8e Air Force le Jour J – After Action Reports

8e Air Force le Jour J

After Action Reports
Bataille de Normandie – 2 au 17 juin 1944

Image : 8ème Air Force division

8e Air Force le Jour J - After Action Reports 1TACTICAL OPERATIONS
IN SUPPORT OF
ALLIED LANDINGS IN NORMANDY
2ND JUNE – 17TH JUNE
1944

2 JUNE OPERATION

(D minus 3 at time of operation; became D minus 4 when D-Day was postponed)

Operation No. 384

First Mission
Field Order 709

1. DECISION : Operations on this day were specified for D minus 3 by the Overall Air Plan as modified by Headquarters A.E.A.F. All objectives were located in the Pas de Calas (Fortitude) area, the attacks having as their purpose deception of the enemy as to the actual assault area (Cover Plan). It was provided that in these operations immediately preceding D-Day only one-half of the available heavy bombers were to be employed in order to conserve the force an all-out assault in direct support of the troop landings.

2. PLANNING

a. The weather forecast for the Pas de Calais area indicated 8/10-10/10 stratocumulus with bases 800-1500 feet and tops 7000-9000 feet.

b.In view of predicted cloud conditions, plans were made to employ through the overcast bombing technique in this operation which would utilize approximately one-half of the available heavy bombers. The following allocation of targets among the three Bomb Divisions was made, the nature and size of the objective determining the strength of the attacking force :

Ref. No. Chart Target Force assigned
Force I – 3rd Bomb Division
(Tactical Unit – Group of the 18 B-17’s with 1 H2X Pathfinder)
*1. Boulogne Area Medium Battery 3 Groups
*3. Equihem Area Medium Battery 3 Groups
*4. Boulogne Area Medium Coastal Battery 3 Groups
16 Wimereux Area Field Battery 3 Groups
17 Wimereux Area Heavy Coastal Battery 3 Groups
Force II – 1st Bomb Division
(Tactical Unit – Group of the 18 B-17’s with 1 H2X Pathfinder)
*1. Boulogne Area Medium Battery 2 Groups
2 Neufchatel Area Medium Battery 2 Groups
3 Equihem Area Medium Battery 2 Groups
4 Boulogne Area Medium Coastal Battery 2 Groups
5 Hardelot Area Medium Coastal Battery 2 Groups
6 Dannes Area Defended Locality 2 Groups
7 St. Cecily Area Medium Coastal Battery 3 Groups
Force III – 2nd Bomb Division
(Tactical Unit – Squadron of the 12 B-24’s with 1 H2X Pathfinder)
8 Saint-Aubin Area Medium Coastal Battery 3 Squadrons
9 Stella Plage Area Medium Coastal Battery 2 Squadrons
10 Berck sur Mer Area Field Battery 3 Squadrons
11 Berck sur Mer Area Medium Coastal Battery 3 Squadrons
12 Berck sur Mer Area Radar Installation 2 Squadrons
13 Berck sur Mer Area Light Coastal Battery 2 Squadrons
14 Berck sur Mer Area Defended Locality 1 Squadron
15 Stella Plage Area Defended Locality 2 Squadrons
18 Beauvoir Crossbor Installation Dump 6 Squadrons

* Units from more than one Force assigned to these targets.

H2X Pathfinders aircraft utilizing GEE fixes for navigation were to be used for target location except in the case of the units attacking the Crossbow installation at Beauvoir. GH bombing equipment was to be used in this instance.

c. The general plan for routing of the bomber forces allowed a pattern similar to that employed on previous large scale Crossbow operations, the problem being to avoid interference among the large number of units attacking 18 different targets located within a relatively small area and at the same time concentrate the attacks so that a minimum of anti-aircraft fire could be brought to bear against the bombers as a whole. Penetration and withdrawal corridors were assigned to each force as well as specified periods of attack which were 1200-1210 hours for Force I, 1220-1230 hours for Force II and 1240-1250 hours for Force III. As a further measure to improve maneuverability, it was specified that each force would fly as three formations of equal size. The units of Force III assigned to the Crossbow Installation at Beauvoir were not included in the aforementioned plan of attack. The six Squadrons detailed to this target were to be divided into two waves, the first to attack at 1310, the second at 1335. These timings were set to avoid interference with bombers returning from their attacks on the coastal installations and the interval between the waves was to permit the GH ground station to change transmitter settings for the Aiming Point of the later wave. The routing to this target afforder the long, straight approach required by the GH equipment and due consideration was given to avoidance of the strongest anti-aircraft defenses on both the penetration and withdrawal.

d. In determining the strength and disposition of the fighter support, it was considered unlikely that enemy aircraft would react to a very limited penetration of the coastal area. Accordingly, area support by three P-47 Groups and one P-38 Group was deemed adequate for the bombers operating along the Pas de Calais. For the units assigned to Beayvoir, which would make a somewhat deeper penetration, one P-51 Group was assigned as close escort. In addition, one P-47 Group and two P-51 Groups were designated to patrol the Tournai, Compiègne and Evreux areas under Ground (type 16) control for the purpose of intercepting enemy aircraft which might be assembling as a precautionary measure against a possible deep penetration by the heavy bombers.

