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Re: Missing crews July 24 & Aug 9 1942 98th BG
I am now able to answer some of the questions that I raised above thanks to a message sent to Washington at the time, I have repeated it in full:
INCOMING MESSAGE
From: Cairo
To: Agwar Wash DC
No: Amsme 671 August 11, 1942
Airplanes of Ninety Eighth Bombardment Group USAAFME
successfully attacked shipping and harbor facilities Bengazi
during daylight hours August nineth with six seven thousand
pounds of bombs. Intensive and accurate anti aircraft fire
encountered. For Arnold from Brereton. Direct hits on two
medium sized ships and on main central and outer moles with hits
or very near misses on one other ship. Two of our airplanes
badly hit by anti aircraft fire but succeeded in returning to
friendly territory where one crash landed with all crew safe.
Preliminary report on other airplane indicates six members
of crew made emergency parachute jump of which two had par-
achute failure and were killed the other four safe. Two mem-
bers of crew failed to bail out disabled airplane and were
killed in crash. Further details this airplane later. All
other aircraft returned.
I have not been able to trace the further details message, but will look some more.
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