. In Belgium, HQ 48th Fighter
Group and the 492d and 494th Fighter Squadrons move from Cambrai/Niergnies,
France to St Trond with P-47s. In France, HQ 344th Bombardment Group (Medium)
and the 494th, 495th, 496th and 497th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move
from Stansted, England to Cormeilles-en-Vexin with B-26s.