VIII Bomber Command 67

25 June 1943
This mission was intended to be the first major attack on the industrial area of Hamburg, Germany but weather and contrails made fromation flying too difficult and dangerous. As a result, the main formation 197 B-17s from: 91BG (18); 92BG (23); 303BG ...

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

26 June 1943
7PRG/13PRS and 22PRS despatch 9 F-5s on photographic reconnaissnace sorties of France in the Pas-de Calaise area. 1 F-5 is MIA.

VIII Fighter Command FO - 57 BOMBER ESCORT

26 June 1943
A combined force of 130 P-47s is deptached from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG to provide escort for the heavy bomber formation despatched to Villacoublay, France. The formation tangles with German fighters and the 56FG loses 4 P-47 to direct cause by enemy...

VIII Bomber Command 68

26 June 1943
The targets for today are all Luftwaffe installations: the Villacoublay air depot SW of Paris, France is the primary; the airfield at Poissy, France is attacked as the secondary because of cloud cover; the airfield at Tricqueville, France; and the...

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

27 June 1943
7PRG/13PRS despatches 3 F-5s on photographic reconnaissance sorties over France. One sortie is to photograph the airfield at Triqueville for damage assessment.

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

28 June 1943
7PRG/13PRS despatches 3 F-5s on photographic reconaissance sorties over France.

VIII Fighter Command FO - 58 BOMBER ESCORT

28 June 1943
A combined force of 130 P-4s from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG are despatched to provide fighter escort for the 1st Bomb Wing formation despatched to bomb St. Nazaire. The formation is only able to escort the formation part way to the target because of the range...

VIII Bomber Command 69

28 June 1943
The primary specific target for this mission are the lock gates at St. Nazaire, France to be attacked by two separate formations and also another force is despatched to bomb the German airfield at Beaumon Le Roger, France. A formation of 120 B-17s of...

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

29 June 1943
7PRG/13PRS despatches 2 F-5s on photographic reconnaissance sorties to photograph the port facilities at St. Nazaire, France to permit damage assessment from the bomber mission of the day before. Both F-5s are shot down.

VIII Fighter Command FO - 59 FIGHTER SWEEP

29 June 1943
A combined force of 126 P-47s from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG are despatched to perform a fighter sweep ahead of the 1st Bomb Wing formations attacking Villacoublay and Tricqueville. None of the force is lost and 78FG pilots claim 2-0-0 of German fighters.

VIII Bomber Command 70

29 June 1943
1st Bomb Wing despatches two formations: one has the air depot at Villacoublay, France as their primary; and one has the Luftwaffe airfield at Tricqueville, France as their primary....

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

01 July 1943
7PRG/13PRS despatches 1 F-5 on a photographic reconnaissance sortie to France.

VIII Fighter Command FO 60 - FIGHTER SWEEPS

01 July 1943
A combined force of 129 P-47s are despatched from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG on fighter sweeps. The 78FG is the only Group to encounter enemy aircraft, and they lose 1 aircraft and pilot MIA. The Groups claim 4-1-5 on enemy aircraft.

VIII Fighter Command FO 62 - FIGHTER SWEEPS

02 July 1943
A combined force of 80 P-47s is despatched from 56FG and 78FG on fighter sweeps in the Le Touquet, France area. No enemy aircraft are encountered. No losses or claims.

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

03 July 1943
7PRG/13PRS despatches 2 F-5s on photographic reconnaissance sorties to France.

VIII Bomber Command 71

04 July 1943
The aircraft factories at Le Mans and Nantes, France and the lock gates and harbour facilities at La Pallice, France are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is comprised of three elements:...

VIII Fighter Command FO-65 FIGHTER SWEEP

06 July 1943
A combined force of 124 P-47s from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG are sent on fighter sweeps of the Rotterdam, Holland area. There are no losses or claims.

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

08 July 1943
3 F-5s are despatched from 7th Photographic Group on sorties over France.

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

09 July 1943
1 F-5 from 13th Photographic Squadron is despatched on a photographic reconnaissance sortie over France.

VIII Fighter Command FO-67 FIGHTER SWEEPS

09 July 1943
A combined force of 128 P-47s from 4FG; 56FG and 78FG are despatched on fighter sweeps in the Ghent, Belgium area. No losses or claims.

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

10 July 1943
2 F-5s from 13th Photographic Squadron are despatched on sorties over France to assess damage on the German airfields at Caen and Abbeville, France.

VIII Fighter Command FO-68 BOMBER ESCORT

10 July 1943
A combined force of 128 P-47s is despatched from 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG to provide escort for the bomber formations of VIII Bomber Command mission #72. There are no losses or claims.

VIII Bomber Command 72

10 July 1943
German airfields at Caen, Abbeville, and Le Bourget at Paris, France are the primary targets for this mission. 112 B-17s form a combined force from 91BG; 92BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG and 381BG to bomb the German airfield (Carpiquet) at Caen, France. Cloud...

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

13 July 1943
3 F-5s from 13th Photographic Squadron are despatched on photographic reconnaissance sorties over France.

VIII Fighter Command FO-71 BOMBER ESCORT

14 July 1943
A combined force of 128 P-47s from 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG provide escort for the Amiens/Glisy element of VIII Bomber Command Mission #73. 3 aircraft are lost: 4FG (1) - 1KIA; 78FG (2) - 1KIA 1WIA-RTD. Also, on this date a Spitfire IX, TN EM564 of 485...

