USAAF Combat Operations 1941

USAAF Worldwide Operations Chronology
		COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES

AUGUST 1944


AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  A-36, North American Apache
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  B-29, Boeing Superfortress
  Beaufighter, Bristol
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  F-3, Douglas Havoc
  F-4, Lockheed Lightning
  F-5, Lockheed Lightning
  F-6, North American Mustang
  F-7, Consolidated Liberator
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  Mosquito, deHavilland
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-39, Bell Airacobra
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang
  P-61, Northrop Black Widow

TUESDAY, 1 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 8 B-25s bomb several points along
the railway from Naba to Hopin; fighter-bombers attack Shwegu, hit bridges in
the Mohnyin area, and support ground forces in the Myitkyina and Taungni
sectors.
  During Aug, the 89th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group, based at
Nagaghuli, India with P-47s, sends a detachment to operate from Dergaon.

 CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 8 B-25s bomb Wuchang Airfield; 2
others hit the town of Siangyin; 90+ P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance
hit trucks, troops, supplies, and river shipping in and around Hengyang,
Leiyang, Sinshih, Hengshan, Liling, Changsha, and Siangyin; the airfield and
railroad yards at Hengyang are also bombed.
  During Aug, the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth Air
Force, based at Kunming with F-4s and F-5s, sends a detachment to operate
from Kanchow, China.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

 STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 508: 1,291 bombers and
432 fighters are dispatched to attack airfields, bridges and tactical
targets in France; 5 bombers and 4 fighters are lost:
  1. 193 of 195 B-17s drop 2,281 containers of supplies to French Resistance
forces (Operation Buick) at four locations in SE France, i.e., Chalon-Sur-
Saone, the Savoie area, Haute-Savoie and W of Geneva; 5 B-17s are damaged; 3
P-51 groups furnish escort. 
  2. 76 of 100 B-17s bomb Tours Airfield; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond
repair and 5 damaged; 6 airmen are WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is flown by 51 of
53 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost and 2 damaged beyond repair.
  3. 400 of 416 B-17s attack 5 airfields and a railway bridge in the area S
and SW of Paris; 112 hit Orleans/Bricy Airfield, 108 hit Chateaudun Airfield,
59 hit Melun Airfield, 58 hit Chartres Airfield, 36 hit Chartres Bridge, 15
hit targets of opportunity, and 12 hit Etampes/Mondesir Airfield; 3 B-17s are
lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 32 damaged; 9 airmen are KIA and 27 MIA.
Escort is provided by 138 P-38s and P-51s; 3 P-51s are damaged and 1 pilot is
KIA.
  4. 284 of 389 B-24s is dispatched to bomb targets in the Paris environs;
bad weather causes 100+ aborts; 66 hit Rouen, 47 hit Melun Airfield, 44 hit
Nogent Bridge, 33 hit targets of opportunity, 29 hit Orleans/Bricy Airfield,
24 hit Montereau Birdge, 12 hit Nanteuil Bridge, 12 hit Villeroche Airfield,
11 hit Coulommiers Bridge, and 6 hit Chartres Airfield; 1 B-24 is lost, 3 are
damaged beyond repair and 85 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided
by 127 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 2
P-47s are lost, 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair and 3 P-47s are damaged.
  5. 191 B-24s, sent against 8 V-weapon sites in NW France, runs afoul of bad
weather which causes multiple aborts; 61 of the planes manage to bomb 3
sites; 5 B-24s are damaged; escort is provided by 81 of 84 P-47s.
  Mission 509: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets on France and Belgium during the
night.
  In Aug, HQ 95th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Halesowrth to
Ketteringham, England.

 TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, the XIX Tactical Air
Command becomes operational in conjunction with the US Third Army; the
Ninth's fighter and fighter-bomber groups (Ninth Air Force refers to them
collectively as fighter-bomber groups) are divided between the IX and XIX
Tactical Air Commands; about 250 B-26s and A-20s bomb rail bridges at
Mezieres-sur-Seine, Maintenon, Les Ponts-de-Ce, Chartres, Cinq Mars-la-Pile,
Bouchmaine, Nogent-sur-Loir, and Bourth; XIX Tactical Air Command fighters
carry out armd reconnaissance and rail bombing missions in the Alencon,
Dreux, Chartres, Nogent-sur-Loir, Le Mans, Sable-sur-Sarthe, Laval and Sille-
le-Philippe areas, while IX Tactical Air Command fighters fly armored column
and assault area cover, and armed reconnaissance in the battle areas; and HQ
71st Fighter Wing moves from Ecrammeville to St-Pierre-Eglise.
  In France during Aug, HQ IX Fighter Comand moves from Les Obeaux to Canisy
and HQ 354th Fighter Group moves from Criqueville to Gael.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

 STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather limits operations to
reconnaissance missions.

 TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers hit bridges
in the Po Valley, N of Genoa, at Canneto sull'Oglio, Balossa, Vigone, Ronco
Scrivia, and Ovada, and marshalling yard at Imperia; fighter-bombers
concentrate on airfields in the Po Valley (at Villanova d'Albenga, Airasca,
and Venaria Reale), hit small landing grounds throughout the area, and attack
several communications targets including roads, rail lines, bridges, and
railroad cars.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  ARMY AIR FORCES, PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS (AAFPOA): AAFPOA is activated at
Hickam Field, Territory of Hawaii with Lieutenant General Millard Harmon as
Commanding General. Harmon is to be responsible to Lieutenant General Robert
C Richardson, Jr, Commanding General US Army Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas
(USAFPOA), for logistics and administration, and to Admiral Chester W Nimitz,
Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA), for operations of AAF air
units except those of the Twentieth Air Force. Harmon also is Deputy
Commander of the Twentieth Air Force and is responsible directly to General
Henry H "Hap" Arnold in all matters affecting the Twentieth in the POA.

  Seventh Air Force: The Seventh AF comes under control of AAFPOA. B-25s
based on Makin Island, Gilbert Islands, hit Ponape Island, Caroline Islands.
In the Mariansas Islands, organized resistance ends on Tinian Island; P-47s
and P-61s on Saipan Island will continue steady daylight and night combat
patrols and strikes almost around the clock to the fall of Guam Island on 10
Aug; most of the P-47 flying is devoted to neutralizing airfields on Pagan
and Rota Islands and to direct support of Marine and Army forces fighting on
Saipan, Guam, and Tinian Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24's bomb Utagal
Island, Caroline Islands and Namlea Airfield on Buru Island, Moluccas
Islands. In New Guinea, weather cancels scheduled strikes against the
Vogelkop Peninsula area, but a few B-25s hit shipping in the islands to the
W, sinking luggers off Kaboe and Salawat Islands and strafing troops on the
shores of MacCluer Gulf; the weather also restricts operations against the
Wewak area; and a few P-39s strafe coastal trails.
  During Aug, HQ 42d Bombardment Group (Medium) moves from Sterling Island,
Solomon Islands to Hollandia, New Guinea; and in the Solomon Islands, the
12th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, that has been operating from the
Treasury Islands returns to base on Guadalcanal Island.

WEDNESDAY, 2 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  CARIBBEAN (Sixth Air Force): The detachment of the 28th Fighter Squadron,
XXVI Fighter Command, operating from Pocri, Panama with P-39s, returns to
base at Chame, Panama.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, P-51s, P-47s and A-36s support
ground forces in the Taungni area; P-51s and P-47s on patrols and armed
reconnaissance hit various targets of opportunity around Katha, Mainghka,
Meza, Helon, Mohnyin, Bilumyo, and Namma; and P-40s attack gun positions and
strongpoints at Myitkyina. In India, HQ 3d Combat Cargo Group moves from
Sylhet to Dinjan; and the 315th Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop Carrier
Group, moves from Sookerating to Ledo, India with C-47s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 11 B-25s and 32 P-40s and P-38s
bomb and strafe the town of Tengchung; 9 P-40s and P-38s damage a bridge at
Tingka; and Yangtze River shipping and supplies are attacked at Shihlipu by 8
P-40s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Two missions are flown today.
  Mission 510: 319 bombers and 158 fighters are dispatched to attack oil and
supply dumps and bridges in the Paris area (number in parenthesis indicates
number of bombers attacking); 2 bombers and 2 fighters are lost:
  1. Targets for 156 B-17s are Paris/Gennevilliers (51), Paris/Dugny (38), 
Mery-sur-Oise (37), Bernay marshalling yard (12), Courtalain rail junction
(7) and targets of opportunity (4); 2 B-17s are lost and 47 damaged; 1 airman
is KIA, 2 WIA and 18 MIA. 
  2. Targets for 163 B-24s are bridges at Neuvy-sur-Loire (36), Nogent-sur-
Seine (31), Mantereau (28); 26 hit Sens oil depot; airfields at St Dizier
(12) and Creton (3); and Pacy-sur-Armancon (10); 1 B-24 is damaged beyond
repair and 23 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA.
  The two forces above are escorted by 132 of 158 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost and
1 damaged; 1 pilot is KIA and 2 MIA.
  Mission 511: 517 bombers and 249 fighters are dispatched to attack CROSSBOW
(V-weapon) sites and bridges in France; 3 bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
  1. Of 195 B-17s, 77 hit V-weapon sites, and rail bridges at Jussy (31), 
Aulnoye (21), Beautor (21) and Crocal de St Quentin (11); 3 B-17s are lost
and 45 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 1 WIA and 28 MIA.
  2. Of 322 B-24s, 182 hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area, 22 hit
Thennes Bridge, 12 hit Peronne Rail Bridge, 11 hit Achiet Airfield and 8 hit
targets of opportunity; 5 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 78 damaged; 2
airmen are KIA.
  Escort for the 2 forces above is provided by 236 of 249 P-51s; 5 are lost
and 1 is damaged beyond repair; 5 pilots are MIA.
  49 P-38s, 183 P-47s and 51 P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against rail
and road transport in the Paris-Amiens-Brussels-St Quentin area; they claim
1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost, 1 P-38 is damaged
beyond repair and 6 P-47s and 2 P-51s are damaged; 2 pilots are MIA.
  42 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, the IX Bomber Command
halts bombing of bridges, fuel dumps, and similar targets in Brittany except
on the request of the 12th Army Group, as the US Third Army wants the use of
bridges access to all fuel they may find in their advance across France;
around 300 A-20s and B-26s attack bridges at Mezieres-sur-Seine, Mainvillers,
Cinq Mars-la-Pile, Nantes, and Lisle, and ammunition dumps at Caudebec-les-
Elbeuf and Le Lude; fighters fly armed reconnaissance in wide areas
surrounding Paris and the SW as far as Laval, escort IX Bomber Command
aircraft, and provide cover for armored columns and close support for ground
forces; HQ IX Tactical Air Command moves from Les Obeaux to Canisy; HQ 84th
Fighter Wing moves from Houesville to Criqueville; HQ 303d Fighter Wing moves
from La Combe to Houesville; and the 14th Liaison Squadron, XIX Tactical Air
Command (attached to Third Army) moves from Nehou to Le Bepas with L-5s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 330+ bombers are dispatched
to hit targets in France and Italy; B-24s attack Genoa, Italy harbor; B-17s
hit targets in S France, including Le Pouzin oil storage, Portes-les-Valences
torpedo factory and marshalling yard, Le Pontet oil storage, and Avignon
railroad bridges; P-38s and P-51s provide escort.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers strike at
bridges near the border between Italy and France, doing some damage at
Gilette, Taggia, Alessandria, and at 2 points along the Var River; fighter-
bombers pound bridges and airfields in NW Italy and S France and attack
targets of opportunity in the area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb the
airfield at Yap Island, Caroline Islands; B-24s and B-25s carry out wide
sweeps over the Moluccas and Lesser Sunda Islands, hitting airfields at
Maumere, Amahai, and Liang, and shipping off Ceram and Amboina Islands; on
Timor Island, B-24s hit Cape Chater and Lautem while B-25s bomb a camp near
Poeloeti; and fighter-bombers hit coastal vessels and shore targets at
Talaud, Sunda Islands. In New Guinea, A-20s bomb Nabire Airfield while in the
Wewak area bombers and fighters hit a bridge and airfield at Boram and
bridges, communications lines, troop concentrations, and other targets along
the coastline, especially between But and Cape Karawop; and fighter-bombers
hit Mapia Island 

THURSDAY, 3 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, B-25s bomb Wanling, knock out a
bridge at Panghkam, and attack bridges along the railroad from Naba to
Myitkyina; P-51s and P-47s support ground forces N of Taungni and near
Sahmaw, hit the towns of Shwegu and Mosit, attack the factory area at
Mohnyin, and pound boats, troop concentrations, and gun positions at
Myitkyina and Maingna.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 23 B-24s bomb the town of Yoyang;
6 B-25s hit Mangshih; nearly 150 P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s on armed
reconnaissance attack targets of opportunity, including airfields, troops,
town areas, supply areas, and rail, road, and river traffic at numerous
locations, including the areas of Tengchung, Tingka, Mangshih, Loyang,
Changsha, Hengyang, Tangyang, Chingmen, Chaling, Siangyin, Nanchang,
Siangtan, Hengshan, Chuchou, Ikiawan, and Leiyang.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Two missions are flown.
  Mission 512: 672 bombers and 352 fighters are dispatched to hit rail and
other targets in the French/German border area and oil dumps and bridges SE
of Paris; 6 bombers and 6 fighters are lost:
  1. Of 345 B-17s, 106 hit the Merkwille Oil Refinery, 68 hit Strasbourg
marshalling yard, 62 hit Saarbrucken marshalling yard, 54 hit Mulhouse
marshalling yard, 16 hit Toul/Croix de Metz Airfield, 11 hit a railroad near
Saarbrucken and 6 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 4-1-1 Luftwaffe
aircraft; 6 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 98 damaged; 9 airmen
are KIA, 9 WIA and 54 MIA. Escort is provided by 175 of 200 P-51s; they claim
6-0-0 aircraft in the air and 5-0-1 on the ground; 6 P-51s are lost (pilots
are MIA).
  2. Of 155 B-17s, 38 hit Troyes Bridge and 36 hit Joigny/La Roche Bridge; 11
B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 96 of 103 P-51s.
  3. Of 172 B-24s, 27 hit Conches Airfield, 12 hit Melun marshalling yard, 11
hit Etampes Mondesir Airfield and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 51 B-24s are
damaged. Escort is provided by 47 P-47s.
  Mission 513: 482 bombers and 178 fighters are dispatched to oil
installations and dumps in the Brussels, Paris and Lille areas and CROSSBOW
(V-weapon) sites in the Pas de Calais; 2 bombers are lost:
  1. 112 of 126 B-17s and 117 of 121 B-24s hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de
Calais; 1 B-24 is lost; 6 B-17s and 20 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided
by 43 of 46 P-51s.
  2. Of 76 B-24s, 62 hit Brussels/Vivorde, 10 hit Ghent/Terneuzen and 1 hits
a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 49 damaged; 2
airmen are KIA. Escort is provided by 33 of 36 P-47s.
  3. Of 159 B-24s, 49 hit Harnes, 28 hit Courchelettes, 22 hit Pas de Calais
V-weapons sites, 10 hit Lille/Marquette, 10 hit Lille/Sequedin and 8 hit Ghent
marshalling yard; 1 B-24 is lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 38 damaged; 4
airmen are KIA, 4 WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 90 of 96 P-51s.
  133 P-38s and P-47s fly fighter-bomber missions against rail traffic in the
Metz-Strasbourg-Saarbrucken area; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and
1-0-0 on the ground; 1 P-47 is lost.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 180+ A-20s and B-26s bomb
rail bridges, overpasses, and junctions at Mantes-la-Jolie, Chartres, La
Chenaie and Merey, fuel dump at Maintenon, and alternate rail targets in N
France; fighters escort IX Bomber Command bombers and a few C-47s, provide
cover for ground forces, and fly armed reconnaissance over wide areas of N
and W France; and the 22d and 23d Fighter Squadrons, 36th Fighter Group, move
from Kingsnorth, England to Brucheville with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 600+ bombers hit targets in
Germany; B-17s and B-24s hit industry in the Friedrichshafen area, including
chemical works, fabric works, and 2 aircraft factories; B-24s also bomb
communications targets in the Brenner Pass area, attacking Avisio viaduct and
bridges at Ora and San Michele all'Adige; fighters fly about 300 sorties in
support; the bombers and fighters claim 18 enemy aircraft shot down; 11 AAF
airplanes are destroyed.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers achieve
fair results in attacks on bridges at Gilette, Levens, Lesegno, Albenga, and
Asti, and at 2 locations along the Var River; fighter-bombers have a
successful day against communications targets (mainly road and railroad
bridges) and airfields in N Italy; at least 15 bridges are damaged or
demolished and several parked aircraft are destroyed.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): HQ VII Air Service Area Command
is activated. B-24s from the Marshall Islands pound Truk Atoll, Caroline
Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Yap
Island and islands in the Woleai Atoll group; an ammunition dump and oil
derrick at Boela, Ceram Island, Moluccas Islands, are also destroyed. In New
Guinea, bad weather cancels scheduled strikes over the Vogelkop Peninsula
area; however, B-25s hit troop concentrations at Bira and other points on
MacCluer Gulf, bomb Urarom, and support Allied ground forces on Biak Island
by hitting troops in the Korim Bay area; supply dumps, communications
targets, and bridges are hit as fighter-bombers and A-20s continue to blast
areas around But, Dagua, and Wewak.

