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SUNDAY, 4 JUNE 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Three mission are flown to
France.
In the first mission (Mission 389), the effort is to be divided
between the
Pas de Calais (COVER) area and the Normandy assault (NEPTUNE) area,
however,
D-Day is postponed 24 hrs and the NEPTUNE force is cancelled. 183 of
201
B-17s and 51 of 56 B-24s attack 7 targets in the Pas de Calais area;
10 B-17s
are damaged; no casualties. Escorting are 130 P-47s and 42 P-51s; 2
P-51s are
lost; no casualties. In the second mission (Mission 390) 222 of 246
B-17s and
53 of 68 B-24s bomb 8 coastal defense positions in the same area
using PFF; 1
B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 12 B-17s and 6 B-24s are damaged;
1 airman
is KIA. The third mission consists of 263 B-17s and 185 B-24s
hitting
airfields, railway junctions and bridges; of the B-17s, 96 hit the
Massey/
Palaiseau railroad bridge, 50 hit the Versailles/Metelots railroad
bridge and
34 hit the Villeneuve/St George railroad bridge; of the B-24s, 23
hit
Brourges Airfield, 72 hit the Romorantin/Prunieres Airfield, 56 hit
the Avord
Airfield, 55 hit the Bretigny Airfield and 8 hit the Melun bridges;
1 B-17
and 3 B-24s are damaged beyond repair; 34 B-17s and 27 B-24s are
damaged; 10
airmen are KIA and 4 WIA. Escort is 135 P-47s and 277 P-51s; they
claim 1-0-0
Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 1
damaged;
no casualties.
2 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the UK and the Atlantic.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 300+ B-26s and
A-20s
bomb highway bridge and coastal batteries; almost 200 P-47s and
P-51s dive-
bomb bridges, railroad junction, rolling stock and targets of
opportunity.
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