Mission

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 484:

1,172 bombers and 542 fighters are dispatched to hit oil and industrial targets in  Germany; 19 bombers and 8 fighters are lost: 1.

Of 417 B-17s, 107 hit Dessau, 69 hit Kothen, 56 hit Leipzig/Mockau, 45 hit the Leipzig bearing industry, 36 hit Nordhuasen Airfield, 23 hit Kolleda Airfield, 20 hit targets of opportunity, 12 hit Bitterfeld, 12 hit Giessen Airfield, and 12 hit Rudolstadt; they claim 11-9-7 Luftwaffe aircraft;

15 B-17s are lost and 188 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 10 WIA and 129 MIA.

Escort is provided by 253 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 5-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-0-0 on the ground;

2 P-47s and 4 P-51s are lost, 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair; 1 airman is WIA and 3 MIA. 2.

Of 295 B-17s, 155 hit Merseburg, 53 hit Lutzkendorf, 47 hit Wetzlar and 7 hit targets of opportunity;

2 B-17s are lost and 153 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 21 MIA.

Escort is provided by 178 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-4 on the ground;

1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair. 3.

Of 460 B-24s, 123 hit Erfurt Nord and 11 hit Erfurt/Bindersleben Airfields; 80 hit Schmalkalden; 72 hit Gotha; 24 hit Freiburg, 18 hit Fulda, 12 hit Idstein, 10 hit Bad Salzungen, 10 hit Wernhausen and 9 hit Homburg marshalling yards; 21 hit Berka, 12 hit Bad Nauheim, 7 hit Koblenz, 6 hit Boppard and 6 hit targets of opportunity;

1 B-24 is lost and 31 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA.

Escort is provided by 45 of 47 P-47s; they claim 6-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground;

1 P-47s is lost (pilot is MIA).