9th AF / TAC's Dec 24th 1944

[joost900]

Good morning,

Before I started this topic, I have searched the forum to find relevant topics that could perhaps answer some of my questions.

For years now, I am investigating the mission flown by the 8th AF on Dec 24, 1944. My aim is to understand how they planned it, and executed the mission. I order to do so, I found it important to also understand what other forces did.

Therefore I downloaded all ORB, record of events of RAF 2TAF squadrons as well as Bomber command squadrons for December 1944.

From the luftwaffe side of view I am using this forum as an aid as well as the luftwaffe research group, www2.dk and lexikon der wehrmacht site. Besides that, I am using several books such as six months to oblivian,Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11, Jochen Prien & Peter Rodeike to name a couple. With that, I'd like to think I have a general idea what might have happend.

The one thing that is troubling me, is finding information about the 9th AF, with the IX, XIX and XXIX TAC in particular. I am trying to get an general view about the missions flown by those units. I did received some files which I requested from Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB (REEL B5587, 5706, 5725, 5809 and 5855). It did gave me general information about the medium bombers but unfortunately not about the TAC's. B5706 does contain mission cards but that stopped after Dec 23rd!
Furthermore, I like to understand the order of battle of the TAC's, as I believe some units were temporarely re-assigned. One of the documents mentioned the XXIX TAC only had two units under their direct command on Dec 24th.

Topics I found in this forum regarding this subject are: this topic, as well as this one and this one

I have tried to figure out the order of battle of the TAC's for Dec 44:

IX TAC: 70th FW: 365th, 367th, 368th, 370th, 474th, 366th, 422nd NFS, 67th TAC rec Gp. Plus 352nd FG from VIII FC.

XIX TAC: 100th FW: 354th, 362nd, 405th, 406th, 425th NFS, 10 Photo rec Gp. Plus 361st FG VIII FC.

XXIX TAC: 84th FW/303rd FW: 36th, 48th, 373rd, 363rd, 404th, 363rd TAC rec Gp.

50th FG, 358th FG, 371st FG were temp. assigned to 1st TAC AF

I have the following questions:

• Is this above order of battle correct?

• With regard to the remark that XXIX only had two units under their direct command during that timeframe, which I believe were 36th FG and 373rd FG, to wich other TAC were 48th, 363rd and 404th temporarely reassigned to?

• Is there any knowledge out there that can give me the (general) information about the missions flown by the individual TAC groups?

Thank you for reading.

Kind regards,
Joost.

[Nick Beale]

For years now, I am investigating the mission flown by the 8th AF on Dec 24, 1944. My aim is to understand how they planned it, and executed the mission.

The UK National Archives have the 8th AF Mission Reports in the AIR 40 series. These are not digitised so you’d need to visit or to order a copy (which you can do via their website, I think).

[joost900]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

The UK National Archives have the 8th AF Mission Reports in the AIR 40 series. These are not digitised so you’d need to visit or to order a copy (which you can do via their website, I think).

Somehow, I feel kind of stupid, but I was not aware of that!

I have the mission reports for the 8th AF from the National Archives at College Park, Washington DC. But there are still some gaps, I will search the UK National Archives in due time. Thank you!