FRIDAY, 4 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 P-38s accompanied by 1 B-25 fly top cover
for a naval force near Massacre Bay, Attu Island, Aleutian Islands; 4 B-25s
fly an uneventful shipping sweep.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, B-25s bomb the town of Sahmaw in
support of advancing Allied ground forces; P-51s also support ground forces
in the Sahmaw-Taungni area; fighter-bombers hit various targets, including
town areas, gun positions, troops, and communications lines in or near Shwegu
Pinbaw, Kazu, Bhamo, Myitkyina, Bilumyo, Mawhe, Mainghka, and Onsansaing.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 20 B-25s bomb the town of Mangshih
and airfields at Lashio and Hsenwi; 32 P-40s hit the town area and targets of
opportunity at Tengehung; 70 P-40s attack troops, supplies, river shipping,
and trucks at several points in the Tungting Lake-Yangtze River region; and
4 P-38s knock out 2 bridges at Mongyu.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 3 missions are flown:
  Mission 514: 1,307 bombers and 746 fighters are dispatched to strategic
targets in Germany; 15 bombers are lost:
  1. Of 358 B-17s, 181 hit Hamburg oil refineries, 50 hit Bremen oil
refineries, 23 hit Nordhof Airfield, 22 hit Ostend, Belgium coastal defenses,
14 hit Einswarden and 7 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 0-4-2
Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17s are lost, 8 damaged beyond repair and 196
damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 63 MIA. Escort is provided by 234 P-47s
and P-51s; they claim 38-1-5 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 9-0-1 on the
ground; 2 P-47s and 3 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 2 P-47s and 2 P-51s
are damaged.
  2. Of 425 B-27s, 221 hit Peenemunde, 110 hit Anklam Airfield and 70 hit
Anklam aircraft factories; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-17s are
lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 94 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and
40 MIA. Escort is provided by 223 of 250 P-51s; they claim 4-0-4 Luftwaffe
aircraft on the ground; 9 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 is damaged
beyond repair; 1 pilot is KIA.
  3. Of 446 B-24s, 148 hit Rostock aviation factories, 89 hit Kiel, 88 hit
Schwerin aviation factories, 71 hit Wismar aviation factories, 12 hit
Schlutup, 11 hit Warien and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 4 B-24s are lost
and 114 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 40 MIA. Escort is provided by
209 P-38s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and 1 P-38 is damaged; 1 pilot is KIA.
  4. Of 78 B-24s, 39 hit Husum Airfield and 29 hit Hemmingstedt/Heide oil
refinery without loss.
  Mission 515: The first APHRODITE mission is flown using 4 radio-controlled
war weary B-17s as flying bombs; targets are Mimoyecques, Siracourt, Watten,
and Wizernes V-weapon sites but none are hit; 1 drone B-17 crashes killing 1
crew. Escort is provided by 16 P-47s and 16 P-51s.
  Mission 516: In France, 154 B-17s and 36 fighters are dispatched to hit
V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais and coastal defenses at Middelkerke and
Gravelines:
  1. Of 95 B-24s, 24 hit the Pas de Calais, 12 hit Achiet Airfield, 11 hit
Gravelines, 11 hit Middelkerke, 6 hit Lens marshalling yard and 6 hit
Villy/Montigne marshalling yard; 17 B-24s are damaged.
  2. Of 59 B-17s, 13 hit targets of opportunity, 12 hit Lille/Vendeville
Airfield and 11 hit a bridge at Gravelines; 12 B-17s are damaged.
  Escort for the two groups above is provided by 35 P-47s and P-51s.
  67 of 69 P-47s fly a fighter-bomber mission against Plantlunne Airfield;
they claim 30-0-5 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA), 1 is
damaged beyond repair and 8 damaged.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 62 A-20s and B-26s bomb
rail bridges at Oissel, Epernon, and Saint-Remy-sur-Avre and an ammunition
dump and bivouac area in Foret de Sille; fighters furnish cover over the
battle area and for an armored column, fly sweeps, dive-bomb enemy positions
and also fuel dumps at Angers, attack an ammunition dump at Tours, and fly
armed reconnaissance in the Quimper-Nantes, Amines, and Saint-Quentin areas;
HQ 70th Fighter Wing moves from Criqueville to Villedieu les Poeles; the
14th Liaison Squadron, XIX Tactical Air Command (attached to Third Army),
moves from Le Repas to Beauchamps with L-5s. The 596th and 598th Bombardment
Squadrons (Medium), 397th Bombardment Group (Medium), move from Rivenhall to
Hurn, England with B-26s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In an attempt to comply with
the first direct Soviet request for AAF air strikes, 70+ P-38s and P-51s
leave Italy, attack the airfield and town of Focsani, Rumania and land at
Operation FRANTIC bases in the USSR.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, weather severely hampers
the day's operations. medium bombers attacking bridges at Levens,
Ventimiglia, Fontan, and along the Var River achieve poor results; fighter-
bombers in same the general area hit bridges, tracks, guns, junction, and
airfield, and strike at Nice, France harbor.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): In the Marianas Islands, Saipan
Island Island-based B-25s fly 2 strikes against Guam Island. B-25s staging
from the Marshall Island, hit Ponape Island. HQ 30th Bombardment Group
(Heavy) and 27th, 38th and 392d Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) move from
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands to Saipan Island with B-24s; and the 9th
Troop Carrier Squadron, Seventh Air Force, moves from Abemama Island, Gilbert
Islands to Saipan Island with C-47s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb the
supply area on Utagal Island, the airfield at Yap Island and oil
installations at Boela, Ceram Island. In New Guinea, B-24s attack Fann; B-25s
and A-20s hit oilfields at Klamono and at Kasim Island and bomb Nabire
Airfield; P-39s strafe Pegun Island; A-20s and fighter-bombers in support of
Allied forces pound enemy concentrations, supplies, and barges E of the
Driniumor River, at Abau, S of Torricelli Range, at Boram, and just W of
Wewak; and HQ 86th Fighter Wing moves from Finschhafen to Toem.

SATURDAY, 5 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A weather mission is followed by a shipping
sweep flown by 2 B-25s which is aborted early due to weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 14 B-25s bomb the town area of
Taungni and stores area at Bilumyo; 50 P-51s also pound the Taungni area; 21
P-47s attack targets of opportunity throughout the widespread area around
Bhamo. In India, the 10th Combat Cargo Squadron, 3d Combat Cargo Group, moves
from Sylhet to Dergaon with C-47s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 15 B-25s bomb the town of Wanling;
3 hit Lashio Airfield, Burma; 36 P-40s again pound Tengchung; in the
Tungting Lake area 50+ P-40s attack communications targets, troops, and
numerous trucks.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 519: In the morning, 1,171
bombers and 646 fighters are dispatched to attack strategic targets in the
Magdeburg-Brunswick-Hannover region of Germany including oil refineries and
tank and aircraft production; 13 bombers and 4 fighters are lost:
  1. Of 215 B-17s, 93 hit Magdeburg/Neustadt, 87 hit Magdeburg/Krupp, 14 hit
Helmstedt Airfield and 6 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 3-1-3
Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-17s are lost and 189 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA
and 28 MIA. Escort is provided by 174 P-38s and P-51s; they claim 19-1-7
aircraft in the air and 1-0-2 on the ground; 1 P-38 and 3 P-51s are lost
(pilots are MIA) and 1 P-38 and 5 P-51s are damaged; 1 pilot is KIA and 1
WIA.
  2. 70 of 78 B-24s hit Halberstadt Airfield and 1 hits a target of
opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 7 damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. Escort is
provided by 41 of 47 P-47s; they claim 4-0-1 aircraft.
  3. Of 452 B-24s, 98 hit Brunswick Aero-Engineering, 85 hit Fallerslaben, 69
hit Brunswick/Wilhelmitor, 65 hit Brunswick/Me 110 Assembly Plant, 44 hit
Brunswick/Bussing, 30 hit Brunswick aircraft components factory, 9 hit Goslar
Airfield and 8 hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond
repair and 147 damaged; 13 airmen are KIA, 5 WIA and 55 MIA. Escort is
provided by 172 of 188 P-51s; they claim 5-0-1 in the air and 3-0-3 on the
ground; 1 P-51 is damaged.
  4. Of 426 B-17s, 176 hit Nienburg, 143 hit Hannover/Langenhagen Airfield,
72 hit Dollbergen and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 is
damaged beyond repair and 130 are damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 5 WIA and 15
MIA. Escort is provided by 186 of 197 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft; 2
P-51s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 6 damaged; 2 pilots are MIA.
  Mission 520: 38 of 39 B-17s hit 6 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais; 19
B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 10 of 12 P-51s; they claim 0-0-1
aircraft on the ground.
  Mission 522: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and France
during the night.
  19 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
  In England, HQ 492d Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from North Pickenham to
Harrington; and the 406th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VIII Air Force
Composite Command [attached to 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional)], moves
from Harrington to Cheddington with B-24s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In order that operations controlled
by the Ninth Air Force be developed in close association with HQ 12th Army
Group, the Ninth's HQ at Uxbridge and Grandcamp-les-Bains are closed and a
single HQ opened the following day (6 Aug) at Saint-Sauveur-Lendelin, France
near both Advance HQ 12th Army Group and Advance HQ Allied Expeditionary Air
Force (AEAF). HQ 50th and 53d Troop Carrier Wings of the IX Troop Carrier
Command are attached to the Mediterranean Allied Air Force (MAAF) for the
purpose of forming, with HQ 51st Troop Carrier Wing, a Provisional Troop
Carrier Air Division to handle the airborne phase of the invasion of S
France; and HQ 406th Fighter Group moves from Ashford, England to Tour-en-
Bassin. In England, HQ 397th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 597th and 599th
Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from Rivenhall to Hurn with B-26s.
  In France, 300+ A-20s and B-26s bomb Saint-Malo harbor and Foret de Sille
fuel dump during the night of 4/5 Aug, and during the day, rail bridges at 6
cities in N and W France, and marshalling yard at Compiegne; fighters furnish
cover for ground forces and fly armed reconnaissance over wide areas of N
France.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, weather again restricts
operations; A-20s on armed reconnaissance in the Po Valley during the night
of 4/5 Aug attack lights and vehicles; fighter-bombers fly a few unsuccessful
missions against bridges; and the detachment of the 415th Night Fighter
Squadron, 64th Fighter Wing (attached to 87th Fighter Wing), operating form
Piombino, Italy returns to base at Solonzara, Corsica with Beaufighters.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Saipan Island fly 2
strikes against Guam Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb
personnel and supply areas on Yap Island; other B-24s bomb oil facilities at
Boela, Ceram Island and a few bomb Sasa Airfield, Philippine Islands while
B-25s hit villages and small boats near Seleman Bay, Celebes Islands and
afterwards bomb Besar Island, Sunda Islands. In New Guinea, B-24s attack a
seaplane anchorage at Kokas while P-39s strafe barges in the W Geelvink Bay
area; despite bad weather, P-39s manage to hit Luain gun positions and
ammunition dump; and HQ 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group and 26th
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron move from Nadzab and Hollandia
respectively to Biak Island with F-5s.

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
SUNDAY, 6 AUGUST 1944
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 6 B-25s bomb the town area of
Mohnyin while 2 others destroy a bridge at Hsenwi; 21 P-51s hit 4 railroad
bridges in the Naba-Pinbaw area, destroying 2 of them; P-51s and P-47s hit
numerous targets of opportunity at Mohnyin, Hopin, Bhamo, Myothit, Katha,
Indaw, and other points in N Burma; a few P-40s strafe targets of opportunity
in the Myitkyina area.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 28 P-40s again pound Tengchung; 47
P-40s and P-51s hit trucks, troop compounds, and gun positions in the
Hengyang area; 19 P-40s attack sampans and trucks around Changsha; 20 others
hit supplies, trucks, barracks, and targets of opportunity at Chefang and
Mangshih, between Changsha and Hengyang, and between Siangyin and Siangtan.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 524: 1,186 bombers and
740 fighters are dispatched to attack oil refineries, aircraft, ordnance and
other factories in Germany and V-weapon sites in France; 24 bombers and 8
fighters are lost:
  1. Of 414 B-17s, 126 hit Brandenburg assembly plants, 74 hit Genshagen, 69
hit Brandenburg munitions industry, 12 hit Stendal Airfield and 8 hit targets
of opportunity; they claim 0-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 B-17s are lost and
106 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 4 WIA and 105 MIA. Escort is provided by 168 of
195 P-51s; they claim 19-0-2 aircraft; 2 P-51s are lost and 1 damaged beyond
repair; 1 pilot is KIA and 2 MIA.
  2. Of 154 B-17s, 83 hit Berlin aircraft engine factories, 45 hit Berlin
diesel factories, 7 hit targets of opportunity and 4 hit Nordholz Airfield;
they claim 0-2-3 aircraft; 5 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 103
damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 6 WIA and 45 MIA. Escort is provided by 107 of 144
P-51s; they claim 4-0-0 aircraft in the air and 2-0-4 on the ground; 1 P-51
is lost and 3 damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 1 MIA.
  3. In an Operation FRANTIC mission, 75 of 78 B-17s hit Gdynia/Rahmel
aircraft factories in Poland and procedes to bases in the USSR; they claim
0-2-2 aircraft; 23 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 154 of 160 P-51s;
they claim 7-2-3 aircraft; 4 P-51s are lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair; 1
pilot is KIA and 5 MIA.
  4. Of 445 B-24s, 72 hit Hamburg/Schulau oil refinery, 62 hit Hamburg/
Rhenania-Ossag oil refinery, 61 hit Hamburg/Rhenania oil refinery, 58 hit
Kiel naval installation, 54 hit Hamburg/Deutsche oil refinery, 33 hit
Hamburg/Eband oil refinery, 32 hit Hamburg/Schlieman oil refinery, 23 hit
Hemmingstedt and 4 hit targets of opportunity; 8 B-24s are lost, 3 damaged
beyond repair and 290 damaged; 13 airmen are KIA, 16 WIA and 83 MIA. Escort
is provided by 196 P-38s and P-47s; they claim 1-0-2 aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost
(pilot is MIA).
  5. 24 of 91 B-24s hit 2 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 9 B-24s
are damaged. Escort is provided by 24 P-47s.
  Mission 526: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
  36 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France; 1 B-24 is MIA.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, A-20s and B-26s hit
bridges, fuel and ammunition dumps, and a locomotive depot at Beauvais,
Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, Courtalain, Foret de Perseigne, and Blois; fighters
escort IX Bomber Command and furnish cover to ground troops in the Vire,
Rennes, and Redon areas; HQ 474th Fighter Group and 428th, 429th and 430th
Fighter Squadrons move from Moreton, England to Neuilly with P-38s; a
detachment of the 112th Liaison Squadron, Ninth Air Force, based at Heston,
England begins operating from Valognes with L-5s; and the 153d Liaison
Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command, moves from Vouilly to Canisy with L-5s. In
England, the 90th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, based at
Greenham Common, begins operating from Welford Park with C-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 60 fighters take off from
Operation FRANTIC bases in the USSR, attack Craiova marshalling yard and
other railroad targets in the Bucharest-Ploesti, Rumania area, and land at
Italian bases. Close to 700 B-17s and B-24s, operating against targets in SE
France, attack oil storage at Le Pouziii, Le Pontet, and Lyon, railroad
bridges at Le Pouzin, Avignon, Tarascon, Rambert, and Givors, marshalling
yards at Portes-les-Valences and Miramas, and submarine pens at Toulon; 43
P-38s dive-bomb airfields at Orange/Plan de Dieu, and Valence; P-38s and
P-51s fly about 200 sorties in support of bombing missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Medium bombers strike bridges in
SE France in the Rhone Valley and areas to the E, in or near Tarascon and
Arles, and alone the Var River; fighter-bombers enjoy a successful day
against targets in NW Italy and SE France, including bridges, railroad lines,
motor transport, trains, roads, airfields, and town areas, plus shipping at
Imperia, Genoa, and La Spezia, Italy.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Saipan Island strike
Guam Island twice; B-25s flying out of the Marshall Islands hit Ponape
Island, and others from the Gilbert Islands hit Nauru Island, Gilbert
Islands; and B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll bomb Wotje Atoll, Marshall Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: The Yap Island
supply area is bombed by B-24s; heavy frontal weather activities over the
Vogelkop Peninsula and the Moluccas Islands cancels strikes in that area.
In New Guinea, B-25s and fighters, though restricted by the weather, support
ground operations near Sarmi, hit gun positions at Dagua, and strafe fuel
dumps and targets of opportunity at Cape Djeruen; the 100th Bombardment
Squadron (Medium), Thirteenth Air Force [attached to 42d Bombardment Group
(Medium)] based on Stirling Island with B-25s, begins operating from
Hollandia.

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
MONDAY, 7 AUGUST 1944
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  F-7, Consolidated Liberator
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, B-25s destroy 2 bridges, damage 2
others, and hit targets of opportunity in areas around Naba and Mawhun;
fighter-bombers attack Mohnyin, Myothit, and Pinbaw, hit motor pool at
Namana, damage 2 bridges S of Bhamo, and attack targets of opportunity during
sweeps of Onbauk Airfield and the town of Bhamo; fighter-bombers also support
ground forces in the Taungni area.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 37 P-40s hit Hengyang and trucks,
troops, and gun positions in the surrounding area; 21 P-40s bomb Changsha, 4
hit rivercraft at Siangsiang, 4 bomb the wall at Tengchung, and 6 attack
Hsiaoshuipu.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 4 missions are flown:
  Mission 527: 905 bombers and 471 fighters are dispatched to hit fuel dumps
and bridges in France but heavy cloud cover forces many aircraft to return
with bombs and other formations to be recalled; 1 bomber and 5 fighters are
lost; targets hit (number in parenthesis indicates bombers bombing) are:
  1. Of 112 B-17s, 71 hit Montbartier and 34 hit St Loubes; 1 B-17 is
damaged beyond repair and 26 are damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escort is
provided by 123 of 139 P-51s; they claim 1-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air
and 0-0-1 on the ground.
  2. The primary targets of 224 B-17s are Nanteuil Bridge (36), Sens (26), St
Florentin (25), Dueny (24), Bourron Marlotte (23) and Paris-St Quen (12);
other targets hit are Chartres Airfield (23), Maintenon Bridge (23), Houden
marshalling yard (14), Chateaudun Airfield (11) and Rouglaf (1); 1 B-17 is
damaged beyond repair and 80 damaged. Escort is provided by 96 of 97 P-51s.
  3. 1 of 182 B-17s hits Montdidier Airfield; 35 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman
is WIA. Escort is provided by 90 P-38s and P-51s.
  4. Of 51 B-24s, 10 hit Andenne Bridge, 8 hit Semuse and 8 hit targets of
opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 19 damaged; 11 airmen are MIA. Escort is
provided by 34 of 35 P-47s.
  5. The primary targets of 333 B-24s are Doullens Bridge (37), Saleux (24),
Recques-sur-Course (23), Frevent Bridge (15), Rieme/Ertveld (11) and
Langerbrugge (9); 12 also hit a factory near Wendelghem and 1 hits a target
of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 45 damaged; 8 airmen are
KIA and 1 WIA. Escort is provided by 94 of 100 P-51s.
  Mission 528: 1 of 3 B-17s flies a Mico H test mission (Micro H was a radar
system which combned the Gee-H and H2X radar functionality for use by
pathfinders).
  Mission 529: 271 P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions to marshalling
yards and railroads N and E of Paris; they claim 4-0-1 aircraft on the
ground; 3 P-47s and 2 P-51s are lost and 11 P-47s damaged; 5 pilots are MIA.
And, 5 of 5 B-17s fly a leaflet mission over France during the night.
  In the USSR, a shuttle mission is flown in accordance with a Soviet request;
55 B-17s and 29 P-51s attack an oil refinery at Trzebina, Poland without
loss; the aircraft return to Operation FRANTIC bases in the USSR.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): To maintain close a association with
ground forces, HQ IX Tactical Air Command and HQ XIX Tactical Air Command
constitute mobile units to accompany Advance HQ of the US First and Third
Armies, respectively, as they advance rapidly to the E; Lieutenant General
Lewis H Brereton relinquishes command of the Ninth Air Force to become
Commanding General First Allied Airborne Army.
  In France, 380+ A-20s and B-26s bomb bridges at Nogent-sur-Seine and Neuvy-
sur-Loire; fighters escort IX Bomber Command aircraft, furnish defensive
cover in the Vire, Laval, and Rennes areas, and support ground forces in the
assault area; HQ 71st Fighter Wing moves from St-Pierre-Eglise to
Ecrammeville; and the 14th Liaison Squadron, XIX Tactical Air Command, moves
from Beauchamps to Poilley with L-5s. In England, the following squadrons
begin operating from Ramsbury with C-47s:
 - 93d Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, based at Upottery
 - 98th Troop Carrier Squadron, 440th Troop Carrier Group, based at Exeter
 - 301st Troop Carrier Squadron, 441st Troop Carrier Group, based at
     Merryfield
The 306th Troop Carrier Squadron, 442d Troop Carrier Group, based at Weston
Zoyland, begins operating from Ramsgate with C-47s. 

