Description

The industrial area of Antwerp, Belgium is the primary target of this mission. More specifically the Erla aircraft and engine factories are the highest priority. 79 B-17s are depatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (21); 305BG (18); 306BG (20). 64 of the 79 are effective on the target. The fighter opposition is fierce, especially on 306BG which loses 4 aircraft MIA. It so happens that Brigadier General Frank A. Armstrong has tagged along as an observer on the lead B-17 from 306BG. The aircraft is damaged and several of the crew are wounded, but the aircraft manages to make it back to England. BrigGen Armstrong later recounted the lead aircraft was attacked from head-on at least 25 times by the German fighters.



NOTE Roger A. Freeman mentions that there was a Spitfire escort for this formation which went as far as Ghent, Beligum before having to turn back. However, he does not include the statistics for this fighter escort in his "The Mighty Eighth War Diary". This would lead one to believe that the escort was provided by RAF units rather than those of the 8th Air Force.



25 B-24s also are deaptched and join the attack: 44BG (14) and 93BG (11) 18 of these 25 are effective on the target, but there are no aircraft lost from this formation. The combined claims on enemy aircraft from both groups is 23-8-4.