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MONDAY, 8 MARCH 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission No. 41: 67 B-17's of the 1st Bombardment
Wing
and 16 B-24's of the 2d Bombardment Wing are dispatched against the
marshalling yard at Rouen, France. Thirteen B-24's drop 39 tons of
bombs on
the target at 1402-1403 hours local; we claim 14 aircraft destroyed,
3
probably destroyed and 3 damaged; we lose 2 B-24's, 1 is damaged
beyond
repair and 3 others are damaged; casualties are 5 KIA, 3 WIA and 17
MIA.
54 B-17's hit the target at 1430 hours dropping 134.75 tons of
bombs; they
claim 14 enemy aircraft destroyed, 1 probably destroyed and 5
damaged; we
lose 2 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 9 others are damaged;
casualties are 8 WIA and 20 MIA. The bomb run over Rouen is
considerably
disrupted by the well-executed attack of fighters which down 2
bombers
including the lead aircraft. This action is preceded by an earlier
wave of
German fighters which occupy the fighter escort while the second
wave
attacks the bombers
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