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 353 B-17s and B-24s bomb 2
synthetic oil reflneries at Blechhammer S (B-17s) and Blechhammer N (B-24s);
300+ fighters provide support; 76 B-24s hit Alibunar Airfield and Novi Sad
oil facilities, Yugoslavia; the bombers and fighters claim nearly 30
aircraft shot down.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, A-20s bomb shipping at
Genoa, Finale Ligure, and Alassio and Monaco, Monaco during the night of 6/7
Aug; during the day, B-25s and B-26s bomb bridges at Les Censies,
Ventimiglia, La Voulte-sur-Rhone, Livron, Avignon, and Pont-Saint-Esprit;
fighter-bombers hit rail and road bridges, marshalling yards at Alessandria
and Albenga, shipping at Imperia and Nice, and airfields in NW Italy and S
France.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based B-25s hit
Guam Island twice during the day.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb power
plant, AA positions, and barracks area on Yap Island, phosphate plant on Fais
Island, Caroline Islands, and airfields at Galela and Lolobata on Halmahera
Island, Moluccas Islands, where 35-50 aircraft are destroyed or damaged. In
New Guinea, the 20th Combat Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance
Group, based at Nadzab begins operating from Biak Island with F-7s; the 39th
Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, moves from Nadzab to Noemfoor Island
with P-47s; and the 390th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment
Group (Medium), moves from the Russell Islands, Solomon Islands to Hollandia
with B-25s.

TUESDAY, 8 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, B-25s are weathered out of their
primary target, the town of Shwekyina; the B-25s hit alternates, destroying
the Meza bridge and damaging 3 others, and bombing railroad tracks at several
points between Naba and Meza; weather severely curtails fighter-bomber
missions; and the detachment of the 315th Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop
Carrier Group, operating from Shingbwiyang with C-47s returns to base at
Ledo, India.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 6 B-25s and 7 P-40s bomb a storage
area in Hengshan and destroy several trucks in the area; 29 P-40s hit gun
positions and targets of opportunity in the Hengyang vicinity; 14 P-51s and
P-40s hit bridge, trucks, and river craft at Siangtan while 8 blast trucks,
barges, and a compound between Siangtan and Hengyang; 12 P-40s attack river
shipping from Sinti to Hankow; 15 P-40s bomb storage areas and radio stations
at Amoy and Swatow.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Shuttle missions continue as 78
B-17s with 55 P-51s escort, leave bases in the USSR to hit airfields in
Rumania; 38 hit Bizau and 35 hit Zlistea; no Luftwaffe fighters are
encountered during the mission and the force flies to Italy.
  Mission 530: 414 B-24s and 265 fighters are dispatched to attack airfields
and V-weapon sites in France; 115 hit V-weapons sites in the Pas de Calais;
91 hit Clastres Airfield, 53 hit Romilly air depot, 50 hit La Perthe
Airfield, 12 hit Laon/Athies Airfield, 14 hit railroad bridges, 13 hit
targets of opportunity and 11 hit Bretigny Airfield; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 is
damaged beyond repair and 139 are damaged; 11 airmen are KIA, 9 WIA and 9
MIA. Escort is provided by 265 P-47s and P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are
MIA).
  Mission 531: 681 B-17s and 100 P-51s are dispatched to bomb enemy troop
concentrations and strongpoints S of Caen; 25 Canadian soldiers are killed and
131 wounded by short bombing; 231 hit Cauvincourt, 99 hit Bretteville-sur-
Laise strongpoint, 99 hit St Sylvain strong point, 67 hit targets of
opportunity and 1 hits Gouvix strongpoint; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe
aircraft; 7 B-17s are lost, 4 damaged beyond repair and 294 damaged; 8 airmen
are KIA, 15 WIA and 35 MIA. Escort is provided by 91 of 100 P-51s; they claim
4-1-6 aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
  41 of 50 P-51s escort RAF Coastal Command Beaufighters on a convoy strike
in Norway; 3 P-51s are lost and 3 damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 3 MIA.
  175 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s fly a fighter-bomber mission against the
railroad N and W of Dijon; 2 P-47s and 2 P-51s are lost; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 1
P-51 are lost; 5 airmen are MIA.
  Mission 532: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Lieutenant General Hoyt S Vandenberg
assumes command of the Ninth Air Force.
  In France, 406 B-26s and A-20s bomb a rail embankment and bridges at 8
locations in N and W France, attack radar installations between Argentan and
Alencon, and give tactical support to ground forces near Saint-Malo; fighters
escort IX Bomber Command aircraft, give defensive air cover, and fly armed
reconnaissance E of Paris and in the battle area; and HQ 100th Fighter Wing
moves from St-Pierre-Eglise to Rennes.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather limits operations
to reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers attack
targets in Po Valley and Rhone Valley in France, hitting bridges and railroad
tracks in or near Alessandria, and Avignon, Pont-Saint-Esprit, and along the
Var River in France; A-20s hit a storage dump and the nearby town of
Savigliano; fighter-bombers hit a barge in San Stefano al Mare harbor and
pontoon and railroad bridges nearby, and attack the Mantua causeway and
nearby bridges, scoring many hits and destroying several vehicles.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based B-25s bomb
Guam Island where effective resistance ends. B-25s from the Marshall Islands
hit Ponape Island while B-24s bomb Truk Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Yap
Island and Gagil-Tomil Island, Caroline Islands, concentrating on airstrips,
and airfields at Galela and Lolobata on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea,
B-24s hit Babo Airfield and the towns of Urarom and Manokwari; A-20s bomb a
radio station near Hollandia and hit troop concentrations in the Musu area;
fighter-bombers bomb bridges and buildings at Boram, troops at But, and guns
at Dagua; and HQ 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group moves from Nadzab to Biak
Island.

WEDNESDAY, 9 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 24 fighter-bombers support ground
forces in the Taungni-Sahmaw area; several others unsuccessfully attack a
bridge N of Hopin and bomb the town of Tagwin. The 426th Night Fighter
Squadron, Tenth Air Force, arrives at Madhaiganj, India from the US with
P-61s (first mission is 21 Nov).

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 6 B-25s bomb a compound and vehicle
shed on the NE edge of Hengyang; 36 P-40s and P-51s attack trucks, gun
positions, and buildings at several points in the Hengyang-Siangtan area; 21
P-51s and P-40s knock out a pontoon bridge and hit junks and sampans at
Changsha, and attack rivercraft at points along the C Yangtze River.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 533: 824 bombers and 675
fighters are dispatched to strategic targets (aircraft and tank factories,
airfields and fuel depots) in SE Germany; weather deteriorated enroute and
many bombers were recalled when confronted with a front rising to 28,000-feet
(8,534 m) and most units attacked targets of opportunity; only 25 bombers hit
their primary (Sindelfingen); 18 bombers and 3 fighters are lost; targets
were (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of bombers bombing):
  1. Of 359 B-17s, 103 hit Pirmasens; 56 hit Elsenborn, 41 hit Karlsruhe, 30
hit Ulm, 8 hit Spreicher and marshalling yards at Saarbrucken (34) and
Luxembourg (29); they claim 1-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 B-17s are lost, 1 is
damaged beyond repair and 157 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 96 MIA.
Escort is provided by 243 P-47s and P-52s; they claim 33-0-10 aircraft in the
air and 24-0-15 on the ground; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA); 2
P-47s and 5 P-51s are damaged beyond repair.
  2. Of 218 B-17s, 16 hit Aacen, 12 hit Eindhoven, 12 hit St Vith marshalling
yard and 7 hit targets of opportunity; 3 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond
repair and 94 are damaged; 5 airman are WIA and 18 MIA. Escort is provided by
162 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
  3. Of 247 B-24s, 147 hit Saarbrucken marshalling yard and 25 hit an
aircraft engine plant at Sindelfingen; 4 B-24s are lost, 2 are damaged beyond
repair and 126 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 10 WIA and 39 MIA. Escort is
provided by 165 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 6-0-4 aircraft; 1 P-38 is
lost (pilot is MIA).
  Mission 535: 3 of 4 B-17s fly a Micro H test mission against Aubigny,
France airstrip. Escort is provided by 16 P-38s without loss.
  Mission 536: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands
during the night.
  116 P-47s, escorted by 40 P-51s, are dispatched on fighter-bomber missions
against communications in France without loss.
  In England, HQ 325th Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) is activated at
High Wycombe; and HQ 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) and 652d
Bombardment Squadron (Heavy, Weather Reconnaissance) with B-24s, the 653d
Bombardment Squadron (Light, Weather Reconnaissance) with B-24s and Mosquito
XVIs and 654th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy, Reconnaissance, Special) with
B-24s, B-26s and Mosquito XVIs are activated at Watton.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, close to 400 B-26s and
A-20s attack an ammunition dump in Foret de Blois, shipping at Brest, and
other targets, including rail bridges at 10 locations in N and W France;
fighters escort IX Bomber Command aircraft, cover ground forces, and fly
armed reconnaissance in the wide areas of N France (around Paris, as far S as
Orleans, and as far NE as Reims and Chalons-sur-Marne).

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Around 400 bombers, with
fighter escort, hit targets in Hungary and Yugoslavia; B-17s bomb an aircraft
assembly plant and a rolling stock plant at Gyor, Hungary and marshalling
yard and oil refinery at Brod, Yugoslavia; B-24s bomb 2 airfields and an oil
refinery at Budapest, Hungary.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bomber efforts
are restricted by bad weather; however, during the night of 8/9 Aug A-20s hit
targets along the coastal road from Nice, France to Genoa, and during the day
B-25s hit the railroad at Ventimiglia and B-26s attain excellent results on
the Bergamo/Orio al Serio Airfield; fighter-bombers sink a motor vessel in
Imperia harbor and attack railroad facilities in NW Italy; the detachment of
the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command,
operating from Santa Maria with F-6s, returns to base at Borgo, Corsica.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s blast AA
positions in 3 different areas of Yap Island; other B-24s bomb airfields at
Boela, Ceram Island and at Liang, Ambon Island, Moluccas Islands. In New
Guinea, A-20s hit shipping facilities at Asap Island and bomb Nabire
Airfield; fighters strafe the villages S of Manokwari; B-25s bomb forces on
the N coast of Waigeo Island; A-20s and fighter-bombers hit troops at Dagua
and near Haur and bomb stores at Cape Moem and machine-guns at Cape Wom. HQ
380th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and 530th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) move
from Fenton to Darwin, Australia with B-24s.

THURSDAY, 10 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s on a shipping sweep spot 2 patrol
boats 75 miles (121 km) ESE of Shimushu Island, Kurile Islands; one is sunk,
the other is damaged.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 9 B-25s bomb the town of
Shwekyina; a few P-51s support ground forces by hitting a railroad station at
Mingon.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 9 P-40s strafe Taiyuan Airfield
claiming 20+ aircraft destroyed; 16 P-40s destroy 4 trucks and damage about
50 others at Siangtan and in the Changsha area; 2 P-40s strafe numerous junks
along the S China coast.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 2 missions are flown during
the night of 10/11 Aug; in one, 24 B-29s, out of Chengtu, China, bomb the
urban area of Nagasaki, Japan and 3 others hit targets of opportunity; the
B-29s claim 1 fighter shot down, the first such claim (except probables) by
the B-29s. In other missions, the first staged through China Bay, Ceylon, 31
B-29s bomb oil refineries at Palembang, Sumatra, 8 mine the Moesi River
nearby, and 3 hit targets of opportunity and a secondary target; the first
attack, from Ceylon to Sumatra, is the longest single-stage combat flight
(about 3,900 miles or 6,276 km) by B-29s during the war.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 45 P-51s in Italy during an
Operation FRANTIC mission are dispatched with Fifteenth Air Force aircraft to
escort a troop carrier evacuation mission. 
  Mission 537: 175 B-24 and 249 fighters are dispatched against fuel dumps
and bridges SE of Paris; 38 hit Clamecy Bridge, 31 hit Joigny, 31 hit Pacy-
sur-Armencon, 26 hit Sens, 23 hit St Florentin and 13 hit targets of
opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 19 damaged; 1
airman is WIA and 1 MIA. Escort is provided by 238 of 249 P-51s; they claim
8-0-0 aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost.
  Mission 538: 138 fighters are dispatched to hit rail targets in C and E
France; 5 fighters are lost.
  Mission 539: 1 of 1 B-17s drops leaflets on Brest, France.
  Mission 540: 4 of 4 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Norway during the
night.
  583 fighters are dispatched to hit rail targets in France; they claim
19-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-38s and 4 P-51s are lost.
  In England, the 788th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 467th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), moves from Harrington to Rackheath with B-24s; and the 856th,
857th, 858th and 859th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 492d Bombardment
Group (Heavy) move from North Pickenham to Harrington with B-24s (the
squadrons fly CARPETBAGGER missions until Apr 45).

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, almost 200 B-26s and
A-20s bomb rail bridges and embankments in wide areas around Paris; fighters
escort bombers, support ground forces, give defensive cover, and fly armed
reconnaissance in battle areas and around Amiens, Paris, Cambrai, Meaux,
Dijon, and Troyes; HQ 362d Fighter Group and 379th Fighter Squadron move from
Lignerolles to Rennes with P-47s; and the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron and 155th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Photographic
Group (Reconnaissance), move from Chalgrove, England to Rennes with F-6s and
A-20s, respectively.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 450+ B-17s and B-24s, with
fighter escort, hit 6 oil refineries in the Ploesti, Rumania area. In
Italy, the 37th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, ceases operating from
Corsica with P-38s and returns to base at Triolo Airfield; and the 94th
Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Group, based at Salsola Airfield with P-38s,
sends a detachment to operate from Aghione, Corsica.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Medium bomber and A-20 missions
are cancelled by bad weather; fighter-bombers, operating on a reduced scale,
hit gun positions along the S coast of France in preparation for the Allied
invasion of S France (Operation DRAGOON).

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s, flying their first
mission from Saipan Island, pound Iwo Jima Island, Volcano Islands, beginning
the AAF's neutralization campaign of that island. Saipan-based P-47s hit
Tinian and Pagan Islands. All organized resistance on Guam Island ends. B-24s
from Kwajalein Atoll hit Wotje Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s attack Yap
Island, concentrating on AA positions, airfields and the town of Yap; others
hit airfields at Galela and Lolobata, Halmahera Island and Namlea, Buru
Island. In New Guinea, B-25s bomb Langgoer Airfield; fighter-bombers attack
Sorong, Manokwari, and villages along the W coast of Geelvink Bay; fighter-
bombers continue to pound forces between Aitape and Wewak; large-scale troop
carrier missions are flown to forward bases, especially on Schouten Islands;
HQ Fifth Air Force moves from Nadzab to Owi, Schouten Islands; HQ 91st
Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) moves from Nadzab to Biak Island; HQ
308th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Hollandia;
and HQ 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and 319th and 320th Bombardment
Squadrons (Heavy) move from Nadzab to Biak Island with B-24s.

FRIDAY, 11 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 5 B-25s bomb an encampment area
and underground shelters at Kadu; 4 others abort because of bad weather; 6
P-40s attack a Japanese-occupied temple at Shwekyina and Japanese HQ at
Bhamo.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 23 B-24s bomb Changsha, 16 B-25s
pound Hengyang and 40+ P-51s and P-40s bomb bridges, villages, warehouses,
trucks, troops, and other targets of opportunity in the Hengyang area; 26
P-40s attack targets of opportunity at or near Chuting, Puchou, and
Yungfengshih.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Three missions are flown today
(numbers in parenthesis indicate number of bombers attacking the target).
  Mission 541: 660 bombers and 300+ fighters are dispatched to attack 13
marshalling yards, fuel dumps, airfields, and targets of opportunity, in NE
France and the Paris area; 4 bombers are lost:
  1. 157 B-17s are dispatched to attack Belfort (76) and Mulhouse (76)
marshalling yards and 1 B-17 hit a target of opportunity; 16 B-17s are
damaged.
  2. Of 141 B-24s, 47 hit Coulommiers Airfield, 36 hit Pacy-sur-Armancon and
34 hit St Florentin; 5 B-24s are damaged.
  3. 76 of 77 B-17s hit Villacoublay aircraft depot; 1 B-17 is lost and 17
damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 9 MIA.
  4. 45 of 65 B-24s dispatched hit Toussus le Noble Airfield; 9 others hit
Orleans/Saran Airfield; 1 B-24 is damaged.
  5. Of 220 B-24s, 66 hit Strasbourg fuel dump; marshalling yards at
Strasbourg (65) and Saarbrucken (60); Nivelles Airfield (10) and 1 hits a
target of opportunity; 3 B-24s are lost and 112 damaged; 7 airman are KIA, 7
WIA and 19 MIA.
  Mission 542: 275 of 294 B-17s attack 23 arsenal areas, barracks, concrete
emplacements and heavy artillery posts in and around Brest, France; 1 B-17 is
lost and 37 damaged.
  Mission 541 and 542 are escorted by 356 P-38s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and
1 damaged beyond repair; 1 pilot is WIA and 1 MIA.
  Mission 543: 1 of 2 B-17s flies a Micro H test against La Chenaie rail
bridge. Escort is provided by 7 of 8 P-47s.
  Mission 544: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in Franc during the night.
  165 of 180 P-47s fly a fighter sweep of the Paris area; they claim 3-0-0
Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-0-0 on the ground.
  28 of 31 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, A-20s and B-26s attack
bridges at Montrichard, Oissel, Fismes, and Creil/Saint-Maximin, gun defenses
at Ile de Cezembre and Saint-Malo, and an ammunition dump at Foret de
Roumare; fighters cover the assault area, escort IX Bomber Command aircraft,
and fly armed reconnaissance in the battle area and extensively over N
France; HQ 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) and the 12th Tactical
Reconnaissance Squadron and 34th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron move
from Chalgrove, England, Le Molay and Chalgrove respectively, to Rennes with
F-6s and F-5s; the 153d Liaison Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command (attached
to First Army), moves from Canisy to St Pois with L-5s; and the 353d Fighter
Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, moves from Cricqueville to Gael with P-51s.
 
