2 January 1945

TUESDAY, 2 JANUARY 1945

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 776: 1,011 bombers and 503 fighters are dispatched to attack
communications and tactical targets in W Germany visually and using Gee-H; 4
bombers and 3 fighters are lost:
1. 299 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Gerolstein marshalling yard (74) and
communications centers are Mayen (68), Prum (34), Daun (34), Kyllburg (37)
and Bitburg (36); 3 others hit a target of opportunity; 70 B-17s are damaged.
Escorting are 128 of 130 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged
beyond repair.
2. 296 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Lutzel (65) and Guls (59) rail
bridges at Koblenz plus rail bridges at Irlich (59), Remagen (56) and Engers
(43); 3 others hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair
and 26 damaged. The escort is 215 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
3. 410 B-17s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Bad Kreuznach (73) and
Ehrang (66), a rail junction at Bad Kreuznach (67), a rail bridge at
Kaiserslautern (34) and tank concentrations at Lebach (128); targets of
opportunity are marshalling yards at St Wendel (11) and Trier (3) and other
(3); 4 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged; 10 airmen are
KIA, 2 WIA and 37 MIA. Escort is provided by 125 of 127 P-51s; 2 P-51s are
lost (pilots MIA).
4. 6 of 6 B-17s fly a screening force mission.
5. 23 P-51s escort 6 F-5s and a Spitfire on a photo reconnaissance mission
over Germany.
Mission 777: 2 B-17s and 6 B-24s drop leaflets in France and Germany during
the night.
HQ VIII Air Force Services Command (Advanced) is established in Brussels,
Belgium, along with a "Far Shore" staff division; through this HQ, the
Commanding General Air Force Services Command can administer his command and
closely communicate with other commands operating on the Continent; this
arrangement functions until 29 Apr 45 when it is relieved by the 5th
Strategic Air Depot at Merville, France.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS

First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): The 314th, 315th and 316th
Fighter Squadrons, 324th Fighter Group, move from Tavaux to Luneville, France
with P-47s.

Ninth Air Force: 135 A-20s, A-26s, and B-26s hit rail bridges and
communications centers in Belgium and Germany; fighters escort the 9th
Bombardment Division, fly patrols, sweeps, and armed reconnaissance and
support the US III and VIII Corps in the Bastogne, Belgium area and the XII
Corps S of the Clerf River, Luxembourg, and W of the Sauer River in Germany.
The 72d Liaison Squadron, Ninth AF (attached to Sixth Army Group), moves
from Buhl to Epinal, France with L-5s.