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THURSDAY, 14 OCTOBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command
Mission 115:
229 of 291 B-17's hit the city area and ball bearing plants at
Schweinfurt,
Germany in 2 group; the first group bombs at 1439-1445 hours, the
second
group at 1451-1457 hours; they claim 186-27-89 Luftwaffe aircraft;
60 B-17's
are lost, 7 damaged beyond repair and 138 damaged; casualties are 5
KIA, 40
WIA and 594 MIA. The attack, which causes great damage and
interference with
production, results in German reorganization of the bearing
industry. Fierce
opposition of great numbers of fighters, many of them firing
rockets,
accounts for the 60 US aircraft shot down. As a result of these
heavy losses,
daylight bombing against strategic targets deep in Germany is
discontinued
for a short period.
Only 29 of 60 B-24's are able to form up in poor weather; they
abandoned
their planned mission and fly a diversion towards Emden, Germany.
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