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THURSDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Missions 237, 238 and 239
are
flown today against targets in France; 7 B-17s are lost. Heavy
clouds cause
over half the bombers dispatched to return without bombing.
Mission 237: 49 of 81 B-24s hit the Ecalles sur Buchy V-weapon
sites; 1
B-24 is damaged. Escort is provided by 61 P-47s.
Mission 238: 258 B-17s are dispatched against V-weapon sites in the
Pas
de Calais; 109 hit the primary target, 10 hit a road junction E of
Yerville, 7 hit a rail siding SW of Abbeville and 6 hit targets of
opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost and 75 damaged; casualties are 5 WIA
and 63
MIA. Escort is provided by 81 P-38s, 94 P-47s and 22 P-51s; 1 P-38
is
damaged beyond repair; the P-51s claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft on
the
ground.
Mission 239: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 250 bundles of leaflets on Amiens,
Rennes,
Paris, Rouen and Le Mans, France at 2023-2055 hours without loss.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 180 B-26s attack NOBALL
(V-weapon)
targets and Rosieres-en-Santerre, France. Bad weather makes bombing
difficult
and causes 34 other B-26s to abort.
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