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TUESDAY, 6 JUNE 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The Eighth Air Force
reaches its
top strength as the 493d Bombardment Group (Heavy) becomes
operational,
making a total of 40 heavy bomber groups now operational.
Heavy bombers fly 4 missions in support of the Normandy invasion:
1. Mission 394: At first light, 659 of 882 B-17s and 418 of 543
B-24s hit
coastal targets in the area of the invasion beaches between Le Havre
and
Cherbourg; overcast and inability of the bombers to locate (or
absence of)
PFF leaders causes failure of some units to attack; 1 B-24 is lost,
1 B-24 is
damaged beyond repair and 14 B-17s and 1 B-24 are damaged; 12 airmen
are KIA,
2 WIA and 13 MIA.
2. Mission 394: The second mission strikes at transportation
chokepoints in
towns immediately around the assault area; total cloud cover causes
84 B-17s
and 259 B-24s dispatched to return with their bombs but 37 B-24s
manage to
bomb secondary target of Argentan; 2 B-24s are lost and 1 B-17 is
damaged;
no casualties.
3. Mission 395: The third mission is dispatched against the
important
communications center of Caen; 58 of 73 B-24s bomb through overcast
skies
without loss.
4. Mission 395: Transportation chokepoints in towns immediately S
and E of
the assault area are the objectives of the fourth mission; 325 of
409 B-17s
and 125 of 300 B-24s hit targets including Vire, Saint-Lo, Coutances,
Falaise, Lisieux, Thury-Harcourt, Pont-l'Eveque, Argentan, and
Conde-sur-
Noireau; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 11
B-24s and 5
B-17s are damaged; 10 airmen are KIA.
In all, 1,729 bombers drop 3,596 tons of bombs during D-Day.
The VIII Fighter Command has the threefold mission of escorting
bombers,
attacking any movement toward the assault area, and protecting
Allied
shipping. The fighters fly 1,880 sorties including fighter-bomber
attacks
against 17 bridges, 10 marshalling yards, and a variety of other
targets
including convoy, railroad cars, siding, rail and highway junctions,
tunnel,
and a dam. Very little air opposition is encountered. The fighters
claim
26-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 4-0-9 on the ground. Also
destroyed
are 21 locomotives and 2 carloads of ammunition. Numerous targets
are damaged
including locomotives, trucks, tank cars, armored vehicles, goods
carriers,
barges, and tugboats. Targets attacked with unreported results
include
warehouses, radar towers, barracks, troops, artillery, staff cars,
85 trains,
and a variety of other targets. 25 fighters are lost.
Mission 396: During the night, 12 B-17s drop leaflets in France and
the
Low Countries.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 800+ A-20s and B-26s bomb
coastal
defense batteries, rail and road junctions and bridges, and
marshalling yards
in support of the invasion; 2,000+ fighters fly sweeps, escort for
B-26s and
C-47s, ground support, and dive-bombing missions over W France.
During the
preceding night and during the day over 1,400 C-47s, C-53's, and
gliders
deliver glider troops and paratroops, including 3 full airborne
divisions,
which are to secure beach exits to facilitate inland movement of
seaborne
assault troops. A total of about 30 aircraft are lost.
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