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{
    "localId": "12005069",
    "label": "Report of the 8th Air Force, Normandy Invasion, June 2-17, 1944",
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    "title": "Report of the 8th Air Force, Normandy Invasion, June 2-17, 1944",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/12005069",
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    "seq": 1,
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    "ocrText": "SECRET\n00\nAF\n8-AF\nTO\nS0000128\nS.\nTHE\nUTIQUE\nS0004128\nEIGHTH AIR FORCE\nTACTICAL OPERATIONS\nIN SUPPORT OF\nALLIED LANDINGS IN NORMANDY\n2 ND JUNE- - 17 TH JUNE\n1944\nDECLASSIFIED 3(E) and 5(D) or (E)\nE.O. 11652. 1972\nRwm OSD pwm letter. May NARS 3. Date\nBY\nLIBRARY\nARMY WAR COLLEGE\nCOPY 33\nSECRET\nHEADQUARTERS EIGHTH AIR FORCE\nAPO 634\nSCCC4128\nQuizes Elsenhower Library\n6 November, 1944\n041\nSUBJECT: Report of Operations - 2 to 17 June, 1944 inclusive.\nTO\n: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.\n(Through Channels).\nTransmitted herewith is a Special Report on Eighth Air\nForce Tactical Operations in Support of Allied Landings in Normandy\ncovering the period 2 June to 17 June, 1944 inclusive.\nFor the Commanding General:\nWalter 2. tood\nWALTER E. TODD,\nColonel, G.S.C.,\nDep. C. of S., Ops.\n(E)\nE.O. Pum DECLASSIFIED 11652. letter, 3(E) May NARS and 3. Date. 1972 S(D) 11/22/74 or\nLIBRARY\nARMY WAR COLLEGE\nSECRET\nSECRET\nThe Elsentions\n2 JUNE OPERATION\n(D minus 3 at time of operation; became D minus 4 when D-Day was postponed.)\nOperation No. 384\nFirst Mission\nField Order 709\n1, DECISION: Operations on this day were specified for D minus 3\nby the Overall Air Plan as modified by Headquarters A.E.A.F. All objec-\ntives were located in the Pas de Calais (Fortitude) area, the attacks\nhaving as their purpose deception of the enemy as to the actual assault\narea. (Cover Plan.) It was provided that in these operations immediately\npreceding D-Day only one-half of the available heavy bombers were to be\nemployed in order to conserve the force for an all-out assault in direct\nsupport of the troop landings.\n2. PLANNING.\na. The weather forecast for the Pas de Calais area indicated\n8/10-10/10 stratocumulus with bases 800-1500 feet and tops 7000-9000 feet.\nb. In view of predicted cloud conditions, plans were made to\nemploy through the overcast bombing technique in this operation which would\nutilize approximately one-half of the available heavy bombers. The follow-\ning allocation of targets among the three Bomb Divisions was made, the\nnature and size of the objective determining the strength of the attacking\nforce:\nChart\nForce\nRef. No.\nTarget\nAssigned\nForce I - - 3rd Bomb Division\n(Tactical Unit Group of 18 B-17's with 1 H2X Pathfinder)\n*1. Boulogne Area\nMedium Battery\n3 Groups\n*3. Equihen Area\nMedium Battery\n3 Groups\n*4. Boulogne Area\nMedium Coastal Battery\n3 Groups\n16. Wimereux Area\nField Battery\n3 Groups\n17. Wimereux Area\nHeavy Coastal Battery\n3 Groups\nForce II - - 1st Bomb Division\n(Tactical Unit Group of 18 B-17's with 1 H2X Pathfinder)\n*1. Boulogne Area\nMedium Battery\n2 Groups\n2. Neufchatel Area\nMedium Battery\n2 Groups\n*3. Equihen Area\nMedium Battery\n2 Groups\n*4. Boulogne Area\nMedium Coastal Battery\n2 Groups\n5. Hardelot Area\nMedium Coastal Battery\n2 Groups\n6. Dannes Area\nDefended Locality\n2 Groups\n7. St. Cecily Area\nMedium Coastal Battery\n3 Groups\nSECRET\n- 1 -\nF.O. 709\nSECRET\nDwight D\nChart\n2019\nForce\nRef. No.