The 75 Sqdn left from Mepal at 1943-07-26 at 22:39. Loc or duty Essen

On Monday 26 July 1943, a member of the 75 Sqdn, Sergeant A Cleveland, took off from Mepal in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on Back to Normandy. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at 22:39.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial EE892, code AA-F).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

(Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 77: Two targets in Germany and a convoy are hit, i.e.: 1. 119 B-17's and 2 YB-40's are dispatched against rubber factories at Hannover; 96 hit the target at 1200-1243 hours; they claim 40-9-28 Luftwaffe aircraft; 16 B-17's are lost; casualties are 4 KIA, 22 WIA and 126 MIA. 2. 49 of 61 B-17's dispatched against Hannover hit a convoy and other targets of opportunity; they claim 15-1-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 6 B-17's are lost; casualties are 1 KIA, 3 WIA and 51 MIA. 3. 54 of 121 B-17's dispatched against Hannover hit the U-boat yards at Hamburg at 1159-1200 hours; they claim 5-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17's are lost; casualties are 1 KIA, 3 WIA and 20 MIA. A total of 3 B-17's are damaged beyond repair and 86 are damaged on this mission.

Mission results are good but costly; 24 aircraft are lost, mostly to enemy fighters. VIII Air Support Command Mission Number 4: 18 B-26B's are dispatched against the Saint-Omer/Longuenesse Airfield in France; 15 hit the target at 1112 hours; 4 aircraft are damaged. HQ 41st Bombardment Wing (Heavy) arrives at Brampton Grange, England from the US. This unit will be redesignated 41st Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 13 Sep 43. HQ 390th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 568th, 569th, 570th and 571st Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) arrive at Framlingham, England from the US with B-17's. The group will fly it's first mission on 12 Aug and remain at this station until Aug 45.

Campaign report of the RAF:

25/26 July 1943

Essen attacked by 705 aircraft - 294 Lancasters, 221 Halifaxes, 104 Stirlings, 67 Wellingtons, 19 Mosquitos. The commander of the American VIII Bomber Command, Brigadier-General Fred Anderson, observed this raid as a passenger in an 83 Squadron Lancaster. This was an attempt to achieve a good raid on this major target while the effects of 'Window' were still fresh. The raid was successful, with particular damage being recorded in Essen's industrial areas in the eastern half of the city. The Krupps works suffered what was probably its most damaging raid of the war. The next morning, Doktor Gustav Krupp had a stroke from which he never recovered; this saved him from being charged with war crimes after the war.26 aircraft - 10 Halifaxes, 7 Stirlings, 5 Lancasters, 4 Wellingtons - lost, 3.7 per cent of the force.

6 Mosquitos to Hamburg and 3 each to Cologne and Gelsenkirchen, 17 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians, 7 OTU sorties. No losses.

26/27 July 1943

6 Mosquitos to Hamburg, 3 OTU sorties. No losses.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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