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): The 27th and 71st Fighter
Squadrons, 1st Fighter Group, based at Salsola Airfield with P-38s, Italy,
send detachments to operate from Aghione, Corsica for 10 days

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): B-25s, B-26s, and P-47s strike gun
positions along the French and Italian coasts W of Genoa as the Operation
DRAGOON assault force begins a movement from the Naples area toward targets
in S France.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Makin Island based B-25s hit
Ponape Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In New Guinea,
A-20s hit shipping off Urarom and in Wandammen Bay and barges and a radar
station along the coast of Geelvink Bay; A-20s pound Japanese HQ and bivouac
areas S of Sawar, A-20s and B-25s bomb forces at Haur village while P-39s hit
the Kairiru Island barge terminal, coastal guns at several points, and
troops, supplies, and buildings from But to Rocky Point; the 2d Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Nadzab to Owi,
Schouten Islands with B-24s; and the 8th Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at Nadzab, begins
operating from Biak Island with F-5s.

SATURDAY, 12 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 4 B-24s and 2 F-7As
over Paramushiru and Shimushu Islands hit targets which include shipping in
Higashi Banjo Strait and buildings and runway on Suribachi; enemy fighters
give battle; the B-24s score 3 kills and 13 probables and damaged; 6 more
B-25s fly an uneventful shipping sweep and take photos over Shimushiru
Island.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, about 20 fighter-bombers hit
Shwekyina, damage a bridge near Manla, bomb railroad yards at Pinwe, strafe a
river boat near Bhamo, and attack troops in the Myothit area; 24 fighter-
bombers support ground forces in the Taungni-Pinbaw area. The 427th Night
Fighter Squadron, Tenth Air Force, arrives at Pomigliano, Italy with P-61s;
the squadron will fly missions in the MTO for training before arriving in the
CBI Theater.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 7 B-25s bomb the railroad yards at
Hengyang; 19 P-51s and P-40s hit targets of opportunity in this area; 39
P-40s attack various targets of opportunity at Chiuchiang, Yungfengshih,
Loyang, Siangtan, and Tengchung.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The shuttle-bombing mission UK-
USSR-Italy-UK is completed; of the 72 B-17s taking off from Fifteenth AF
bases in Italy, 3 have various problems; the others bomb Toulouse/Francazal
Airfield, France and then proceed to the UK; 62 P-51s (part of the shuttle-
mission force) and 43 from the UK provide escort; no aircraft are lost; 70
B-17s and 58 P-51s land in the  UK; 5 B-17s and 6 P-51s, either left in Italy
or returning there during this mission, subsequently return to the UK. 
  Mission 545: 577 bombers and 436 fighters are dispatched to make visual
attacks on the Metz marshalling yard and airfield in C and E France; 3
bombers and 3 fighters are lost (number in parenthesis are the number of
bombers attacking the target):
  1. 276 B-24s are dispatched to hit airfields at Mourmelon (75), Laon/Athies
(63), Laon/Couvron (61) and Juvincourt (52); 3 B-24s are lost, 1 is damaged
beyond repair and 46 damaged; 10 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 32 MIA.
  2. 301 B-17s are dispatched to hit airfields at Chaumont (72), Buc (67), La
Perthe (58) and Etampes/Mondesir (12); 69 hit the Metz marshalling yard; 1
B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 28 damaged; 9 airmen are KIA and 1 WIA.
  The 2 groups above are escorted by 386 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-0-0
Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
  Mission 546: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
  486 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s attack transportation targets in the Paris and
Brussels areas; they claim 5-0-0 aircraft in the air and 13-0-0 on the
ground; 1 P-38s, 5 P-47s and 7 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
  220 P-47s and P-51s attack transportation targets in NE France; 2 P-51s are
lost (pilots are MIA) and 3 are damaged beyond repair.
  1 fighter group escorts Ninth Air Force B-26s.
  The 850th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 490th Bombardment Group (Heavy),
moves from Harrington to Eye, England with B-24s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, A-20s and B-26s attack
Oissel rail bridge, Corbeil-Essonnes refueling siding, and numerous points
along highways in the Argentan area with the aim of bottling up enemy troops;
fighters fly ground forces cover and armed reconnaissance over wide areas
of W and N France, also escort IX Bomber Command aircraft; HQ IX Tactical Air
Command moves from Canisy to Coulouvray; the 14th Liaison Squadron, XIX
Tactical Air Command (attached to Third Army), moves from Poilley to St
Germain with L-5s; and the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362d Fighter Group, moves
from Lignerolles to Rennes with P-47s. The 425th Night Fighter Squadron, IX
Air Defense Command, moves from Scorton to Stoneman Park, England with P-61s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Almost 550 fighter-escorted
B-17s and B-24s attack targets in France and Italy; the B-17s bomb gun
positions in the Savona, Italy area; B-24s attack gun positions in the Genoa,
Italy and the Marseille, Toulon, and Sete areas of France; 100+ P-51s strafe
radar installations and other coast-watching facilities along the French S
coast; these and Twelfth AF strikes are preparatory to Operation DRAGOON.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Medium bombers, A-20s, and
fighter-bombers attack targets, mainly gun positions, in the battle area N of
the Arno River and in S France. 

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based B-24s hit
shipping, seaplane base, and airfield at Chichi Jima Island, Bonin Islands.
B-25s pound Pagan Island while P-47s hit Rota Island. B-24s from the Marshall
Islands bomb Truk Atoll while Gilbert Island-based B-25s pound Nauru Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In New Guinea,
long-range reconnaissance is greatly increased thanks to the strategic
position of newly acquired Schouten Islands bases; B-24s pound the airfield
at Babo while B-25s and P-39s hit Nabire Airfield; other P-39s attack
defenses at Mansinam Island and shore concentrations along W Geelvink Bay;
P-47s support ground operations in the area of Sansapor Point by bombing
Dore; A-20s and P-47s hit forces and targets of opportunity in the Sarmi area
and along the Metimedan River; A-20s and P-39s attack troops at Haur, coastal
targets in cooperation with motor torpedo (PT) boats, and fuel dumps at
Boram; and the 321st and 400th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 90th
Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Nadzab to Biak Island with B-24s.

SUNDAY, 13 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, of 3 B-24s departing
Shemya Island, Aleutian Islands during the night of 12/13 Aug, 1 aborts while
the other 2 bomb the Kashiwabara staging area on Paramushiru Island; later 6
B-25s fly a shipping sweep E of the N Kurils during which a fighter is
downed.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20 fighter-bombers hit troops and
supplies at Mankwi, Myothit, and Tali; 7 others knock out a bridge at
Kyauktalon and damage another near Namkwin; 26 fighter-bombers attack the
village of Pinwe and hit targets of opportunity near Mawlu and Pinbaw; 9
B-25s strike a bomb storage area at Pinwe considerably damaging the village.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 30+ B-25s bomb Tungling, Sinsiang,
and Hengyang, Pailochi Airfield, shipping at Takao harbor and nearby coastal
areas; 3 cargo vessels are claimed sunk; 51 P-40s and P-51s attack trucks,
bridges, railroad yards, troops, and other targets of opportunity in the
Hengyang area; 18 P-40s and P-38s pound Tengchung; 50+ other P-40s, P-51s,
and P-38s attack troops, bridges, railroad tracks, shipping, trucks, and
other targets of opportunity at several locations including Lienhwa,
Siangsiang, Sinshih, Puchou, Tungyangtun, Hengshan, Weichow Island, Luichow
Peninsula, Tingka, Mangshih, Nanchang, Puchi, and along the Yunglo River.
R.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 4 missions are flown:
  Mission 548: 1,264 bombers and 131 fighters are dispatched to make visual
attacks in support of ground forces on coastal batteries and transportation
choke points between Le Havre and Paris; 12 bombers are lost:
  1. Of 798 B-17s, 634 hit battle area targets, 69 hit Le Manoir Bridge and
54 hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and
484 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 63 MIA.
  2. Of 466 B-24s, 347 hit battle area targets, 69 hit Ile de Cezembre and 34
hit St Malo; 5 B-24s are lost; 1 airman is KIA, 4 WIA and 50 MIA.
  The 2 forces above are escorted by 131 of 136 P-51s.
  Mission 549: 1 APHRODITE B-17 with 2,000-pounds (907 kgs) of bombs is
launched against Le Havre; B-17, P-38 and Mosquito support aircraft assist;
the target is missed and the Mosquito is destroyed by the exploding bombs.
  Mission 550: 2 of 4 B-17s fly a Micro H test mission to La Chenaie rail
junction.
  Mission 551: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and
Belgium during the night.
  36 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
  844 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against
transportation targets in the Seine River area; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe
aircraft on the ground; 4 P-47s and 9 P-51s are lost, 4 P-47s are damaged
beyond repair and 1 P-47 is damaged; 1 pilot is KIA, 1 WIA and 13 MIA.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, around 575 B-26s and
A-20s with fighter escort bomb fuel storage at Les Buissons, points along
highways around Lisieux and SE to Rugles with the aim of containing the enemy
in the Falaise pocket, railroad targets at Peronne, Doullens, and Corbeil-
Essonnes; fighters cover ground forces, and fly armed reconnaissance in the
Alencon, Le Mans, Domfront, and Chartres areas; about 125 C-47s fly ferry and
evacuation missions; during the night of 13/14 Aug, 28 B-26s bomb the Foret
de Halouze ammunition dump and bivouac area; and the 378th Fighter Squadron,
362d Fighter Group, moves from Ligneroller to Rennes with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Almost 500 B-17s and B-24s
attack gun positions around Genoa, Italy and Toulon, and Sete, France, and
strike at bridges at Pont-Saint-Esprit, Avignon, Orange, and Crest, France;
31 P-38s dive-bomb Montelimar Airfield; other fighters fly 180+ sorties in
support of the bombers; and 28 bombers hit military installations at Pec,
Yugoslavia.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In France, medium bombers blast
coastal defense guns in the Marseille area while A-20s during the night of
12/13 Aug attack targets along the Monaco-Toulon road, and fighter-bombers
hit guns and barracks in the area; and fighters strafe airfields at Les
Chanoines, Montreal, Avignon, La Jasse, Istres-Le-Tube, Valence, and Bergamo.
In Italy, A-20s attack explosive stores in the battle area in the Arno River
Valley.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Bad  weather in the
SWPA curtails operations. In New Guinea, B-24s bomb bivouacs and supply dumps
at Manokwari; bombers hit a Cape Wom storage area while P-39s cooperate with
PT boats to hit Dagua personnel areas and Suain coastal positions; P-47s and
P-39s hit Cape Wom, troops at Ulban, Matapau, and Suain, and support ground
forces at Sarmi; and C-47s complete nearly 90 missions to Owi Island and
other forward bases.

MONDAY, 14 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, B-25s bomb Mohnyin and Indaw; 18
P-51s pound targets in the Myothit area; 46 other fighter-bombers hit various
N Burma targets including Naba junction, the active area near Pinbaw, a
building and targets of opportunity at Thaikwagon, a command post at Hopin,
a motor pool at Nansiaung Forest, ammunition and other supplies in the
Mohnyin area, and bridges S of Bhamo one of which is slightly damaged; and
the 2d Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Dinjan,
India to Shingbwiyang with C-47s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 24 B-25s blast Lungling while 16
P-40s hit a fortified pass and targets of opportunity to the S; 12 B-25s bomb
the railroad yards at Siangtan; 31 P-40s and P-51s hit the railroad yards,
river shipping, and general targets of opportunity at Hengyang; 13 P-40s
attack Tengchung; 13 others hit trucks, troops, and rivercraft at Pailochi
and Sinying and 4 bomb a bridge at Hsenwi.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 552: 1,183 bombers and 429
fighters are dispatched to attack 9 airfields, 2 aero engine factories, 1 oil
plant, 2 bridges, 2 rail junctions and other secondary and targets of
opportunity in SW Germany, E France, and the Bordeaux, France region; 2
bombers and 1 fighter are lost (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of
bombers attacking the target):
  1. Of 376 B-24s dispatched to France, the following airfields are hit:
Lyon/Bron (108), Dijon/Longvi (83) and Dole/Evaux (70); bridges hit are at
Anizy (46) and Fismes (34); and 12 B-24s hit Liart rail junction and 1 hits a
target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 32 are damaged; 2
airmen are WIA. Escort is provided by 92 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
  2. 77 B-24s are dispatched to hit French rail junctions at Saintes (38) and
Angouleme (38) without loss. Escort is provided by 40 of 42 P-51s without
loss.
  3. 349 B-17s dispatched to Germany hit Ludwigshafen (144), Mannheim (110)
and Mannheim/Sandhofen Airfield (72); 4 others hit targets of opportunity; 2
B-17s are lost and 232 damaged; 8 airmen are WIA and 18 MIA. Escort is
provided by 88 of 99 P-51s without loss.
  4. 381 B-17s dispatched to Germany hit airfields at Hagenau (92), Metz/
Frascaty (72), Florennes (24) and Chievres (9); and Stuttgart/Echterdingen
(72), Kaisereslautern (46), Sindelfingen (12), Trier (10) and targets of
opportunity (16); 20 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 168 of 193
P-51s; they claim 10-0-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
  Mission 553: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night; they
claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft. 37 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France;
1 B-24 is lost.
  136 P-38s and P-47s fly fighter-bomber missions in the Paris area; they
claim 3-0-0 aircraft; 1 P-38 and 2 P-47s are lost, 1 P-47 is damaged beyond
repair and 2 P-47s are damaged; 2 pilots are MIA.
  The 36th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VIII Air Force Composite Command,
moves from Harrington to Cheddington, England with B-24s; the squadron will
convert from CARPETBAGGER to ECM missions over Europe.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, A-20s and B-26s with
fighter escort hit several highway and rail bridges, junctions and sidings
mostly beyond the battlelines to delay and complicate the German retreat;
fighters fly armed reconnaissance over the Falaise, Broglie, and Chartres
areas, and support ground forces, especially 7 armored and infantry divisions,
over wide areas of N and W France; a XIX Tactical Air Command squadron
uniquely effects the surrender of a number of German ground troops, Germans
on roads being strafed by the squadron NE of Carrouges wave white flags,
whereupon the planes buzz the road and shepherd the enemy troops into a
column which then proceeds to US lines to surrender; HQ 358th Fighter Group
and the 365th, 366th and 367th Fighter Squadrons move from Cretteville to
Pontorson with P-47s; HQ 367th Fighter Group moves from Beuzeville to
Cricqueville; and the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, moves from
Cricqueville to Gael with P-51s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 540 B-24s and B-17s bomb gun
positions in the Toulon, France and Genoa, Italy areas as the Operation
DRAGOON convoy heads for the French Mediterranean coast; 145 P-38s and P-51s
strafe radar installations at several coastal points.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In France, medium bombers hit
coastal defenses while fighter-bombers pound various gun positions, tracks,
enemy HQ, and targets of opportunity in the Toulon-Nice area; fighters strafe
radar installations and targets of opportunity along the S coast as Operation
DRAGOON forces approach. In Italy during the night of 13/14 Aug, A-20s hit
targets of opportunity in the W Po Valley and a fuel dump N of the battle
area; and the 416th Night Fighter Squadron, 62d Fighter Wing, based at
Pomigliano with Beaufighters and Mosquitos, sends detachments to operate from
Alghero, Sicily and Borgo, Corsica.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): The Seventh Air Force is
reorganized as a "mobile tactical airforce" retaining only units that will
function in the combat area; the VII Bomber Command includes the 11th, 30th
and 494th Bombardment Groups (Heavy), and the 41st Bombardment Group
(Medium); the VII Fighter Command includes the 15th, 21st (in Hawaii) and
318th Fighter Groups and the 6th Night Fighter Squadron; the recently
activated VII Air Service Area Command is composed of 4 service groups; and
the 9th Troop Carrier and 28th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadrons assigned
directly to HQ Seventh Air Force.
  Saipan-based B-24s bomb Iwo Jima Island and B-25s hit Pagan Island and
P-47s hit Rota Island. From the Marshall Islands, B-25s hit Ponape Island and
B-24s bomb Wotje Atoll.
  HQ VII Bomber Command moves from Kwajalein Atoll to Saipan Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s and B-24s
attack Ternate Island, Moluccas Islands, AA positions, oil dumps, barracks,
supply areas, and other targets throughout the Halmahera Islands. In New
Guinea, B-24s pound the airfield at Babo while A-20s and fighter-bombers,
along with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft, blasting bivouac, and
troops at Terabu, Kaiten, and Wewak Point; and the 33d Bombardment Squadron
(Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Nadzab to Owi, Schouten
Islands with B-24s.

TUESDAY, 15 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  CARIBBEAN (Sixth Air Force): The 24th Fighter Squadron, XXVI Fighter
Command, moves from Madden Field, Panama to France Field, Canal Zone with
P-39s.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 70+ P-51s, P-47s, P-40s, and A-36s
hit numerous N Burma targets including general targets of opportunity in the
Bhamo area, a monastery at Pegu, troops E of Mawhun, Loiwing and Lashio
Airfield and rail targets between Naba and Hopin; close support strikes are
flown for ground forces in the Pinbaw and Naba areas; and supply dumps at
Mainghka are bombed and 2 villages N of Kazu are hit and burned out.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 12 B-25s bomb Kutkai, demolishing 2
large buildings and leaving 14 burning; 35 P-40s attack Tingka, Hsenwi,
Lungling, and Tengchung; and nearly 100 P-40s and P-51s attack troops,
horses, trucks, river shipping, artillery pieces, warehouses, and general
targets of opportunity in or near Sungpai, Sinshih, Hengyang, Chaling,
Leiyang, Sinyang, Siangtan, Hukow, and Changsha. In French Indochina, 4 P-40s
hit coastal shipping at Hongay and Nam Dinh.

