1 May 1943

SATURDAY, 1 MAY 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission No. 53: 78 B-17's are dispatched against the
Sainte-Nazaire, France U-boat base and shipyard. They find bad weather
over the target and only 29 B-17's hit the target between 1125 and 1131
hours local. We claim 18-6-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17's are lost, 2
are damaged beyond repair and 20 others are damaged. Casualties are 3 KIA,
17 WIA and 73 MIA. At the same time, 24 B-24's fly a diversion along the
Brittany Coast.
HQ 351st Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Polebrook, England from
the US.