VIII Bomber Command 73

14 July 1943
The German air depot at Villacoublay, France and the German airfields Amiens/Glisy and Le Bourget at Paris, France are the primary targets for this mission. These attacks are made by three separate elements: 116 B-17s are despatched from 92BG (15);...

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

15 July 1943
2 F-5s from 13th Photographic Squadron are despatched on photographic reconnaissance sorties over central France.

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

16 July 1943
1 F-5 from 13th Photographic Squadron is despatched on a meteorologic flight over central France.

VIII Air Support Command 01

16 July 1943
This is the first mission flown by medium bombers (B-26) of the VIII Air Service Command. 16 B-26s from 323rd Bomb Group are despatched to make an attack at medium altitude on the railroad marshaling yards at Abbeville, France. 14 are effective on the...

VIII Fighter Command FO-72 FIGHTER DIVERSION

16 July 1943
A combined force of 127 P-47s from 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG fly a diversionary raid in the Dunkirk/Calaise/Ostend/ St. Omer area in support of the B-26 mission on the Abbeville, France marshaling yards. No losses or claims.

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

17 July 1943
6 F-5s from 13th Photographic Squadron are despatched on photographic reconnaissance sorties over France and Holland. 1 F-5 MIA near Scheldt, Holland. Pilot KIA.

VIII Air Support Command 02

17 July 1943
This second mission by 16 B-26s from 323BG is a diversion flown in the Cayeux area of France. There are no losses or claims.

VIII Fighter Command FO-74 BOMBER ESCORT

17 July 1943
A combined force of 126 P-47s from 4FG, 56FG, and 78FG are dispatched to escort the bomber formations heading for Hannover and Hamburg, Germany on VIII Bomber Command mission # 74. However, most of the flights are recalled along with the bombers...

VIII Bomber Command 74

17 July 1943
The railroad industry at Hannover, Germany and the aircraft industry at Hamburg, Germany were the intended targets for this mission but weather caused the mission to be cancelled. The element sent to Hannover was a combined force of 207 B-17s from:...

VIII Air Support Command METEOROLOGICAL SORTIE

23 July 1943
1 F-5 from 7th Photographic Group is depatched on a meteorological sortie to Rouen, France.

VIII Air Support Command METEOROLOGICAL SORTIE

24 July 1943
1 F-5 from 7th Photographic Group is despatched on a meterolgical sortie to Rouen, France.

VIII Bomber Command 75

24 July 1943
Three targets in Norway are the primary targets for this first mission flown by 8th AIr Force to Norway. They are the nitrate works at Heroya and the port areas at Trondheim and Bergen. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (22)...

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

25 July 1943
2 F-5s from 7th Photographic Group are despatched on photographic reconnaissance sorties over France.

VIII Air Support Command 3

25 July 1943
18 B-26s are despatched from 323BG to attack the coke ovens at Ghent, Belgium. 13 of this force are effective on the target. Ther are no losses or claims. The force was escorted by Spitfires of the RAF.

VIII Fighter Command FO-78 FIGHTER SWEEP

25 July 1943
A combined force of 112 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG are despatched on a fighter sweep of the coast of Belgium and Holland in support of the B-26 attack by VIII Air Support Command on the coke ovens at Ghent, Belgium. There are no losses or claims.

VIII Fighter Command FO-79 FIGHTER SWEEP

25 July 1943
34 P-47s from 56FG are despatched to perform a fighter sweep in support of RAF bombers.

VIII Bomber Command 76

25 July 1943
This mission was composed of three elements. The primary targets were the diesel engine works at Hamburg, Germany; the shipyards at Kiel, Germany and the aircraft industries at Warnemude, Germany, but weather frustrated the effort. The first element...

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

26 July 1943
5 F-5s from 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group are despatched on photo reconnaissance sorties along the French-Channel coast.

VIII Air Support Command 4

26 July 1943
18 B-26s from 323BG are despatched to attack the German airfield at St. Omer/Ft. Rouge, France but the target is obscured by clouds and the force attacks the German airfield Longuenesse at St.Omer instead. 15 of these aircraft are effective on the...

VIII Fighter Command FO-80 FIGHTER SWEEPS

26 July 1943
129 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG perform diversionary fighter sweeps in the Rotterdam, Holland area in support of the bombing mission on Hannover and Hamburg, Germany.

VIII Fighter Command FO-81 FIGHTER SWEEP

26 July 1943
128 P-47s from 4FG, 56FG; and 78FG are despatched on fighter sweeps in the Lille/Dunkrik/Cayeux, France area. No losses or claims.

VIII Bomber Command 77

26 July 1943
The German rubber industry at Hannover, Germany and the U-Boat shipyards at Hamburg, Germany are the primary focus of this mission. In addition, a German ship convoy and targets of opportunity at Wilhelmshaven and Wesermunde are bombed. The first...

VIII Air Support Command 5

27 July 1943
18 B-26s from 323BG are despatched to attack the Tricqueville airfield in France. 17 are effective on the target. There are no losses or claims.

VIII Fighter Command FO-82 BOMBER ESCORT

27 July 1943
119 P-47s from: 4FG; 56FG; and 78FG are despatched to escort the B-26s on their raid against the Tricqueville airfield and then they conduct a fighter sweep in the Rouen, France area.

VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE

28 July 1943
1 F-5 from 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group is despatched on a phote reconnaissance sortie along the French-Channel coast.