5 November 1943

FRIDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

ANTISUBMARINE OPERATIONS: B-25's of the 1st Composite Squadron and USN
land-based aircraft based on Ascension Island sink U-848 in the S Atlantic at
10-09S 18-00W.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 121.
Two targets in Germany are hit with the loss of 8 B-17's and 3 B-24's.
1. 323 of 374 B-17's and 9 of 11 B-17 pathfinders hit the marshalling yard
and oil plants at Gelsenkirchen, Germany at 1313-1350 hours; they claim 6-1-4
Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17's are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 223
damaged. Casualties are 4 KIA, 35 WIA and 84 MIA. The B-17's are escorted by
47 P-38's and 336 P-47's; they claim 18-6-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 P-47's are
lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair; casualties are 4 MIA.
2. 104 of 118 B-24's hit the marshaling yard at Munster at 1349-1358 hours;
they claim 21-3-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-24's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond
repair and 43 damaged; casualties are 7 KIA, 22 WIA and 31 MIA.
3. VIII Bomber Command Mission 122: 5 B-17's drop 1,004,000 leaflets over
Paris, Amiens, Rouen and Caen at 1917-2005 hours; no losses or casualties.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): An Eighth Air Force training officer
arrives to assist HQ IX Fighter Command in setting up a comprehensive training
system for fighter pilots. The training is based on the Eighth Air Force
system; the Eighth Air Force and Royal Air Force (RAF) cooperate with the
Ninth in instituting this program. 150+ B-26's bomb construction works at
Mimoyecques, France; poor visibility causes one group to bomb the area SW of
the primary targets; bad weather causes numerous aborts.
The 356th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, arrives at Greenham Common,
England from the U.S. with P-51's. The squadron will fly it's first mission on
1 Dec.