27 February 1945

TUESDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 1945

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 851: 1,107 bombers and 745 fighters are dispatched to hit road and
rail communications at Halle and Leipzig using H2X radar; they claim 83-0-19
Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-24s and 2 P-51s are lost:
1. 314 of 351 B-24s hit the marshalling yard at Halle; targets of
opportunity are Bitterfeld (21) and other (3); 2 B-24s are lost and 4
damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 18 MIA. Escorting are 196 P-47s and P-51s; they
claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and 45-0-3 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost
(pilots MIA).
2. 717 of 756 B-17s hit the rail center at Leipzig; 7 others hit targets of
opportunity; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 3 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA.
The escort is 453 of 489 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and
36-0-16 on the ground without loss.
3. 28 P-51s fly a scouting mission without loss.
4. 13 P-51s escort 2 F-5s and 2 Spitfires on a photo reconnaissance mission
over C and E Germany.
Mission 852: During the night of 27/28 Feb, 23 of 26 B-24s bomb
Wilhelmshafen oil storage by PFF without loss and 1 B-17 and 11 B-24s drop
leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 118 A-20s, A-26s and
B-26s attack the Ahrweiler rail bridge, communications centers at Glessen,
Munstereifel, and Monheim, and a target of opportunity; fighters fly leaflet
missions, attack Frankfurt/Main oil storage tanks, fly alerts, and strafe
from W of Duisburg to Worringen; the XXIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional)
also flies support for the XIII and XIX Corps SW and S of Monchen-Gladbach.