  EASTERN AIR COMMAND (EAC): Air Marshall (USAAF Lieutenant General) William
A Coryton assumes command of the Third Tactical Air Force, a major component
of EAC; tactical air force functions remain under Coryton until it is
dissolved on 4 Dec 44.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 554: 932 bombers and 443
fighters are dispatched to attack 11 airfields in NW Germany, the Netherlands
and Belgium in conjunction with 1,000 Royal Air Force (RAF) heavy bombers and
Mosquitos raiding 9 airfields in the Netherlands and Belgium; 16 bombers and
5 fighters are lost; numbers in parenthesis indicate the number of bombing
attacking:
  1. 219 B-17s are dispatched to hit German airfields at Cologne/Ostheim
(108), Frankfurt/Eschborn (65) and Wiesbaden (38); 3 others hit targets of
opportunity; they claim 4-2-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 9 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged
beyond repair and 86 damaged; 7 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 81 MIA. Escort is
provided by 112 of 141 P-51s; they claim 10-0-1 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost
(pilot MIA) and 2 damaged.
  2. 350 B-24s are dispatched to German airfields at Wittmundhaafen (91),
Zwischenahn (90), Vechta (67), Plantlunne (54) and Hopstein (10); they claim
9-1-2 aircraft; 4 B-24s are lost and 6 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 40 MIA.
Escort is provided by 163 P-38s and P-51s; they claim 4-0-0 aircraft in the
air and 7-0-9 on the ground; 2 P-38s and 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA); 3
P-51s are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA.
  3. 298 B-17s are dispatched to Dutch airfields at Handorf (109), Venlo
(104) and Twente/Enschede (75); 3 others hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s
are lost and 6 damaged; 19 airmen are MIA.
  4. In Belgium, 59 of 65 B-24s hit Florennes/Juzaine Airfield and 1 hits a
target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 3 damaged.
  The two missions above are escorted by 118 of 124 P-51s without loss.
  33 of 35 P-47s dive-bomb and skip-bomb a repair shop and locomotives in the
marshalling yard at Braine-le-Comtes; 1 P-47 is lost and 4 damaged; 4 pilots
are MIA.
  12 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
  HQ 491st Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 852d, 853d, 854th and 855th
Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) move from Metfield to North Pickenham, England
with B-24s.
 
  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): The 50th and 53d Troop Carrier
Wings, on loan to the Mediterranean Allied Air Force (MAAF), participate in
the invasion of S France as part of the Provisional Troop Carrier Air
Division. In France, 330+ A-20s and B-26s with fighter escort bomb Marseille-
en-Beauvaisis and Foret de Chantilly ammunition and fuel dumps, rail bridges
at Auvers-sur-Oise and L'Isle-Adam, Serqueux marshalling yard, and coastal
defense at Saint- Malo; fighters fly cover for 5 infantry and armored
divisions, and fly extensive armed reconnaissance over N and W France; HQ
365th Fighter Group and 388th Fighter Squadron move from Azeville to
Lignerolles with P-47s; HQ 370th Fighter Group and the 401st, 402d and 485th
Fighter Squadrons move from Cardonville to La Vielle with P-38s; the 14th
Liaison Squadron, XIX Tactical Air Command (attached to Third Army), moves
from St Germain to La Bozoge with L-5s; the 33d Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron, 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Chalgrove, England
to Le Molay with F-5s; the 356th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, moves
from Cricqueville to Gael with P-51s; and the 392d, 393d and 394th Fighter
Squadrons, 367th Fighter Group, move from Carentan to Cricqueville with
P-38s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In the Fifteenth AF's first
mass night raid, 252 B-17s and B-24s after a predawn takeoff pound beaches in
the Cannes-Toulon, France area in immediate advance of Operation DRAGOON; 28
other fighter-escorted B-17s bomb highway bridges over the Rhone River; B-17s
sent against coastal gun positions abort the mission owing to poor
visibility; and 166 P-51s escort Mediterranean Tactical Air Force (MATAF)
C-47s carrying airborne invasion troops.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In France during the night of
14/15 Aug A-20s bomb Le Vallon, Istres, and Orange/Plan de Dieu Airfields and
other Rhone Valley targets while the US Seventh Army carries out preliminary
operations to isolate Operation DRAGOON invasion beaches; the US Special
Service Force invades Levant and Port-Cros Island and secures the left flank
of the assault area; French commandoes land E of Cap Negre and clear coastal
defenses, the French Naval Assault Group lands SW of Cannes and secures the
right flank; the 1st Airborne Task Force drops in the rear of assault beaches
and blocks off the invasion area from the interior; the main force, the US VI
Corps, lands 3 divisions abreast between Nice and Toulon at 0800 hours local;
A-20s bomb barracks in the invasion area while B-25s, B-26s, P-38s, and
P-47s, supporting the invasion, pound beaches, enemy concentrations, and gun
positions in coastal areas and later in the day move attacks inland to
interdict enemy communications lines successfully hitting numerous bridges;
fighters maintain constant patrol over the convoys and invasion area; HQ 64th
Fighter Wing moves from Santa Maria di Caputa, Italy to St Tropez; and the
111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command, based at
Borgo, Corsica, sends a detachment to operate from St Maxime and Grimaud with
F-6s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Lolobata
Airfield on Halmahera Island and B-25s attack shipping in the Ternate Island
area, setting a 1,200-ton vessel afire and damaging several luggers and
barges; aircraft on armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity in the
Ceram Island area and Tanimbar Island. In New Guinea, P-39s dive-bomb AA
positions at Wewak Point; HQ V Bomber Command moves from Nadzab to Owi,
Schouten Islands; HQ XIII Fighter Command moves from Guadalcanal Island to
Sansapor; HQ 347th Fighter Group and 339th Fighter Squadron move from
Stirling Island, Treasury Islands to Sansapor with P-38s; and the 67th
Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group moves from the Russell Islands to
Middleburg Island with P-38s.

WEDNESDAY, 16 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, as the last Japanese resistance in
India ceases, 16 B-25s bomb Indaw; 20 P-51s hit airfields at Lashio,
Nawnghkio, Shwebo, Anisakan, and Onbauk; 37 P-40s and P-51s hit strong
points, pillboxes, and machinegun positions in the Pinbaw area; 19 P-47s and
P-51s attack targets of opportunity at Katha, a bridge S of Bhamo, the town
of Tagwin, railroad targets of opportunity between Naba and Hopin, an enemy-
held monastery, and an ammunition dump at Pegu; and the 9th Photographic
Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at
Barrackpore, India, sends a detachment to operated from Tingkawk Sakan with
F-5s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 18 B-25s bomb the Wanling area and
warehouses while 12 hit the Chaling area and warehouses at Siangtan; 90 P-40s
and P-51s hit bridges, fortified positions, troops, trucks, rivercraft,
supplies, gun positions, and other targets of opportunity in the Hsenwi and
Lungling areas and in the widespread area around Tunating Lake and the C
Yangtze River.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 556: 1,090 bombers and 692
fighters are dispatched to make visual attacks on oil refineries and aircraft
plants in C Germany; 23 bombers and 3 fighters are lost (number in
parenthesis indicate number of bombers attacking):
  1. 425 B-17s are dispatched to hit Delitzsch air depot (102), the aviation
industry at Schkeuditz (92) and Halle (60) and the oil industry at Bohlen
(88); other targets are Naumburg (15), Halberstadt Airfield (13) and targets
of opportunity (9); they claim 6-4-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 10 B-17s are lost, 1
damaged beyond repair and 234 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 9 WIA and 93 MIA.
Escort is provided by 246 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 15-1-3 aircraft in the
air and 0-0-3 on the ground; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair; 1 pilot is WIA.
  2. 234 B-17s are dispatched to hit the oil industry at Rositz (105) and
Zeitz (101); 3 others hit targets of opportunity; 6 B-17s are lost and 88
damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 56 MIA. Escort is provided by 166 P-47s and
P-51s; they claim 5-0-1 aircraft; 2 P-47s are lost (pilots are MIA).
  3. 65 B-24s are dispatched to Halberstadt Airfield (51); 10 others hit
Quedlinburg Airfield and 1 hits a targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged
beyond repair and 8 damaged. Escort is provided by 42 of 46 P-38s without
loss.
  4. 366 B-24s are dispatched to hit the aviation industry at Dessau (99),
Kothen (71) and Magdeburg/Neustadt (67) and the oil industry at
Magdeburg/Rothensee; 2 others hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-24s are lost
and 173 damaged; 5 airmen are WIA and 66 MIA. Escort is provided by 156 P-47s
and P-51s; they claim 12-0-0 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
  Mission 557: 8 of 8 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, about 130 B-26s and A-20s,
with fighter escort, hit a Foret de Roumare ammunition dump and rail bridges
at Pont-Audemer, Thibouville, Brionne, Nassandres, and Le Bourg; fighters
give air cover to an armored division and infantry forces, and fly patrol and
armed reconnaissance over N and W France; HQ 70th Fighter Wing moves from
Villedieu les Poeles to Le Teilleul; and HQ 50th Fighter Group and the 10th,
81st and 313th Fighter Squadrons move from Carentan to Meautis with P-47s.
The 93d Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, based at Upottery,
England, ceases operating from Ramsbury and begins operating from Membury.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 89 B-24s, with fighter escort,
bomb a chemical works at Friedrichshafen, Germany. In France, 108 B-17s,
supporting Operation DRAGOON, attack railroad bridges at Saint-Vallier,
Saint-Pierre-d'Albigny, Grenoble, and Isere-Valence; 42 P-51s escort MATAF
C-47s on a supply dropping mission to DRAGOON beachheads.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In support of Operation DRAGOON
forces, fighters and fighter-bombers continue to blast enemy defenses and
communications on the beaches and in the invasion area of S France; A-20s hit
lights and vehicles during the night of 15/16 Aug from N of the beachhead to
the Rhone River and during the day raid ammunition stores; medium bombers
pound Rhone River bridges and gun positions throughout the general area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan Island hit
Chichi Jima Island and Pagan Island. Marshall Island-based B-24s bomb Truk
Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Molucca
Islands, B-24s and B-25s bomb Miti and Lolobata Airfields on Halmahera
Island, warehouses and shipping facilities on Ternate Island, shipping in
Wasile and Veda Bays, and Japanese positions on Tanimbar Is; and off Alor
Island, Sunda Islands, B-25s sink small vessel. In New Guinea, bombers hit
installations at Ajoe; A-20s support ground forces in the Maffin Bay area
while P-39s hit troops and positions from Manokwari to Windissi and bomb the
airfield at Ransiki, Moemi, and Waren. The 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d
Troop Carrier Group, based at Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides Islands
begins operating from Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands with C-47s.

THURSDAY, 17 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 47 fighter-bombers support ground
forces in the Pinbaw area; 9 B-25s bomb Katha; 12 fighter-bombers pound the
town areas of Nanyinbya and Bilumyo; and 12 other fighter-bombers attack
artillery positions and storage areas in the Momauk area. India is cleared of
all Japanese forces.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 25 B-24s blast Yoyang; 18 B-25s
bomb the railroad yards and storage area at Chiuchiang and 4 hit the road and
airfield in the Hengyang area and storage buildings at Nanyo; 100+ P-40s,
P-51s, and P-38s on offensive reconnaissance attack town areas, bridges,
hangars, supply dumps, railroad targets, and road and river traffic in E
Burma, around Hsenwi, Tungling, and Tengchung, and throughout the Tungling
Lake-C Yangtze River area, particularly in the Hengyang area. In French
Indochina, 8 P-40s attack shipping in the Haiphong area and between Dong
Trieu and Ha Duong.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Three missions are flown:
  1. Mission 558: 10 B-24s are dispatched to drop Azon missiles on the Les
Foulous, France rail bridge but the mission is abandoned due to
deteriorating weather.
  2. Mission 559: 1 B-17 drop a BATTY TV bomb on the port area at La Pallice,
France.
  3. Mission 560: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
  Fighter-bomber missions flown by the VIII Fighter Command:
  1. 397 P-38s and P-47s hit the Paris/Brussels area; they claim 3-0-3
aircraft; 1 P-47 is damaged.
  2. 318 P-51s are dispatched to hit communications targets; 7 P-51s are
lost (pilots are MIA) and 4 are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA.
  33 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 400+ A-20s and B-26s bomb
road bridges at Montfort-sur-Risle, Pont-Audemer, Nassandres, Beaumont-le-
Roger, Le Bourg, Brionne, and Beaumontel, and a rail bridge at La Ferriere-
sur-Risle; fighters fly ground force cover over Saint-Malo and Dreux and
armed reconnaissance in NW France; IX Tactical Air Command fighters attack
and severely damage Gestapo HQ near Chateauroux; and HQ 406th Fighter Group
and 512th, 513th and 514th Fighter Squadrons move from Tour-en-Bassin to
Cretteville with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 53 B-17s, with fighter cover,
bomb Nish Airfield, Yugoslavia. 250 B-24s, escorted by P-51s, bomb 3 oil
refineries and targets of opportunity in the Ploesti, Rumania area.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In France, despite bad weather,
medium bombers attack railroad bridges leading to the beachhead area of the S 
coast and hit coastal guns SW of Toulon; A-20s hit motor transport during the
night and drop ammunition to invasion forces; fighter-bombers and fighters on
armed reconnaissance and patrol score excellent results against motor
transport and rail cars and destroy several airplanes on airfields in the S.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan Island bomb
Iwo Jima Island Island. Makin Island-based B-25s hit Ponape Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s pound
airfields on Ambon and Ceram Islands and Boeroe Island in the Sunda Islands.
B-25s strafe installations at Dili on Timor Island, on Moloe Island and Kai
Islands in the Molucca Islands; and B-25s sink a transport vessel off
Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, A-20s bomb Klamono oil fields while fighter-
bombers hit gun positions, storage areas, and other targets at Ransiki and
Manokwari and troop concentrations along the N shore of MacCluer Gulf; on
Biak Island P-40s, supporting ground forces landing at Wardo, pound shore
positions and troops inland as the enemy remnants on Biak Island break up
into small groups; P-39s strafe troops from Cape Wom to the the Dandriwad
River and near But, and hit gun positions at Marubian; HQ 5th Bombardment
Group (Heavy) moves from Los Negros Island to Wakde Island; HQ 22d
Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Nadzab to Owi, Schouten Islands; and the
68th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, moves from Bougainville Island,
Solomon Islands to Middleburg Island with P-38s.

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
FRIDAY, 18 AUGUST 1944
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  A-36, North American Apache
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  F-5, Lockheed Lightning
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang
  P-61, Northrop Black Widow

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 P-47s and P-51s knock out a
road bridge, attack town areas, and hit general targets of opportunity in the
Bhamo area; 4 P-47s knock out both approaches to a bridge in Hsenwi; a troop
concentration in Moda is pounded by 15 P-47s and P-51s and an A-36; 39 P-47s,
P-40s and P-51s closely support ground forces in various Pinbaw area sectors;
8 P-47s sweep Lashio Airfield, strafing several targets of opportunity.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 12 B-25s bomb storage areas at
Mangshih; 6 pound a storage area at Changsha; 60+ P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s on
armed reconnaissance attack troops, town areas, bridges, and other targets of
opportunity in E Burma; Lashio, Burma; the Tengchung, Lungling, and Mangshih
areas; and in the Tungting Lake-C Yangtze River area at points including
Yoyang, Chaling, Yuhsien, Hengshan, Chuchou, and Hsuchang.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Three missions are flown (numbers
in parenthesis are numbers of bombers attacking):
  Mission 561: 52 B-24s are dispatched to hit Roye/Amy Airfield, France (42)
and 10 hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair
and 37 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 1 WIA and 21 MIA. Escort is provided by 96
of 99 P-51s without loss.
  Mission 562: 720 bombers and 242 fighters are dispatched against bridges,
airfields, fueld dumps and an aircraft engine factory in France and Belgium;
2 bombers and 1 fighter are lost:
  1. 269 B-17s are dispatched against bridges at Namur (37), Liege/Benoit
(36), Huy (35), Yvoir (35), Liege/Seraing (26), Vise (25) and Maastricht
(24); 13 hit Tongres marshalling yard, 12 hit Eindhoven Airfield and 12 hit
targets of opportunity; 57 B-17s are damaged and 5 airmen are WIA. Escort is
proivded by 99 of 153 P-38 and P-51s; they claim 46-0-15 Luftwaffe aircraft
on the ground; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA), 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair
and 1 P-38 is damaged. 
  2. 256 B-24s are dispatched to hit airfields at Metz (78) and Nancy/Essey
(70) and Woippy (60) and Laneureville (35); 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair;
4 airmen are KIA and 2 WIA. Escort is provided by 38 of 43 P-51s; 1 P-51 is
lost (pilot is MIA).
  3. 195 B-17s are dispatched to hit St Dizier Airfield (116), Pacy-sur-
Armancon (39) and Bourran (38); 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 7 B-17s
are damaged. Escort is provided by 93 of 96 P-51s; they claim 2-0-3 aircraft
on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
  Mission 564: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, nearly 100 B-26s and
A-20s strike a fuel dump, ammunition dump, rail and road overpass, rail
embankment, and junction beyond the battleline to disorganize retreating
German forces; 1,000+ fighters fly cover over ground forces in the Argentan-
Paris area, along the Seine River, and armed reconnaissance over N and W
France; the 31st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Photographic
Group (Reconnaissance), moves from Chalgrove, England to Rennes with F-5s;
and the 425th Night Fighter Squadron, IX Air Defense Command, moves from
Stoneman Park, England to Vannes with P-61s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 370 fighter-escorted B-17s and
B-24s bomb 5 oil refineries around Ploesti, Rumania; 89 B-24s, with fighter
cover, bomb Alibunar Airfield, Yugoslavia. The detachment of the 94th Fighter
Squadron, 1st Fighter Group, operating from Aghione, Corsica with P-38s
returns to base at Salsola Airfield, Italy.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In France, medium bombers blast
coastal guns in the Toulon area and shipping in Toulon harbor; fighter-
bombers closely support beachhead troops, hit rolling stock and rail lines,
and generally disrupt communications as the US VI Corps overruns the primary
defenses in the coastal area of SE France; fighters maintain beachhead
patrols and area cover for the bombers; and HQ XII Tactical Air Command moves
from Italy to France.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-47s from Saipan Island bomb
and strafe Pagan Island I.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Armed
reconnaissance missions continue over wide stretches of the SWPA including
Ambon-Ceram, Palau Islands, and Halmahera Islands; several targets of
opportunity are attacked. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers and A-20s pound
troops and a storage area at Suain and hit defensive lines near Sarmi. The
detachment of the 419th Night Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, operating
from Los Negros Island with P-61s, returns to base on Guadalcanal Island.

