Geoffrey Sinclair
Staff Sergeant
- 850
- Sep 30, 2021
The 8th Air Force records 3 separate deployments of its B-24 groups to the Mediterranean.
Torch Project, 13 December 1942 to 20 February 1943 by the 93rd Bomb Group, 23 days of operations, 237 sorties, 224 effective, 530.2 tons of bombs on target, 4 aircraft MIA. (93rd to North Africa on 7 December 1942, less 329th squadron, returned 25 February 1943)
Husky, Ploesti, Post Husky, 2 July to 21 August 1943, by the 44th, 93rd and 389th Bomb Groups, 20 days of operations, 989 sorties, 892 effective, 2,428.2 tons of bombs on target, 54 aircraft MIA, personnel, 28 KIA, 88 Wounded, 420 MIA, (depart: 44th on 27 June, 93rd on 26 June, 389th on 2 July, the 389th flew its first combat mission on 9 July, return 44th on 25 August, on 93rd 24 August, 389th on 25 August) As of 25 June the USAAF reports the 44th had 43 B-24, the 93rd 49 B-24 while the 389th was non operational.
5th Army Support, 21 September to 1 October 1943, by the 44th, 93rd and 389th Bomb Groups, 4 days of operations, 191 sorties, 172 effective, 406.6 tons of bombs on target, 11 aircraft MIA, personnel 4 wounded, 89 MIA. (depart: 44th on 19 September, 93rd on 17 September, 389th on 19 September, return 44th on 4 October, 93rd on 2 October, 389th on 3 October). Despite the title it included a raid on Austria on 1 October.
There was a B-24 mission in the ETO on 29 May 1943, next mission 7 September, then 9 and 15 September. The 392nd Group, first mission on 9 September, was left in Britain during the second 1943 deployment, flew diversions on 23, 26 and 27 September then a mission on 2 October, another diversion on 4 October, then 3 B-24 groups to Vegesack on 8 October (55/43 sorties), then all 4 groups sent to Danzig/Gdynia on 9 October (51/41 sorties), the B-24s flew further diversions on 10 and 14 October, before the next bombing mission on 3 November.
According to the figures supplied to the RAF, 8th AF B-24 on hand/serviceable in 1943 (weekly report), 17 August 21/9, 24 August 41/4, 31 August 103/16, 7 September 117/66, 10 September 105/80, 17 September 50/40, 24 September 74/50, 1 October 82/64, 8 October 149/112, 15 October 136/97, but figures may include overseas deployments. No B-24 groups operational in Europe on 17 August, then to 4 operational on 7 September, to 1 group 24 September, back to 4 groups on 8 October.
According to the USAAF as of 20 August 1943 the 44th in Britain had none, the 93rd 7, the 389th none and the 392nd 3 B-24 in the units, similar figures on 27 August, on 3 September it was up to 68 aircraft in the 4 groups.
The 389th group did fly the Ploesti mission. Roger Freeman lists the 14 October 1943 diversion as 15 from the 93rd and 14 from the 389th.
Torch Project, 13 December 1942 to 20 February 1943 by the 93rd Bomb Group, 23 days of operations, 237 sorties, 224 effective, 530.2 tons of bombs on target, 4 aircraft MIA. (93rd to North Africa on 7 December 1942, less 329th squadron, returned 25 February 1943)
Husky, Ploesti, Post Husky, 2 July to 21 August 1943, by the 44th, 93rd and 389th Bomb Groups, 20 days of operations, 989 sorties, 892 effective, 2,428.2 tons of bombs on target, 54 aircraft MIA, personnel, 28 KIA, 88 Wounded, 420 MIA, (depart: 44th on 27 June, 93rd on 26 June, 389th on 2 July, the 389th flew its first combat mission on 9 July, return 44th on 25 August, on 93rd 24 August, 389th on 25 August) As of 25 June the USAAF reports the 44th had 43 B-24, the 93rd 49 B-24 while the 389th was non operational.
5th Army Support, 21 September to 1 October 1943, by the 44th, 93rd and 389th Bomb Groups, 4 days of operations, 191 sorties, 172 effective, 406.6 tons of bombs on target, 11 aircraft MIA, personnel 4 wounded, 89 MIA. (depart: 44th on 19 September, 93rd on 17 September, 389th on 19 September, return 44th on 4 October, 93rd on 2 October, 389th on 3 October). Despite the title it included a raid on Austria on 1 October.
There was a B-24 mission in the ETO on 29 May 1943, next mission 7 September, then 9 and 15 September. The 392nd Group, first mission on 9 September, was left in Britain during the second 1943 deployment, flew diversions on 23, 26 and 27 September then a mission on 2 October, another diversion on 4 October, then 3 B-24 groups to Vegesack on 8 October (55/43 sorties), then all 4 groups sent to Danzig/Gdynia on 9 October (51/41 sorties), the B-24s flew further diversions on 10 and 14 October, before the next bombing mission on 3 November.
According to the figures supplied to the RAF, 8th AF B-24 on hand/serviceable in 1943 (weekly report), 17 August 21/9, 24 August 41/4, 31 August 103/16, 7 September 117/66, 10 September 105/80, 17 September 50/40, 24 September 74/50, 1 October 82/64, 8 October 149/112, 15 October 136/97, but figures may include overseas deployments. No B-24 groups operational in Europe on 17 August, then to 4 operational on 7 September, to 1 group 24 September, back to 4 groups on 8 October.
According to the USAAF as of 20 August 1943 the 44th in Britain had none, the 93rd 7, the 389th none and the 392nd 3 B-24 in the units, similar figures on 27 August, on 3 September it was up to 68 aircraft in the 4 groups.
The 389th group did fly the Ploesti mission. Roger Freeman lists the 14 October 1943 diversion as 15 from the 93rd and 14 from the 389th.