\nTarget\nAssigned\nForce III - 2nd Bomb Division\n(Tactical Unit - Squadron of 12 B-24's with 1 H2X Pathfinder)\n8. St. Aubin Area\nMedium Coastal Battery\n3 Squadrons\n9. Stella Plage Area Medium Coastal Battery\n2 Squadrons\n10. Berck sur Mer Area Field Battery\n3 Squadrons\n11. Berck sur Mer Area Medium Coastal Battery\n3 Squadrons\n12. Berck sur Mer Area Radar Installation\n2 Squadrons\n13. Berck sur Mer Area Light Coastal Battery\n2 Squadrons\n14. Berck sur Mer Area Defended Locality\nI Squadron\n15. Stella Plage Area Defended Locality\n2 Squadrons\n18. Beauvoir Crossbor Installation (Dump)\n6 Squadrons\n* Units from more than one Force assigned to these targets.\nH2X Pathfinder aircraft utilizing GEE fixes for navigation were to be used\nfor target location except in the case of the units attacking the Crossbow\ninstallation at Beauvoir. GH bombing equipment was to be used in this\ninstance.\nc. The general plan for routing of the bomber forces followed a\npattern similar to that employed on previous large scale Crossbow opera-\ntions, the problem being to avoid interference among the large number of\nunits attacking 18 different targets located within a realtively small area\nand at the same time concentrate the attacks so that a minimum of anti-\naircraft fire could be brought to bear against the bombers as a whole.\nPenetration and withdrawal corridors were assigned to each force as well as\nspecified periods of attack which were 1200-1210 hours for Force I, 1220-\n1230 hours for Force II, and 1240-1250 hours for Force III. As a further\nmeasure to improve maneuverability, it was specified that each force would\nfly as three formations of equal size. The units of Force III assigned\nto the Crossbow Installation at Beauvoir were not included in the afore-\nmentioned plan of attack. The six Squadrons detailed to this target were\nto be divided into two waves, the first to attack at 1310, the second at\n1335. These timings were set to avoid interference with bombers returning\nfrom their attacks on the coastal installations and the interval between\nthe waves was to permit the GH ground station to change transmitter settings\nfor the Aiming Point of the later wave. The routing to this target af-\nforded the long, straight approach required by the GH equipment and due\nconsideration was given to avoidance of the strongest anti-aircraft defen-\nses on both the penetration and withdrawal.\nd. In determining the strength and disposition of the fighter\nsupport, it was considered unlikely that enemy aircraft would react to a\nvery limited penetration of the coastal area. Accordingly, area support by\nthree P-47 Groups and one P-38 Group was deemed adequate for the bombers\noperating along the Pas de Calais. For the units assigned to Beauvoir,\nwhich would make a somewhat deeper penetration, one P-51 Group was assigned\nas close escort. In addition, one P-47 Group and two P-51 Groups were de-\nsignated to patrol the Tournai, Compiegne and Evreux areas under Ground\n(type 16) control for the purpose of intercepting enemy aircraft which\nmight be assembling as a precautionary measure against a possible deep\npenetration by the heavy bombers.\nSECRET\n- 2 -\nF.O. 709\nSECRET\nElsenhemer\n3. EXECUTION.\na. Eight hundred and sixty-two heavy bombers were dispatched\nin the three forces participating in this operation. Despite the presence\nof some cloud layers at assembly levels, units formed without difficulty\nand flew their missions essentially as planned.