SATURDAY, 19 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Aleutian Islands, a weather sortie and
a 4-plane shipping sweep are flown with negative results.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 4 P-47s support ground forces SW
of Thaikwagon; and 4 others strafe trucks carrying troops between Bhamo and
Myothit.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 25 B-24s bomb Puchi, severely
damaging the warehouse area; 11 B-25s hit Sienning; 3 hit railroad tracks and
runway N of Hengyang; and 70+ P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance attack
river shipping, troops, trucks, and other targets of opportunity at or near
Pengtse, Hengyang, Chaling, Yoyang, Siangtan, and Changsha.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): The 50th and 53d Troop Carrier
Wings, on loan to the Mediterranean Allied Air Force (MAAF) to participate in
the invasion of S France, are ordered to return to UK.
  No IX Bomber Command operations. In France, fighters cover ground forces in
the battle areas and fly armed reconnaissance along the Seine River and
surrounding areas and in wide areas around Paris, Orleans, and Tours; and HQ
373d Fighter Group moves from Tour-en-Bassin to St-James.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  AAF, MTO: The 72d Liaison Squadron, AAF, MTO (attached to Seventh Army),
moves from Santa Maria, Italy to St Tropez, France with L-5s; a flight is
operating from Caserta, Italy.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bombing the Ploesti, Rumania
area for the fourth consecutive day, 65 B-17s supported by 125 P-51s blast 2
oil refineries.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In France, A-20s hit marshalling
yards while B-25s and B-26s bomb road and rail bridges throughout SE France;
fighter-bombers and fighters continue to pound enemy communications N and W,
of the beachhead and guns in the immediate battle area as the US Seventh
Army's Task Force Butler crosses the Durance River and moves N to Sisteron
and Digne.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based P-47s bomb
installations on Anatahan Island, Mariana Islands and drop fire-bombs on
Tinian Island to aid ground forces in mopping-up operations.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Weather restricts
operations. In New Guinea, P-40s bomb the port of Napido; P-39s bomb and
strafe coastal positions along the W shore of Geelvink Bay; A-20s operating
in force in support of ground troops pound targets in the Sawar-Sarmi sector;
P-39s support ground forces in Wewak area; HQ 86th Fighter Wing moves from
Toem to Sansapor; and the 72d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), moves from Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island to Wakde Island
with B-24s.

SUNDAY, 20 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Aleutian Islands, 4 B-25s fly a
negative shipping sweep.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 24 P-47s and P-51s fly close
support strikes for ground forces immediately S of Thaikwagon; 4 P-51s hit
targets of opportunity at Myintha and Aledaw; and the detachment of the 88th
Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group, operating from Myitkyina with P-47s
returns to base at Shingbwiyang.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 4 B-25s and 7 P-40s damage
buildings and a pontoon bridge and strafe about 30 sampans in the Hengyang
area; 13 P-40s hit buildings, trucks, and river shipping in the Hengshan
area; and 60+ P-40s and P-51s attack numerous trucks, rivercraft, and general
targets of opportunity at Tingka, Anjen, Yangtien, S of Yoyang, between
Hankow and Chinchiang, and between Sinshih and Changsha.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 61 Chengtu, China-based B-29s
bomb the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Yawata, Japan during the day,
followed by 10 more during the night of 20/21 Aug, 5 hitting targets other
than the primary; 14 B-29s are lost, including 1 to AA and 4 to enemy
aircraft (1 by air-to-air bombing and 1 by ramming); B-29 gunners claim 17
air victories.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 61 B-26s bomb troop and
equipment concentrations waiting at Foret de la Lande to be ferried across the
Seine River; fighters fly armed reconnaissance along the Seine River, support
ground troops in the battle area, and fly an escort mission to 100+ C-47s on
a supply and evacuation run; HQ 71st Fighter Wing moves from Ecrammeville to
Rennes; the 14th Liaison Squadron, XIX Tactical Air Command (attached to
Third Army), moves from La Bozoge to Dampierre with L-5s; the 410th, 411th
and 412th Fighter Squadrons, 373d Fighter Group, moves from Tour-en-Bassin to
St-James with P-47s; and the 584th and 585th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium),
394th Bombardment Group (Medium), move from Holmsley, England to Tour-en-
Bassin with B-26s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 460+ B-24s and B-17s, some
fighter-escorted, bomb the airfield and marshalling yard at Szolnok, Hungary
and oil refineries at Dubova, Czechoslovakia, and Czechowice and Auschwitz,
Poland.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In France during the night of
19/20 Aug A-20s attack lights and motor transport from the battleline NW to
the Rhone River; B-26s, joined by fighter-bombers and fighters, hit coastal
defense guns in the Toulon area, while B-25s bomb Rhone Valley bridges and
airfields achieving especially good results at the airfield near Valence; and
the 23d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 5th Photographic Reconnaissance
Group, based at Borgo, Corsica with F-5s, sends a detachment to Le Luc,
France.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based B-24s hit
Yap Island for the first time. A B-24 bombs Alamagan Island, Mariana Islands
while P-47s pound Pagan Island. Marshall Islands-based B-24s bomb Truk Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb the town
and airfield at Namlea, Buru Island and others pound personnel areas and
warehouses at Tobelo, Halmahara Island. In New Guinea, B-25s bomb Langgoer
Airfield; P-39s hit Windissi and enemy shipping off Manokwari while P-40s
pound gun positions, buildings and stores at Manokwari; other P-40s support
ground forces by hitting troop concentrations at Napido; A-20s and fighter-
bombers hit a personnel center near Marubian, supplies at Wom, and numerous
targets during coastal sweeps in the Wewak general area; and the 23d and 31st
Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from
Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island to Wakde Island with B-24s. The 528th
Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from
Fenton to Darwin, Australia with B-24s.

MONDAY, 21 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  CARIBBEAN (Sixth Air Force): The 74th Bombardment Squadron, VI Bomber
Command, moves from Rio Hato, Panama to the Galapagos Islands with B-24s.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 6 B-25s knock out and damage 3
river bridges in the Mu area and at Hsipaw, 36 P-51s support ground forces
near Pinlon, Ingyingon, and Nansankyin; and 8 P-51s bomb a storage area at
Chyahkan. HQ 1st Combat Cargo Group and the 1st Combat Cargo Squadron arrive
at Sylhet, India from the US with C-47s (first mission is 10 Sep).

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 8 B-25s bomb Anjen and targets of
opportunity in the surrounding area; 7 others attack Hengyang Airfield, the
town of Nanyo, and several buildings and other targets of opportunity near
Yangtien; 90+ fighter-bombers hit town areas, river and road traffic, and
other targets of opportunity at Pengtse, Kinhwa, Tenchung, Anjen, Hengyang,
and Yangtsishih; S of Sintsaing, N of Tungting Lake, between Hankow and
Sinti, and in the Changsha area.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Bad weather grounds all bombers and
fighters; in France, less than 20 C-47s fly supply and evacuation missions.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  AAF, MTO: The 14th Liaison Squadron, AAF, MTO (attached to Seventh Army),
moves from St Tropez to Brignoles with L-5s (a detachment is operating from
Caserta, Italy).

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 117 B-24s, escorted by P-51s,
bomb Nish Airfield, Yugoslavia. 102 B-24s, with P-51 escort, hit
Hajduboszormeny Airfield, Hungary which 46 other P-51s sweep, some making
low-level strafings on parked aircraft. In Italy, the detachments of the 27th
and 71st Fighter Squadrons, 1st Fighter Group, operating from Aghione,
Corsica with P-38s, return to base at Salsola Airfield; and the detachment of
the 37th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, operating from Corsica with
P-38s, returns to base at Triolo Airfield.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers hit roads
and bridges in the Po Valley while A-20s during the night of 20/21 Aug strike
motor transport in the W part of the Valley and bomb Alessandria barracks
during the day. Fighter-bombers and fighters again blast enemy communications
lines and gun positions in S France, marshalling yard and rail lines at
Alessandria and Casale Monferrato, and motor transport and train cars in NW
Italy and SE France. The detachments of the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command, operating from St Maxime and Grimaud,
France with F-6s returns to base at Borgo, Corsica; another detachment begins
operating from St Raphael, France.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan Island hit Yap
Island, P-47s bomb Pagan Island, and Makin Island-based B-25s hit Nauru
Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Molucca
Islands, B-24s blast supply dumps and AA guns on the Wasile Bay coast; B-25s
hit Kaoe Airfield and town on Halmahera Island and villages and supply areas
on Karakelong Island. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers blast warehouses and
other targets in the Manokwari area; A-20s and fighter-bombers hit supply
dumps in the Sawar-Sarmi sector and attack troops along the coast,
particularly from Babiang to Luain. The 419th Night Fighter Squadron, 18th
Fighter Group, moves from Guadalcanal Island to Middelburg Island with P-61s
(a detachment is operating from Noemfoor Island).

TUESDAY, 22 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): P-51s and P-47s fly 53 sorties against
Tengchung, China in support of attacking Chinese forces. In Burma, 28 P-47s
attack buildings, supply dumps, troops, and gun positions near Ingyingon,
Nansankyin, and Pinlon; 8 P-47s strafe targets of opportunity between Tingka,
China and Bhamo; 2 rocket-firing P-51s seriously damage several buildings at
Aledaw; and 9 B-25s bomb Hopin.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 11 P-40s and P-38s hit bridges and
road targets around Tingka, Mangshih, Loiwing, and Pangpying; and 6 others
attack a landing strip and river traffic at an island near Foochow.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): IX Bomber Command operations are
cancelled because of weather. In France, fighters fly sweeps, provide air
cover for 2 infantry and 1 armored division, strafe numerous military and
transportation targets, and fly armed reconnaissance from Evreux to Troyes;
HQ IX Tactical Air Command moves from Coulouvray to Haleine; HQ 70th Fighter
Wing moves from Le Teilleul to Aillieres; HQ 387th Bombardment Group (Medium)
moves from Stony Cross, England to Maupertus; and the 380th Fighter
Squadron, 363d Fighter Group, moves from Maupertus to Azeville with P-51s
(the 380th will be redesignated 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 25
Aug). The 93d Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, ceases
operating from Membury and returns to base at Upottery, England with C-47s.  

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Around 530 B-17s and B-24s
supported by P-51s and P-38s bomb hit targets in Austria and Germany; B-17s
bomb oil refineries at Odertal, Germany; B-24s bomb oil refineries at
Korneuburg, Austria and Blechhammer, Germany, and oil storage at Lobau,
Austria.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Weather restricts operation in SE
France; B-26s attack targets in the Po Valley of Italy where they destroy 1
bridge and severely damage another; A-20s hit motor transport SW of
Alessandria, Italy and in the Nice, France area during the night of 21/22 Aug
and hit industrial buildings in S France during the day; fighters hit motor
transport W of the Rhone River and in scattered parts of SE France; the 85th,
86th and 87th Fighter Squadrons, 79th Fighter Group, move from Corsica to
Southern France with P-47s; and the 315th Fighter Squadron, 324th Fighter
Group, moves from Corsica to Le Luc, France with P-47s. The detachment of the
416th Night Fighter Squadron, 62d Fighter Wing, operating from Alghero,
Sicily with Mosquitos, returns to base at Pomigliano, Italy.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based B-24s bomb
airfields on Yap and Pagan Islands; P-47s also pound the airfield on Pagan
Island and AA emplacements. Kwajalein Atoll-based B-24s hit Mille Atoll,
Marshall Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In New Guinea,
fighter-bombers continue to blast supply and personnel targets in Manokwari
and the surrounding areas; fighter-bombers again hit N coastal areas,
including shipping facilities at Wewak, barge terminal on Mushu Island, and
trains and troop positions at various coastal points; and the 370th, 371st,
372d and 424th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), move from Los Negros Island to Wakde Island with B-24s.

WEDNESDAY, 23 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 32 P-47s support British advances
down the railroad in the Pinbaw area hitting gun positions, troops, and HQ
buildings, immediately N of Pinbaw, and along Nansonti Creek; and 6 P-47s
pound Onsansaing, and 8 P-51s bomb an encampment near Kadu. In China, 4 P-51s
hit Lungling and Mangshih; 5 others attack guns, fuel dump, and other targets
of opportunity along the Burma Road from Wanling to Lungling while 7 more hit
buildings and vehicles during sweeps of the general Mangshih-Chefang area; and
12 P-51s hit targets of opportunity SW of Lungling and 2 P-40s strafe trucks
at Chefang.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 7 B-25s and 21 fighter-bombers
attack villages, compounds, other targets of opportunity near Hengyang,
Lingyang, and Anjen; 40+ fighter-bombers hit villages, shipping, troops,
supplies, and other targets of opportunity around Ichang, Yangtien, Siangtan,
and Yiyang, and S of Sungpai and Siangyin; and the 529th Fighter Squadron,
311th Fighter Group, moves from Dinjan, India to Pungchacheng with P-51s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 142 of 163 P-47s bomb and strafe
rail transportation from Saint-Omer to Reims, France; 2 P-47s are damaged.
  Mission 567: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Belgium during the
night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 4 B-26s drop leaflets in
the Lisieux-Bernay area; fighters fly ground forces cover, sweeps, armed
reconnaissance over the battle areas and along the Seine River, and attack
artillery positions; 150+ C-47s fly supply and evacuation missions and
several hundred reconnaissance aircraft fly tactical, visual, photographic,
and artillery adjustment reconnaissance missions; HQ 98th Combat Bombardment
Wing (Medium) arrives at Lessay from Beaulieu, England; HQ 36th Fighter Group
moves from Brucheville to Le Mans; HQ 363d Fighter Group and the 381st and
382d Fighter Squadrons move from Maupertus to Azeville with P-51s (the 363d
will be redesignated the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group and the 381st and
382d Fighter Squadrons to 161st and 162d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons on
25 Aug); HQ 368th Fighter Group moves from Cardonville to Chartres; the 125th
Liaison Squadron, Ninth Air Force (attached to Ninth Army), based at
Erlestokes, England begins operating from bases in France with L-5s; the 153d
Liaison Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command (attached to First Army), moves
from St Pois to Couterne with L-5s; and the 397th Fighter Squadron, 368th
Fighter Group, moves from Cardonville to Chartres with P-47s. The 98th Troop
Carrier Squadron, 440th Troop Carrier Group, ceases operating from Ramsbury
with C-47s and returns to base at Exeter, England. The following units that
have been operating from bases in Italy with C-47s since Jul return to the
bases indicated:
  - 76th and 78th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 435th Troop Carrier Group, from
    Tarquinia to Welford Park
  - 79th, 80th and 81st Troop Carrier Squadrons, 436th Troop Carrier Group,
    from Voltone Airfield to Membury
  - 83d, 84th, 85th and 86th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 437th Troop Carrier
    Group from Montala Airfield to Ramsbury
  - 87th, 88th and 89th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 438th Troop Carrier Group
    from Canino Airfield to Greenham Common

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 472 B-24s and B-17s
supported by P-51s and P-38s bomb the S industrial area of Vienna, the
Wiener-Neudorf aircraft engine factory, Vosendorf oil refinery, and
Markersdorf Airfield, and attack targets at Ferrara, Italy, missing a river
bridge but hitting a synthetic rubber factory.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers attack
road and rail bridges N of the Arno River and roads leading N from Florence,
and also hit bridges in the Rhone Valley of France; widespread haze in parts
of France and Italy prevents accurate bombing; fighter-bombers continue to
attack communications, gun positions, and road movements in the Provence
battle areas; the 314th Fighter Squadron, 324th Fighter Group, moves from
Corsica to Le Luc, France with P-47s; and the detachment of the 416th Night
Fighter Squadron, 62d Fighter Wing, operating from Borgo, Corsica with
Mosquitos returns to base at Pomigliano.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan Island bomb
Yap and Iwo Jima Islands while P-47s hit Pagan and Aguijan Islands, Mariana
Islands. Gilbert Island-based B-25s attack Ponape Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s pound the
Galela, Halmahera Island area; in New Guinea, B-24s hit Langgoer Airfield and
Saumlakki; fighter-bombers hit the airfield at Nabire, Moemi, and Urarom, the
village of Moari, and town of Manokwari; B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers
continue to attack barge hideouts, troops, villages, and general targets of
opportunity around Wewak; HQ 18th Fighter Group and it's 12th and 70 Fighter
Squadrons move from Guadalcanal Island and New Georgia Island, Solomon
Islands (70th FS) to Sansapor with P-38s; and the 69th and 390th Bombardment
Squadrons (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium), move from Stirling Island
to Hollandia with B-25s.

