VIII Air Support Command 48
5 September 1943Returning home over De Panne, Belgium.
Myself
Description
Railroad marshalling yards are the targets of this two-element mission. The firstelement is a combined force of 72 B-26s from 323BG and 322BG despatched to bomb two railroad marshalling yards at Ghent, Belgium. 63 are effective on the targets. There are no losses or claims, but 38 aircraft are damaged.
The second element is a formation of 36 B-17s from 386BG despatched to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Courtrai, France. None of the aircraft bomb the target, possibly due to cloud cover. There are no losses or claims.
Mission Details
COURTRAI
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
Notes: Mission aborted.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: None
- Aircraft sent: 36
GHENT
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
Notes: 2 marshalling yards near Ghent are targeted.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 93.50
- People wounded in action: 4
- Aircraft sent: 72
- Aircraft effective: 63
- Aircraft damaged: 38
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
- Nicknames: Danny Boy II
- Unit: 386th Bomb Group 552nd Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 31-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.