Description

This mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 216 B-17 from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (10); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (21); 351BG (35); 379BG (21); 381BG (30); 384BG (20); and 301BG (20) dispatched to bomb German airfields of La Rochelle-Laleu, St. Jean D'Angely, Ivry-Paris, Bois-Paris and D'Colombes, France. Weather and cloud cover totally disrupted this element and no aircraft were able to bomb. There are no losses or claims but one aircraft from 401BG crashed on take-off at Deenethorpe. 2INJ 8RTD. 1 other aircraft is damaged



The second element was a force of 92 B-24s of 2nd Bomb Division that included: 44BG (25); 93BG (24); 389BG (23); and 392BG (23) dispatched to bomb the German airfield at Cognac-Chateaubernard, France. Wethter and cloud cover frustrated this element also and only 2 B-24 from 389BG were able to drop on St. Nazaire as a target of opportunity. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 9KIA 1POW; 2 airmen in returning aircraft were Wounded in Action (WIA) and 7 aircraft were damaged. There are no claims on enemy aircraft in this element.



The third element was a combined force of 236 B-17s from 3rd Bomb Division that included: 94BG (42); 95BG (24); 96BG (41); 100BG (22); 385BG (21); 388BG (46); and 390BG (40) dispatched to bomb the German air depot at Bordeaux, Merginac, France. Again, weather and cloud cover frustrated bombing attempts. Also, this element encountered fighter resistance. Only 1 aircraft from 96BG was able to bomb the target. 8 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 36KIA 5POW 1EVD 29RTD (Rescued by ASR). 4 airmen in returning aircraft are Wounded in Action (WIA). 1 aircraft is damaged. The bomber gunners in this element claim 21-5-5 of attacking German aircraft.