Description

VIII Bomber Command launches another operation against German U-Boat facilities with three elements. The first element is a formation of 100 B-17s despatched from: 91BG (24); 92BG (10); 303BG (21); 305BG (21) and 306BG (24) to attack the German U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. All but the 92BG have attacked this target many times in the past. Heavy fighter resistance is anticipated and those Groups with the most combat experience will lead the attack. 80 of the 100 despatched are effective on the target. The Bomber gunners claim 27-6-16 on the attacking fighters.

The second element is a force of 59 B-17s despathced from 94BG (21); 95BG (18) and 96BG (20) to attack the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. This force also encounters stiff Luftwaffe resistance, but only 2 B-17s are MIA. 38 of the 59 B-17s are effective on the target. The bomber gunners in this formation claim 20-2-13 on the attacking fighters.

The third element is a force of 39 B-24s despatched from: 44BG (21); and 93BG (18) to attack the U-Boat pens at Bordeaux, France. This is the first attack on the U-Boat pens there. The formation approaches at low level across the Atlantic but uses every effort to climb to the 22,000 foot altitude to make the attack 23 minutes later than the attacks on Lorient. The first two elements have drawn most of the German fighter resources so resistance is light. 34 of the 39 aircraft despatched are effective on the target. No aircraft are lost to enemy aircraft, but one has engine trouble on the inbound route and crashlands at Gijon, Spain. The bomber gunners only claim 1 German aircraft as a "Probably destroyed."

The last operation is a completely separate operation against the power stations at Ijmuiden and Haarlem, Holland by 11 B-26s despatched from 322BG. This is basically a repeat of the operation flown by this Group on 14-May-43, but the Germans are ready for this one. 1 B-26 aborts and the other 10 head for the targets, but fighter opposition and especially AA fire down the remaining 10. A complete disaster, so bad in fact that the 8th Air Force never mounts another attack using the B-26. The resources will be given over to the 9th Air Force in October 1943 and used against tactical targets and support of ground forces following D-Day.

The planners are rapidly learning that there is much merit in the axiom of "divide and conquer."