VIII Air Support Command 81
9 October 1943Description
This mission is the final B-26 mission flown by B-26 Bomb Groups of VIII Air sSupport Command. Both Bomb Groups will transfer to 9th AIr Force (Tactical) for the raminder of the war. The mission is a combined force of 72 B-26s from 323BG (36) and 387BG (36) despatched to bomb the German airfield at Woensdrecht, Holland. 66 aircraft are effective on the target. There are no losses or claims.
Mission Details
WOENSDRECHT
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
Notes: Last 8th Air Force B-26 mission. This is the last combat mission or the 323rd Bomb Group with 8th Air Force. They have flown 46 missions (includes recalls) in 1,382 sorties and dropped 1,168 tons of bombs. They report 3 aircraft Missing in Action (MIA) with 8th Air Force. They are transferred to 9th Air Force on 16-Oct-43 and fly tactical missions in support of ground forces to the end of the war. Returned to US Dec 45. This is the last combat mission for the 387th Bomb Group with 8th Air Force. They have flown 35 missions (includes recalls) in 1,161 sorties and dropped 1,028 tons of bombs with 8th Air Force. They report two aircraft Missing in Action (MIA) with 8th Air Force. They are transferred to 9th Air Force on 16-Oct-43 and fly tactical missions in support of ground forces until the end of the war. They return to US in July 1945 and inactivated on 7-Nov-45.
- 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: 98.15
- Aircraft sent: 72
- Aircraft effective: 66
- Aircraft damaged: 26
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 4-Jul-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'.