16 January 1945

TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 1945

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 796: A planned major strike at oil and industrial targets in
Germany is cancelled by weather; 627 bombers and 693 fighters are dispatched
to hit oil targets; 2 B-24s and 1 P-51 are lost; due to heavy fog a large
percentage of the bombers are diverted to various landing fields in the UK
and on the Continent:
1. 364 B-24s are sent to hit the Rothensee synthetic oil plant at Magdeburg
(61) and the oil plant at Ruhland (67); secondary targets hit are the
marshalling yard at Dresden (138) and a tank factory at Magdeburg (61); 5
others hit a target of opportunity; targets are bombed visually and using H2X
radar; 2 B-24s are lost and 8 damaged beyond repair; 3 airmen are KIA, 20 WIA
and 22 MIA. Escorting are 368 of 392 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 7
damaged beyond repair.
2. 263 B-17s dispatched hit secondary targets, the marshalling yard at
Dessau (146) and 2 aircraft engine plants at Bitterfeld (96); 4 others hit
targets of opportunity; all attacks are made using H2X radar; 2 B-17s are
damaged beyond repair; 1 airman is KIA and 3 WIA. The escort is 194 of 203
P-51s.
3. 68 P-47s and P-51s fly a sweep.
4. 19 of 20 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
5. 5 of 7 P-51s escort a Spitfire on a photo reconnaissance mission on
Berlin and Misburg.
Mission 797: 1 B-24 drop leaflets on Belgium during the night.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 311 A-20s, A-26s, and B-26s hit road
and rail bridges, communications centers, motor transport repair center, and
other targets in Germany; fighters escort 9th Bombardment Division and Eighth
AF bombers, fly armed reconnaissance and defensive patrols, and support US
First Army elements along the battleline NE of Houffalize, Belgium, and the
III Corps along the battleline SE of Houffalize.