3. EXECUTION

a. Eight hundred and sixty-two heavy bombers were dispatched in the three forces participating in this operation. Despite the presence of some cloud layers at assembly levels, units formed without difficulty and flow their missions essentially as planned.

b. Bombing throught 10/10 cloud was accomplished on H2X Pathfinders supplemented by GEE fixes except in the case of the units directed against Beauvoir which utilized GH Pathfinders. Three units of the Force I were unable to attack due to failure of Pathfinder equipment and two Squadrons of the Force III attacked assigned targets of other units when their respective lead Pathfinder became inoperative. A total of 776 bombers dropped 2322 tons, all except 23 aircraft dropping on assigned target. Strike photographs were unrevealing but subsequent reconnaissance cover was obtained. Bombing results are summarized as follows :

Force I – 3rd Bomb Division
Chart Target A/C Disp. A/C Att. Total Results
Ref. No. Includes ( ) PFF Bombs Dropped
*1. Boulogne 58 (5) 38 (3) 438×500 HE Nil
16 Wimereux 56 (3) 18 (1) 210×500 Good
*3. Equihem 58 (3) 56 (3) 651×500 Nil
*4. Boulogne 54 (3) 52 (3) 600×500 Nil
*17. Wimereux 57 (3) 54 (3) 625×500 Nil
Total 283 (17) 218 (13) 2524×500
Force II – 1st Bomb Division
*1. Boulogne 38 (2) 38 (2) 444×500 Nil
*3. Equihem 37 (2) 35 (2) 372×500 Nil
*4. Boulogne 37 (2) 37 (2) 394×500 Nil
5 Hardelot 38 (2) 37 (2) 406×500 Nil
2 Neufchatel 43 (2) 42 (2) 500×500 Nil
6 Dannes 38 (2) 38 (2) 415×500 Nil
7 St. Cecily 55 (3) 52 (3) 610×500 Nil
Total 286 (15) 279 (15) 3141×500
Force III – 2nd Bomb Division
9 Stella Plage 24 (2) 23 (2) 4×1000 Fair
84×2000
15 Stella Plage 24 (2) 24 (2) 4×1000 Nil
88×2000
12 Berck sur Mer 24 (1) Nil
Other Targets 23 (0) 92×2000
13 Berck sur Mer 24 (2) 24 (2) 275×500 Nil
14 Berck sur Mer 12 (1) 12 (1) 138×500 Nil
11 Berck sur Mer 37 (3) 36 (3) 402×200 Good
10 Berck sur Mer 37 (3) 36 (3) 26×1000 Nil
113×2000
8 St. Aubin 39 (3) 38 (3) 6×1000 Nil
137×2000
18 Beauvoir 71 (6) 63 (5) 744×500 Fair
Total 293 (23) 279 (21) 40×1000
514×2000
1559×500
TOTAL 862 (55) 776 (49) 7224×500
40×1000
514×2000

 

* Units from more than one Force assigned to these targets.

Although it is indicated that only four of the specific targets were affected by the bombing, there is evidence of damage to other installations in this heavily fortified area.

c. Fighter support was provided by 365 aircrafts, 175 P-47’s, 46 P-38’s, 144 P-51’s from the eight assigned Groups. As planned, one P-38 Group and three P-47 Groups afforded area cover, one P-51 Groupe gave close escort to the units assigned to Beauvoir and one P-47 and two P-51 Groups operated under Ground (type 16) control.

d. Enemy opposition was confined solely to anti-aircraft fire which varied from meager to moderate and was generally ineffective.

e. All bombers and fighters returned from this operation. Eleven of the former and one of the latter sustained battle damage, all due to anti-aircraft fire.

STATISTICAL SUMMARY

First Mission 2 June 1944
Force I Force II Force III
(3rd B.D.) (1st B.D.) (2nd B.D.) Mission
HEAVY BOMBERS B-17’s B-17’s Totals
A/C Airborne 283 286 293 862
A/C Sorties 273 283 284 840
A/C Executing Assignments 218 279 279 776
Bombs Dropped (Tons) 631 785.25 923.75 2340
A/C Lost 0 0 0 0
Category « E » 0 0 0 0
A/C Battle Damaged 11 0 0 11
Claims Against E/A 0 0 0 0
Mission
FIGHTERS P-47 P-38 P-51 Totals
A/C Airborne 175 46 144 365
A/C Sorties 171 43 139 353
A/C Executing Assignments 166 40 133 339
A/C Lost 0 0 0 0
Category « E » 0 0 0 0
A/C Battle Damage 1 0 0 1
Claims Against E/A 0 0 0 0

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