Sunday Punch in Normandy

Published by Headquarters, Army Air Forces
Washington, D.C.

Office of Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence
From Reports Prepared by MAAF

New Imprint by the
Center for Air Force History
Washington, D.C. 1992

Foreword

Sunday Punch in Normandy focuses on the all-important invasion of Normandy, on June 6, 1944, forever remembered as "D-Day." Just before dawn, wave after wave of Army Air Forces heavy bombers targeted the beach areas to make way for the assault troops. The pilots encountered virtually no air opposition, because the massive Allied air superiority effort had been brilliantly planned and well-orchestrated.

This short study describes in detail the close cooperation among the Allies in formulating the D-Day plan. A final section on operations gives a chronology of the interdiction missions flown by Eighth Air Force fighters and bombers.

CONTENTS

• Planning the Operation
• Eighth Air Force Aims and Commitments
• Transition From a Strategic to a Tactical role
• Eighth Air Force Assignments in Relation to the Overall Cooperation Plan
• Delivering the Punch
• Operations 2 June-17 June 1944
• Subsidiary Operations
• Enemy Air Reaction

ILLUSTRATIONS

• Lt. Gen. Carl Spaatz
• Eighth Air Force Overall Plan
• Angouleme Marshaling Yard (**see note**)
• Pre-Dawn Assembly Plan
• Fighter Bombing and Strafing Operations
• Beach Scene, showing craters (**see note**)
• 1st Bombardment Division Target Area
• 2nd Bombardment Division Target Area
• 3rd Bombardment Division Target Area
• Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle
• Beach Scene Landing Craft Offshore
• Le Mans Airfield After Attack

**Note: These photos were of such poor quality, I did not scan them.