THURSDAY, 24 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 9 B-25s bomb Kangon; 3 P-47
flights support British troops NE of Pinbaw, hitting forces and gun
emplacements near Namyin Te and Nansankyin; 4 P-47s bomb Nankan; and 4 P-51s
strafe vehicles along the Shweli River and bomb a storage area S of Hopin.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, town areas, river and road traffic,
railroad targets, and other targets of opportunity in or near Hengyang,
Chuchou, Siangtan, and Yangtien are attacked by 8 B-25s and 25 P-40s; 19
other P-40s hit similar targets of opportunity at Yungeheng, Anjen, along the
C Yangtze River, and S of Mangshih; and the 528th Fighter Squadron, 311th
Fighter Group, moves from Tingkawk Sakan, Burma to Shwangliu with P-51s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 568: 1,319 bombers and 739
fighters are dispatched on visual attacks on strategic targets in Germany
with some PFF on targets of opportunity; 26 bombers and 4 fighters are lost;
targets are (numbers in parenthesis indicate bombers attacking):
  1. 433 B-24s are dispatched to attack aviation industry targets at
Brunswick/Waggum (125), Brunswick/Querum (99) and Hannover/Langenhagen (72)
and an oil refinery at Misburg (88); 5 others hit targets of opportunity;
they claim 0-0-1 aircraft; 5 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 183
damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 54 MIA. Escort is provided by 248 P-38s, P-47s
and P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft in the air and 8-0-0 on the ground; 2
P-51s are lost and 2 damaged; 1 pilot is MIA.
  2. 451 B-17s are dispatched to hit Merseburg oil refinery (185), Weimar
(129) and Kolleda Airfield (30); targets of opportunity hit are airfields at
Goslar (37), Nordhausen (11), Vorden (11) and Stade (2), and Leipzig (10)
plus 7 others; they claim 10-3-3 aircraft; 16 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged
beyond repair and 189 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 39 WIA and 148 MIA. Escort
is provided by 121 of 152 P-51s; they claim 4-0-1 aircraft without loss.
  3. 383 B-17s are dispatched to hit oil industry targets at Brux (139),
Ruhland (135) and Freital (65); 15 hit targets of opportunity; 3 B-17s are
lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 143 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 18
MIA. Escort is provided by 240 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 4-0-0 aircraft in
the air and 6-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 is
damaged.
  4. 43 of 52 B-24s hit Kiel/Walther; 3 others hit Hemmingstedt Airfield and
2 hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and
32 damaged; 27 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 17 of 17 P-51s without
loss.
  Mission 569: 1 B-17 drops leaflets on Brest, France during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, weather cancels a IX
Bomber Command mission against 4 fuel dumps N of the Seine River; fighters
give air cover to ground forces, mainly for 3 armored and 2 infantry
divisions, bomb Seine River bridges, and fly armed reconnaissance along the
Seine and around Troyes, Orleans, and Tours; about 270 C-47s fly supply and
evacuation missions; HQ 303d Fighter Wing moves from Houesville to Rennes; HQ
10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) and 12th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron move from Rennes/St-Jacques to Chateaudun with F-6s; and HQ 366th
Fighter Group and 389th and 391st Fighter Squadrons move from St Pierre du
Mont to Dreux/Vermouillet with P-47s. In England, the 90th Troop Carrier
Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, that has been operating from Welford
Park returns to Greenham Common. The following units that have been operating
in Italy with C-47s return to base:
  - 91st, 92d and 94th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 439th Troop Carrier Group,
    from Orbetello Airfield to Upottery.
  - 95th, 96th and 97th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 440th Troop Carrier Group,
    from Ombrone Airfield to Exeter.
  - 99th, 100th, 301st and 302d Troop Carrier Squadrons, 441st Troop Carrier
    Group, from Grosseto to Merryfield.
  - 304th, 305th and 306th Troop Carrier Squadron, 442d Troop Carrier Group,
    from Follonica to Weston Zoyland.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 530+ B-17s and B-24s bomb 3 oil
refineries at Kolin and Pardubice, Czechoslovakia; marshalling yard at
Vinkovci, Yugoslavia; Szeged, Hungary; and Ferrara, Italy railroad bridge and
several targets of opportunity; around 70-80 fighters escort the
Czechoslovakian missions; and US bombers and escorting fighters claim nearly
40 air victories.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): During the night of 23/24 Aug,
A-20s hit motor transport and targets of opportunity in the Rhone Valley of
France and at Genoa, Milan, and Turin, Italy; medium bombers bomb bridges at
Montpellier, Avignon, and Lunel, France and Solignano Nuovo, and Castel del
Rio, Italy, and score direct hits on gun positions in the Marseille, France
area; and fighters bomb and strafe gun positions, vehicles, roads and bridges
throughout SE France. In Italy, the 346th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter
Group, moves from Pomigliano to Tarquinia with P-47s (the detachment at
Piombino also moves to the new base).

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAF, POA (Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based P-47s pound Aguijan and
Pagan Islands. Marshall Island-based B-24s bomb Truk Atoll while B-25s hit
Nauru Island.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): The advanced air echelon of Brigadier General
Emmett O'Donnell Jr's HQ 73d Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) arrives in the
Mariana Islands with B-29s, the first Twentieth AF contingent to arrive; the
ground echelon arrives by water on 16 Sep.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Shipping in
Lembeh Strait, Celebes Island, is attacked by B-25s, while B-24s bomb
Lolobata Airfield on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, HQ 307th Bombardment
Group (Heavy) moves from Los Negros Island to Wakde Island; the 100th
Bombardment Squadron (Medium), Thirteenth Air Force [attached to 42d
Bombardment Group (Medium)], moves from Stirling Island to Sansapor but
continues operating from Hollandia with B-25; and the 340th and 341st Fighter
Squadrons, 348th Fighter Group, move from Wakde Island to Noemfoor Island
with P-47s.

FRIDAY, 25 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 1 B-24 flies
reconnaissance over Shasukotan, Onnekotan, and Harumukotan Islands but drops
no bombs due to accurate AA fire.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 9 B-25s bomb Kondangyi; 4 P-47s
knock out a bridge S of Bhamo and hit several targets of opportunity in the
area; 2 P-51s bomb a probable factory at Hopin; 6 flights of P-51s attack
buildings and targets of opportunity at Pinlon and Kyagyigon; 32 other P-51s
support ground forces at Ingyingon and along the Hsai-hkao and Namsang River;
and the detachment of the 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th
Photographic Reconnaissance Group, ceases operating from Myitkyina with P-40s
and returns to base at Kisselbari, India (the squadron is operating from
Tingkawk Sakan).

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 3 B-24s bomb Kowloon docks in Hong Kong; 3
B-25s and 12 P-40s hit buildings, troop compounds, and general targets of
opportunity in the Yangtien area; 4 B-25s and 21 P-40s attack similar targets
in and around Anjen; 2 B-25s bomb the fighter strip at Leiyang and 2 others
hit the town of Nanyo; 40 P-51s and P-40s attack a wide variety of targets of
opportunity throughout the Hengyang, Siangyin, Siangtan, and Siangsiang
areas, Chenghsien, Lishui, Samshui, Chiangmen, Luichow Peninsula, and the Red
River delta.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Four missions are flown.
  Mission 570: 1,191 bombers and 708 fighters make visual bombing attacks
against aircraft component plants, Luftwaffe experimental stations and the
synthetic oil industry; 18 bombers and 7 fighters are lost; numbers in
parenthesis indicate number of bombers attacking the target:
  1. 435 B-24s are dispatched to hit aircraft component plants at Rostock
(116), Schwerin (106), Wismar (91) and Lubeck (81); 11 others hit
Grossenbrode Airfield and 4 hit targets of opportunity; 5 B-24s are lost, 2
damaged beyond repair and 55 damaged; 5 airmen are WIA and 64 MIA. Escort is
provided by 243 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 11-2-3 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost.
  2. 380 B-17s are dispatched to the Rechlin Experimental Station (179) and
oil refinery at Politz (169); 6 others hit targets of opportunity; 8 B-17s
are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 182 damaged; 10 airmen are WIA and 64
MIA. Escort is provided by 215 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 4-0-2 aircraft on
the ground; 4 P-51s are lost.
  3. 376 B-17s are dispatched to the Peenemunde Experimental Station (146),
Neubrandenburg Airfield (108) and Anklam Airfield (73); 21 others hit Parow
Airfield and 5 hit targets of opportunity; 5 B-17s are lost and 75 damaged; 1
airman is KIA, 9 WIA and 45 MIA. Escort is provided by 171 P-47s and P-51s;
they claim 36-0-28 aircraft on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost.
  Mission 571: 10 of 10 B-24s fly an Azon glide bomb mission to Moerdijke,
the Netherlands but the target is missed. Escort is provided by 36 of 36
P-47s without loss.
  Mission 572: 107 bombers and 172 fighters are dispatched to make visual
attacks on liquid oxygen and ammonia plants in Belgium and N France:
  1. 31 of 38 B-17s hit Henin Littard without loss.
  2. 69 B-24s are dispatched to hit Willerbroeck (18), Tertre (17), Tiller/
Liege (12) and La Louviere (10); 4 others hit St Trond Airfield and 1 hits a
target of opportunity; 24 B-24s are damaged and 4 airmen are WIA.
  Escort for Mission 572 is provided by 152 P-38s and P-51s without loss.
  Mission 573: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets on France and Belgium during the
night.
  1 C-47 flies a CARPETBAGGER mission during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, about 240 A-20s and B-26s
attack various enemy strongholds in and around Brest supporting the ground
forces' attempt to capture Brest harbor; fighters provide air cover for 5
divisions, fly armed reconnaissance along the Seine River, and sweeps in wide
areas around Paris which is liberated; fighters of the IX Tactical Air
Command raid, and set afire with napalm tanks, the reported HQ of Field
Marshall Walter Model (Commander-in-Chief West) and Verzy; HQ IX Air Defense
Command moves from Ecrammeville to Rennes; HQ 394th Bombardment Group
(Medium) moves from Holmsley, England to Tour-en-Bassin; the 14th Liaison
Squadron, XIX Tactical Air Command (attached to Third Army), moves from
Dampierre to Courcy with L-5s; the 34th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron,
10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), moves from Rennes to Chateaudun
with F-5s; the 153d Liaison Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command (attached to
First Army), moves from Couterne to Maillebois with L-5s; and the 390th
Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Group, moves from Pierre du Mont to Dreux
with P-47s. The 303d Troop Carrier Squadron, 442d Troop Carrier Group, that
has been operating from Follonica, Italy with C-47s, returns to base at
Weston Zoyland, England.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Czechoslovakia, 300+ B-17s
and B-24s supported by P-38s and P-51s bomb aircraft factories at Brno and
Kurim and airfields at Brno and Prostejov. The 885th Bombardment Squadron
(Heavy), Fifteenth Air Force (attached to Mediterranean Allied Air Forces),
moves from Blida to Maison Blance, Algeria with B-17s and B-24s (the squadron
transports supplies to partisans and drop leaflets in the MTO).

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): A-20s hit targets of opportunity
during the night of 24/25 Aug, and during the day fly armed reconnaissance
over the Po and Rhone Valleys in Italy and France respectively, and hit
ammunition stores in S France. In France, B-25s and B-26s attack Rhone River
bridges at Avignon, Culoz, Saint-Alban-du-Rhone, Pont d'Ain, and Loyes, and
hit gun positions around Marseille; fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance
in the battle area and in Italy, along the battleline N of the Arno River
attack gun positions, roads, and bridges. HQ 27th Fighter Group and the
522d, 523d and 524th Fighter Squadrons move from Serragia, Corsica to Le Luc
France with P-47s; HQ 79th Fighter Group moves from Corsica to S France; HQ
324th Fighter Group moves from Corsica to Le Luc, France.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAF, POA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan Island hit the airfield on
Iwo Jima Island while P-47s blast AA positions and troops on Pagan Island. A
B-24 bombs Yap Island. Gilbert Island-based B-25s bomb Ponape Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s strike Koror
and Malakal Islands, Palau Islands, Caroline Islands; B-24s pound Lolobata on
Halmahera Island; B-25s on a shipping sweep over Lembeh Strait, Celebes
Island claim a merchant ship sunk and hit several small vessels. In the
Lesser Sunda Islands a few B-25s on a shipping sweep attack several small
vessels. In New Guinea, A-20s and fighter-bombers hit Babo Airfield, Sagan,
and Otawiri; P-39s strafe troops near But; the 394th Bombardment Squadron
(Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Momote Airfield, Los
Negros Island to Wakde Island; and the 822d Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
38th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Nadzab to Biak Island with B-25s.

SATURDAY, 26 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 3 B-24s hit the
Kashiwabara staging area on Paramushiru Island during the early morning,
starting several fires; later 6 B-25s strafe and bomb the E coast of the N
Kurile Islands, sinking a patrol boat; 1 out of 4 interceptors and one of the
B-25s are hit; 7 more B-24s bomb targets on Kashiwabara and on Otomari Cape,
including docks, piers, boats, and a fuel dump. 6 P-38s unsuccessfully
attempt to intercept 4 unidentified aircraft W of Attu Island.

  CARIBBEAN (Sixth Air Force): The 3d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VI Bomber
Command, moves from Howard Field, Canal Zone to Rio Hato, Panama with B-24s.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): The 490th Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
341st Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Kurmitola to Dergaon, India with
B-25s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 3 B-24s bomb a storage area at
Amoy; 3 B-25s bomb a barracks area near Wenchow harbor and damage a bridge
near Sincheng; 31 fighter-bombers attack railroad targets, troops, sampans,
and other targets of opportunity in or near Yangtien, Yungfengshih,
Siangsiang, Anjen, Laiyuan, Kinhwa, and Pengtse.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 8 missions are flown (numbers in
parenthesis indicate number of bombers attacking).
  Mission 575: 359 B-17s are dispatched to attack gun batteries in the Brest,
France area; targets are Brest/Pte de St Mathieu (35) and coastal batteries
at Kerandieu (27), Cornovailles (21), Brest/Ile Longue (20), Brest/Kerviniov
(9) and Brest/Ponscorf (7); targets of opportunity are Brest/Pte des
Espagnoles II (21) and Brest/Pte des Espagnoles III (18); 3 B-17s are damaged
beyond repair and 4 damaged; 18 airmen are KIA. Escort is provided by 48 of
49 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost.
  Mission 576: 588 bombers and 402 fighters attack oil refineries, fuel
stores and chemical works in Germany; 10 bombers and 3 fighters are lost:
  1. 109 B-24 are dispatched to the chemical works at Ludwigshafen (41);
secondary targets hit are marshalling yards at Ehrang (33) and Kons/Karthaus
(8); 11 others hit Alzey and 2 hit other targets of opportunity; 7 B-24s are
lost and 53 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 3 WIA and 70 MIA. Escort is provided
by 77 of 81 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost.
  2. 259 B-17s are dispatched to oil refineries at Gelsenkirchen/Buer (89)
and Gelsenkirchen/Nordstern (85); 19 hit Deelen Airfield, a secondary target,
and 11 hit targets of opportunity; 3 B-17s are lost and 89 damaged; 5 airmen
are WIA and 26 MIA. Escort is provided by 159 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
  3. 220 B-24s are dispatched to Dulmen fuel dump (73) and oil refineries at
Salzbergen (71) and Emmerich (36); 36 others hit Eindhoven Airfield; 2 B-24s
are damaged. Escort is provided by 129 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-38 and 1
P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
  Mission 577: 9 of 10 B-24s fly an AZON bomb mission to Moerdijk rail
bridge, the Netherlands but clouds prevent an attack. Escort is provided by
32 P-51s.
  Mission 578: 37 B-17s are dispatched to hit liquid oxygen plants at La
Louviere, Torte and Willebroeck, Belgium but the mission is aborted due to
clouds. Escort is provided by 18 of 18 P-51s.
  Mission 579: 3 of 3 B-17s fly a special bomb test using Micro H radar
against aviation industry targets at Meaulte, France. Escort is provided by 7
P-47s.
  Mission 580: 3 B-17s fly a Micro H test mission; 2 of the aircraft also
drop leaflets.
  Mission 581: 7 B-24s are dispatched on a radio countermeasures mission to
aid the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command.
  Mission 582: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Belgium during the
night.
  183 P-47s and 206 P-51s attack transport targets in Belgium, E France and W
Germany; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft; 2 P-47s and 7 P-51s are lost and 9 P-47s
and 6 P-51s are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 8 are MIA.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): HQ IX Troop Carrier Command is
relieved of its assignment to the Ninth AF upon transfer of the command and
its service organizations from the IX Air Force Services Command to HQ First
Allied Airborne Army  commanded by Lieutenant General Lewis H Brereton. 
  In France, IX Bomber Command, with fighter escort, strikes fuel dumps at
Saint-Gobain, Fournival/Bois-de-Mont, and  Compiegne/Clairoix, and troop and
equipment concentrations at Rouen; fighters fly ground forces and assault
area cover, and armed reconnaissance in the Rouen, Dijon, Chatillon-sur-Seine
and S Loire areas; HQ 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) and 453d, 454th, 455th
and 456th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from Beaulieu, England to
Lessay with B-26s; and the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th
Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), moves from Rennes to Chateaudun with
F-6s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 470+ bombers escorted by P-38s
and P-51s attack targets in Italy and Rumania; B-17s hit viaducts and bridges
at Venzone, Avisio, and Latisana, Italy; in Rumania, B-24s hit a train ferry
and terminal at Giurgiu, Otopeni Airfield, barracks and troops in the Baneasa
area and a viaduct at Borovnica.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): During the night of 25/26 Aug
fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance over the W Po Valley, Italy, and over
the Nice, France area bomb vehicles and other targets of opportunity, and
during the day bomb ammunition dumps in SE France and in NC Italy; in France,
medium bombers hit guns in the Marseille area but several missions into the
Rhone Valley are aborted due to bad weather; fighter-bombers and fighters fly
armed reconnaissance over N Italy and SE France, attacking rail lines, roads,
guns, vehicles, and other targets of opportunity.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAF, POA (Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based B-24s bomb the airfield
on Iwo Jima Island. P-47s blast AA guns and troops on Pagan and Aguijan
Islands. A B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs Woleai Atoll and Yap Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Palau
Islands, B-24s bomb Koror and Peleliu Airfields. Other B-24s bomb Haroekoe
and Liang Airfields on Ambon Island. In New Guinea, A-20s in close ground
support hit troop concentrations in the Sarmi sector; fighter-bombers hit
targets of opportunity in the Wewak and Suain areas; P-39s maintain patrols
over the W shore of Geelvink Bay; HQ 348th Fighter Group moves from Wakde
Island to Noemfoor Island; the 6th and 21st Troop Carrier Squadrons, 374th
Troop Carrier Group, move from Garbutt Field and Archerfield, Australia
respectively to Nadzab with C-47s; and the 823d Bombardment Squadron
(Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Nadzab to Biak Island
with B-25s.

