8th Air Force Field Order 365

6 June 1944

Description

D-Day. Start of Operation Overlord.

Mission Details

Description: FIGHTER ESCORT

Notes: All 8th Air Force Fighter Groups and IX Fighter Command Fighter Groups take part. VIII Fighter command fulfils a threefold mission of escorting the bombers, attacking any German movement towards the beaches and protecting the vast fleet of ships laying just off the coast. The fighters fly a total of 1,880 sorties including fighter-bomber attacks on 17 bridges, 10 marshalling yards and a wide variety of other targets. Very little fighter opposition is encountered as the Luftwaffe has been almost annihilated in France. However the fighters do claim 26-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and another 4-0-9 on the ground. The fighters also destroy 21 locomotives and 2 carloads of ammunition. 25 fighters are lost. 555 P-38s, 414 P-47s and 750 P-51s.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 96th Bomb Group Headquarters (357th Fighter Group) Headquarters (55th Fighter Group)
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron Headquarters (447th Bomb Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-406173
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.