\nb. Bombing through 10/10 cloud was accomplished on H2X Path-\nfinders supplemented by GEE fixes except in the case of the units directed\nagainst Beauvoir which utilized GH Pathfinders. Three units of the Force\nI were unable to attack due to failure of Pathfinder equipment and two\nSquadrons of the Force III attacked assigned targets of other units when\ntheir respective lead Pathfinder became inoperative. A total of 776\nbombers dropped 2322 tons, all except 23 aircraft dropping on assigned\ntargets. Strike photographs were unrevealing but subsequent reconnaissance\ncover was obtained. Bombing results are summarized as follows:\nForce I - - 3rd Bomb Division\nChart\nA/C Disp. A/C Att.\nTotal\nRef.No.\nTarget\nIncludes () PFF Bombs Dropped Results\n*1.\nBoulogne\n58 (5)\n38 (3)\n438x500\nHE\nNil\n16.\nWimereux\n56 (3)\n18 (1)\n210x500\nGood\n*3.\nEquihen\n58 (3)\n56 (3)\n651x500\nNil\n*4.\nBoulogne\n54 (3)\n52 (3)\n600x500\nNil\n17.\nWimereux\n57 (3)\n54 (3)\n625x500\nNil\n283 (17) 218 (13) 2524x500\nForce II - 1st Bomb Division\n*1,\nBoulogne\n38 (2)\n38 (2)\n444x500\nNil\n*3.\nEquihen\n37 (2)\n35 (2)\n372x500\nNil\n#40\nBoulogne\n37 (2)\n37 (2)\n394x500\nNil\n5.\nHardelot\n38 (2)\n37 (2)\n406x500\nNil\n2.\nNeufchatel\n43 (2)\n42 (2)\n500x500\nNil\n6.\nDannes\n38 (2)\n38 (2)\n415x500\nNil\n7.\nSt. Cecily\n55 (3)\n52 (3)\n610x500\nNil\n286 (15) 279 (15) 3141x500\nForce III - 2nd Bomb Division\n9.\nStella Plage\n24 (2)\n23 (2)\n4x1000\nFair\n84x2000\n15.\nStella Plage\n24 (2)\n24 (2)\n4x1000\nNil\n88x2000\n12.\nBerck sur Mer\n24 (1)\nNil\nOther Targets\n23 (0)\n92x2000\n13.\nBerck sur Mer\n24 (2)\n24 (2)\n275x500\nNil\n14.\nBerck sur Mer\n12 (1)\n12 (1)\n138x500\nNil\nSECRET\n- 3 -\nF.O. 709\nSECRET\nChart\nA/C Disp. A/C Att.\nTotal\nRef.No.\nTarget\nIncludes ( ) PFF Bombs Dropped Results\n11.\nBerck sur Mer\n37 (3) 36 (3) 402x500\nGood\n10.\nBerck sur Mer\n37 (3)\n36 (3)\n26x1000\nNil\n113x2000\n8.\nSt. Aubin\n39 (3)\n38 (3)\n6x1000\nNil\n137x2000\n18.\nBeauvoir\n71 (6)\n63\n(5)\n744x500\nFair\n293 (23) 279 (21) 40x1000\n514x2000\n1559x500\nTotal\n862 (55) 776 (49)7224x500\n40x1000\n514x2000\n*Units from more than one Force assigned to these targets.\nAlthough it is indicated that only four of the specific targets were affec-\nted by the bombing, there is evidence of damage to other installations in\nthis heavily fortified area.\nc. Fighter support was provided by 365 aircraft, 175 P-47's,\n46 P-38's, 144 P-51's from the eight assigned Groups. As planned, one\nP-38 Group and three P-47 Groups afforded area cover, one P-51 Group gave\nclose escort to the units assigned to Beauvoir and one P-47 and two P-51\nGroups operated under Ground (type 16) control.\nd. Enemy opposition was confined solely to anti-aircraft fire\nwhich varied from meager to moderate and was generally inoffective.\ne. All bombers and fighters returned from this operation.\nEleven of the former and one of the latter sustained battle damage, all\ndue to anti-aircraft fire.\nSECRET\n- 4 -\nF.O. 709\nSECRET\nThe Eisanheisen LIBITY\nSTATISTICAL SUMMARY\nFirst Mission\n2 June 1944\nForce I\nForce II\nForce III\n(3rd B.D.)\n(1st B.D.)\n(2nd B.D.)\nMission\nHEAVY BOMBERS\nB-17's\nB-17's\nTotals\nA/C Airborne\n283\n286\n293\n862\nA/C Sorties\n273\n283\n284\n840\nA/C Executing Assignments 218\n279\n279\n776\nBombs Dropped (Tons)\n631\n785.25\n923.75\n2340\nA/C Lost\n0\n0\n0\n0\nCategory \"E\"\n0\n0\n0\n0\nA/C Battle Damaged\n11\n0\n0\n11\nClaims Against E/A\n0\n0\n0\n0\nMission\nFIGHTERS\nP-47\nP-38\nP-51\nTotals\nA/C Airborne\n175\n46\n144\n365\nA/C Sorties\n171\n43\n139\n353\nA/C Executing Assignmonts 166\n40\n133\n339\nA/C Lost\n0\n0\n0\n0\nCategory \"E\"\n0\n0\n0\n0\nA/C Battle Damaged\n1\n0\n0\n]\nClaims Against E/A\n0\n0\n0\n0\nSECRET\n- 5 -"
}