Highlights of Day by Day Air Operations
3 August 1944

Weather again was on the enemy's side. The air plan for the day provided cover for the XV Corps' 79th Infantry and 5th Armored Divisions, in addition to protection of bridges and roads in the Avranches-Pontaubault locality and to continued cover for the three armored detachments pushing westward through Brittany. But bases were nonoperational most of the day, with low stratus, nimbostratus, and light showers. Only 6 missions, of 8 aircraft each, were able to take off, of which 4 were unsuccessful because of weather, all resulted in the destruction or damaging of 40-odd motor and horse drawn vehicles, including ammunition trucks, in the path of the 4th and 6th Armored Divisions. Total sorties were 48; tons of bombs dropped, 3.25. One aircraft was lost. Twenty-four tactical reconnaissance and two photographic reconnaissance sorties were flown.

This was the date on which, with continued Luftwaffe night attacks against Third Army troops, Ninth Air Force was requested by XIX TAC to supply night fighters.