SUNDAY, 27 AUGUST 1944

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 5 B-24s bomb and photograph Kashiwabara,
Parmushiru Island in 2 raids; and 4 B-25s on a shipping sweep E of the N
Kurile Islands bomb and strafe picket boats damaging 1 and leaving another
sinking.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 23 P-47s support ground forces in
the Pinbaw area, hitting Kondangyi and troops and strongpoints near Pinbaw;
and the 90th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group, moves from Moran, India to
Tingkawk Sakan with P-47s. In India, the 2d Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat
Cargo Group, arrives at Sylhet from the US with C-47s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 7 B-25s bomb Hengyang, Tien Ho,
White Cloud, and Pailochi Airfields; 9 others hit road and river traffic in
the Yoyang, Hankow, Changsha, and Hengyang areas; 120+ P-40s and P-51s hit
targets of opportunity in the above areas plus Yangtien, Chachiang, Anjen,
Leiyang, Sintsiang, Siangsiang, and Siangtan, damaging or destroying numerous
trucks, many rivercraft and hitting several troop concentrations.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Two major missions are flown
against Berlin and strategic targets in N and C Germany; 3 bombers and 10
fighters are lost:
  Mission 583: 426 B-17s are dispatched but encounter very high clouds over
Denmark and N Germany and are recalled; 5 hit Ausum Airfield, 4 hit targets
of opportunity and 1 hits Flensburg marshalling yard; 2 B-17s are lost and 16
damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 180 of 194 P-51s; 3 P-51s
are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 2 damaged; 1 pilot is KIA and 3 MIA.
  Mission 584: 777 bombers and 351 fighters are dispatched:
  1. Of 371 B-17s dispatched, targets hit are Esbjerg Airfield (60), Emden
marshalling yards and docks (37), Wilhelmshaven (34), Heligoland Island (11),
Island of Fano (1) and Island of Sylt (1); 1 B-17 is lost, 2 damaged beyond
repair and 54 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided
by 156 of 167 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the
ground; 7 P-51s are lost and 1 damaged; 7 pilots are MIA.
  2. 34 of 406 B-24s hit Heligoland Island; 3 B-24s are damaged. Escort is
provided by 169 P-38s and P-51s; 7 P-51s are damaged.
  316 of 326 P-47s fly fighter-bomber missions against transport in E France;
they claim 14-0-4 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA).
  Mission 585: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands
during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, the IX Bomber Command
attacks troop concentrations in the Rouen area, Rouen bridge, Boulogne-sur-
Mer/Boursin navigational beam station, and Bucy-les-Pierrepont and Foret de
Samoussy fuel dumps; fighters cover ground forces and fly sweeps and armed
reconnaissance in the Senlis area and S of the Loire River claiming 16
aircraft (11 in the air) destroyed, and losing 6; the 31st Photographic
Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), moves from
Rennes to Chateaudun with F-5s; the 112th Liaison Squadron, Ninth Air Force,
moves from Heston, England to Jullouville with L-5s; and the 395th and 396th
Fighter Squadrons, 368th Fighter Group, moves from Cardonville to Chartres
with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 530+ fighter-escorted bombers
attack targets in Germany and Italy; the B-17s hit an oil refinery in
Blechhammer, Germany; the B-24s also hit an oil refinery in Blechhammer and
in Italy, a railroad bridge at Ferrara, and viaducts at Avisio, Venzone, and
Borovnica.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In France, medium bombers hit gun
emplacements in the Marseille area and the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command, moves from Borgo, Corsica to St Rahael
with F-6s. In Italy, medium bombers attack bridges at Berceto; fighter-
bombers continue armed reconnaissance in the Po Valley and over roads leading
N from the battle line N of the Arno River; A-20s bomb targets of opportunity
in the Po Valley during the night of 26/27 Aug, fly armed reconnaissance and
during the day hit ammunition stores in NC Italy; and the detachment of the
12th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 3d Photographic Group
(Reconnaissance), moves from Cecina to Malignano with F-5s (the squadron is
based at Follonica).

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): A Saipan Island-based B-24 bombs Iwo Jima
Island while another, after photo reconnaissance of Woleai Atoll, bombs Yap
Island. P-47s bomb AA positions on Pagan Island and strafe buildings on
Alamagan Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In New Guinea,
fighter-bombers hit Miti and airfields at Babo, Ransiki, Sagan, and
Manokwari; fighter-bombers hit bivouacs near Boram, troops between Abau and
Boikin, and a fuel dump and barges at Kairiru Island; and the 75th
Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from
Stirling Island to Hollandia with B-25s.

MONDAY, 28 AUGUST 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Brigadier General Haywood S Hansell, Jr
assumes command of the XXI Bomber Command at Peterson Field, Colorado
Springs, Colorado; Brigadier General Lauris Norstad succeeds Hansell as Chief
of Staff of the Twentieth Air Force.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 4 P-47s bomb a tank pool at
Momauk, while 5 others hit Myintha; and 2 P-47s support ground forces in the 
Pinbaw area.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 8 B-25s bomb Tien Ho, White Cloud,
Hankow, and Pailochi Airfields; 8 more attack river and road traffic from
Chiuchiang to Hankow and from Hengyang to Puchi; 32 P-40s pound targets of
opportunity at Hengyang and Pailochi; 23 P-40s attack Taying storage
buildings and 10 P-40s and P-51s hit Anjen and nearby targets of opportunity;
and HQ 311th Fighter Group moves from Tingkawk Sakan, Burma to Pungchacheng.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Weather prevents heavy bomber
operations; 835 fighters are dispatched on fighter-bomber and strafing
attacks on rail targets in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany: 20
fighters are lost:
  1. 174 of 260 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s attack transportation targets on the
German/French border; they claim 12-1-0 aircraft in the air and 3-0-4 on the
ground; 1 P-38 is lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 1 P-38 and 1 P-47
damaged; 1 pilot is MIA.
  2. 143 of 195 P-38s and P-47s hit transportation targets in France, Belgium
and the Netherlands; they claim 4-0-0 aircraft in the air and 3-0-2 on the
ground; 3 P-47s are lost (pilots MIA) and 2 damaged.
  3. An unknown number of 380 P-51s strafe transportation targets on the
French/German border; they claim 3-0-0 aircraft in the air and 5-0-2 on the
ground; 16 P-51s are lost and 12 damaged; 15 pilots are MIA.
  Mission 588: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands
during the night. 

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, B-26s and A-20s escorted
by fighters bomb fuel dumps at Doullens, Barisis-aux-Bois, an ammunition dump
at Querrieu, an ammunition and fuel dump at Compiegne/Foret de Laigue, and
an alcohol distillery and fuel storage depot at Hamm; fighters escort about
400 C-47s on supply and evacuation runs, attack airfields at Bourges and
Peronne, support ground forces, and fly armed reconnaissance from Amiens to E
of Dijon; the 155th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Photographic
Group (Reconnaissance), moves from Rennes to Chateaudun with A-20s and F-3s;
the 422d Night Fighter Squadron, IX Air Defense Command, moves from Maupertus
to Chateaudun with P-61s; the 507th Fighter Squadron, 404th Fighter Group,
moves from Chapelle to Bretigny with P-47s; and the 514th Fighter Squadron,
406th Fighter Group, moves from Cretteville to St Leonard with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 560+ bombers escorted by P-38s
and P-51s strike targets in Austria, Hungary and Italy; B-17s hit
Moosbierbaum oil refinery and adjacent chemical works in Austria; B-24s hit
an oil refinery at Szony and marshalling yards at Miskolc, Hungary; and
railroad bridges and viaducts at Szolnok, Hungary; and Zambana, Avisio, and
Ora Italy.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): B-25s bomb railroad bridges in the
Lyon, France area. In Italy, B-26s destroy several airplanes at Villafranca
di Verona Airfield and a bridge at Parma; A-20s hit motor transport and other
targets of opportunity during the night of 27/28 Aug, fly armed
reconnaissance over the Po Valley and blast a command post SE of Genoa;
fighter-bombers hit vehicles in the Rhone Valley of France, bomb and strafe
roads and bridges in the battle area N of Arno River and hit shipping in
Imperia and Savona harbors.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based B-24s pound Iwo Jima Island
by day and night. P-47s hit Pagan and Maug Islands, Mariana Islands. A B-24
on armed reconnaissance bombs Yap Island. Gilbert Island-based B-25s strike
Ponape Island; Marshall Islands-based B-24s hit Truk Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Palau
Islands, B-24s hit the airfield on Koror Island, and the seaplane base on
Arakabesan Island.  A-20s and fighter-bombers attack small vessels along the E
coast of Ceram Island. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers hit Kokas, vessels off
Point Karakra, barracks at Nabire, storage facilities at Moemi and Manokwari
and Boram fuel dumps. 

TUESDAY, 29 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 8 B-25s attack targets in Katha
and hit 2 bridges just N of the town area; 8 P-51s attack Bilumyo; 5 P-47s
destroy a road bridge at Mainghka and 5 others hit buildings in Bhamo; and HQ
80th Fighter Group moves from Nagaghuli, India to Tingkawk Sakan.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 24 B-24s escorted by 45 fighters,
blast railroad yards at Yoyang; 15 B-25s bomb Pailochi, White Cloud, Tien Ho,
and Hankow Airfields; 10 others hit trucks and other targets of opportunity
from Hengyang to Yoyang, from Hankow to Chinchiang, and near Anjen; 18 P-40s
hit a storage area and targets of opportunity around Tangyang; 17 attack
trucks and buildings from Siangtan to Changsha; 14 P-40s claim 8 fighters
downed over Shayang; 22 others attack trucks, supplies, and troops at Wuhu,
Ichang, S of Isuho, SW of Lungling, and N of Hengshan; and the 491st
Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), based at
Yankai, sends a detachment to operate from Liuchow with B-25s.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): Major General Curtis Emerson
LeMay becomes Commanding General XX Bomber Command with HQ at Kharagpur,
India.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Bad weather restricts bomber
operations. 104 of 202 P-38s and P-47s attack transportation targets in
France, Belgium and Germany; 2 airfields, 3 marshalling yards, rail lines at
several points, and a large number of rail and road vehicles are attacked;
they claim 20-0-7 aircraft on the ground; 3 P-47s are lost (pilots are MIA)
and 8 damaged.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, bad weather allows only
minimum bomber and fighter operations; B-26s attack 1 fuel dump while a few
fighters fly sweeps over NW France; 100+ C-47s complete supply and evacuation
missions; HQ 48th Fighter Group and 492d, 493d and 494th Fighter Squadrons
move from Deux Jumeaux to Villacoublay with P-47s; HQ 67th Tactical
Reconnaissance Group and 107th and 109th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons
move from Le Molay to Toussus le Noble with F-6s. HQ 404th Fighter Group and
the 506th Fighter Squadron move from Chapelle to Bretigny with P-47s; HQ
474th Fighter Group moves from Neuilly to St Marceau; and the 586th
Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 394th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from
Holmsley, England to Tour-en-Bassin with B-26s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 550 bombers strike targets in
Italy, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia; in Italy, communications
targets in the Po Valley and railway bridges at Ferrara, Salzano, and
Ferrara; in Czechoslovakia, oil refineries and communications targets in the
Silesian Plain, including the Bohumin area, steel works and marshalling yard,
Moravska-Ostrava marshalling yard, oil refineries and industrial area
including, tank works, and marshalling yards; in the Hungarian Plain,
marshalling yards at Szolnok and Szeged, and a railway bridge at Szeged; and
in Yugoslavia, a railway bridge at Borovnica; P-38s bomb Latisana Bridge,
Italy.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers hit 4
bridges and a viaduct in NE Italy while A-20s hit a fuel station; fighter-
bombers hit roads and bridges in N Italy and support ground forces in the
Arno River Valley; P-47s fly medium bomber escort and armed reconnaissance,
claiming 100 vehicles destroyed. In France, fighters attack targets in the
Rhone Valley; and the 316th Fighter Squadron, 324th Fighter Group, moves from
Corsica to Le Luc with P-47s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based B-24s bomb Iwo Jima and
Pagan Islands during the evening. P-47s strafe AA positions on Pagan Island
while a B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs Yap Island. Gilbert Island-based
B-25s bomb Nauru Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Palau
Islands, B-24s bomb Koror, and Malakal Islands, a seaplane base on Arakabesan
Island, and supply area N of Ingesebus Airfield. B-24s bomb barracks at
Amboina on Ambon Island and P-38s hit a seaplane base at Halong on the
Celebes Island. In New Guinea, the 22d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop
Carrier Group, moves from Garbutt Field, Australia to Finschhafen with C-47s;
and the 868th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), Thirteenth Air Force, moves from
Los Negros Island to Noemfoor Island with B-24s (the squadron uses airborne
radar for low-level attacks at night and PFF operations).

WEDNESDAY, 30 AUGUST 1944

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): Several P-47s bomb and strafe the town of
Man Sai, Burma. The 3d Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group, arrives
at Sylhet, India from the US with C-47s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, B-25s  attack Hengyang, Pailochi,
and Hankow Airfields, roads in the Nanyo and Changsha areas, and boats
between Changsha and Hengyang, and Kichun and Wuhsueh; in the Kweiyi and
Sintsiang areas 33 P-40s claim 58 trucks destroyed, 175 damaged, and at least
100 Japanese killed; 10 P-51s hit scattered targets of opportunity in the
same areas; 21 P-40s hit barracks, trucks, and a bridge in the Siangsiang and
Siangtan region; and 34 P-40s and P-51s attack a variety of targets,
including railroad traffic and facilities, occupied areas, and trucks, at
Yangtien, between Hengshan and Nanyo, NE of Ichang, SW Hengshan, and near
Hengyang.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Three missions are flown.
  Mission 590: 107 of 159 B-17s and 108 of 145 B-24s dispatched hit 8
V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area of France; one wing uses GH and H2X
methods; 22 bombers are damaged. Escort is provided by 16 of 16 P-51s without
loss.
  Mission 591: Later in the day, 637 B-17s are dispatched to bomb the U-boat
base and shipyards at Kiel (282), and aircraft plant and other industry in
the Bremen area (327); 4 others hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is damaged
beyond repair and 136 damaged. Escort is provided by 258 of 294 P-51s without
loss.
  Mission 592: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Belgium during the
night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, about 75 A-20s and B-26s
bomb a fuel dump near Arques-la-Bataille, Rouxmesnil-Bouteilles, and gun
positions around Ile de Cezembre; weather grounds the fighters; HQ 84th
Fighter Wing moves from Criqueville to Aillieres; HQ 100th Fighter Wing moves
from Rennes to Le Mans; the 14th Liaison Squadron, XIX Tactical Air Command
(attached to Third Army), moves from Courcy to St Maurice-aux-Riches-Hommes
with L-5s; the 33d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th Tactical
Reconnaissance Group, moves from Le Molay to Toussus le Noble with F-5s; the
313th Fighter Squadron, 50th Fighter Group, moves from Meautis to Orly with
P-47s; and the 596th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), moves from Hurn, England
to Gorges with B-26s. The 82d Troop Carrier Squadron, 436th Troop Carrier
Group, that has been operating from Voltone Airfield, Italy, returns to base
at Membury, England with C-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 100+ B-24s and B-17s hit
targets in Yugoslavia; the B-17s bomb railroad bridges at Novi Sad and
Vranjeco; the B-24s attack bridges at Cuprija. Nearly 100 P-51s strafe
airfields at Kecskemet, Hungary and Oradea, Rumania.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Weather grounds the medium
bombers; A-20s hit targets of opportunity during the night of 29/30 Aug and
fuel storage while fighter-bombers pound roads and railroads in the Po
Valley in Italy and, on armed reconnaissance over the Rhone Valley in France,
attack rail lines and motor and horsedrawn vehicles, as US Seventh Army
elements continue up the Rhone Valley toward Lyon. HQ 27th Fighter Group and
522d, 523d and 524th Fighter Squadrons move from Le Luc to Salon, France with
P-47s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): A B-24 on armed reconnaissance from Saipan
Island bombs Yap Island. P-47s strafe positions and storage areas on Pagan
Island. Kwajalein Atoll-based B-24s hit Mille Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Koror and Malakal
Islands are pounded by B-24s. B-24s hit Wasile Bay storage and personnel
areas in the Moluccas Islands while B-25s make a low-level attack on Kaoe
town on Halmahera Island. P-38s bomb oil tanks, barracks, and AA positions
at Boela, Ceram Island. In New Guinea, P-47s hit Urarom runway and Manokwari
storage area, P-38s bomb airfields at Babo and Ransiki, and P-39s hit targets
of opportunity along the W coast of Geelvink Bay; HQ 58th Fighter Group moves
from Saidor to Noemfoor Island; and HQ 403d Troop Carrier Group moves from
Espiritu Santo Island to Los Negros Island.

THURSDAY, 31 AUGUST 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 6 B-25s bomb targets of
opportunity at Katha and 3 hit bridges at Bawgyo and Hsenwi.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 12 B-24s bomb Takao harbor,
damaging the dock area and claiming 2 tankers sunk; 14 B-25s attack Tien Ho,
White Cloud, Kai Tek, and Hengyang Airfields; 8 B-25s attack numerous trucks
S of Sintsiang and near Sinshih, hit roads S of Nanyo and damage a freighter
near Sinshih; and 60+ fighter-bombers attack trucks, barracks, supplies,
rivercraft, bridges and troops in or near Sinshih, Changsha, Yangtien,
Hengyang, Nanyo, Siangtan, Teian, and Shihhweiyao.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 594: 6 of 6 B-17s drop
leaflets in France during the night.
  37 B-24s and C-47s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 99 B-26s and A-20s bomb
an ammunition dump at Foret d'Arques and gun positions at Ile de Cezembre;
fighters fly armed reconnaissance in the Amiens, Saint-Quentin, Albert, and
Arras areas, ground forces cover for 3 armored divisions, battleship cover,
and also dive-bomb Ile de Cezembre; HQ 70th Fighter Wing moves from Aillieres
to Versailles; the following squadrons assigned to the 67th Tactical
Reconnaissance Group move: 30th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron from Le
Molay to Toussus le Noble with F-5s; and the 109th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron from Toussus le Noble to Buc with F-6s; the 386th and 387th Fighter
Squadrons, 365th Fighter Group move from Azeville to Lignerolles with P-47s;
the 587th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 394th Bombardment Group (Medium),
moves from Holmsley, England to Tour-en-Bassin with B-26s; and the 597th,
598th and 599th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 397th Bombardment Group
(Medium), move from Hurn, England to Gorges with B-26s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Rumania, 45 P-51s strafe the
airfield at Reghin, while 97 others strafe airfields at Oradea and Kecskemet,
Hungary; fighters claim a record number of 150+ aircraft destroyed on the
ground; and starting Operation REUNION (the evacuation of US airmen interned
in Rumania), 36 B-17s evacuate US airmen from Bucharest (which falls to the
Soviet Army today) to Bari, Italy.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers attack
railroad bridges in the Po Valley, cutting the bridge at Mira; and A-20s
attack targets of opportunity in the Po Valley during the night of 30/31 Aug
and along with fighter-bombers hit communications N of the Arno River. Other
fighter-bombers attack communications targets in France as the US Seventh
Army pushes toward Lyon.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Saipan Island-based P-47s strafe gun positions
at the airfield on Pagan Island. Yap and Pagan Islands are bombed by single
B-24s.

SOURCES: 
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

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|  Jack McKillop         |  Those who have long enjoyed such      |
|  Bellcore              |  privileges as we enjoy forget in      |
|  Piscataway, NJ USA    |  time that men have died to win them.  |
|  [email protected]  |                       FDR              |
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• With grateful thanks for the scholarship of Kit Carter, Robert Mueller and Jack McKillop •
• Thanks also to Charles McGrew •
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Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
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