Highlights of Day by Day Air Operations
11 August 1944

With the big push under way to the north and northeast to encircle German troops in the Mortain-Falaise-Argentan region, groups cooperating with the 5th Armored, 2d French Armored, and 79th and 90th Infantry Divisions were especially busy. Combat sorties totaled 454.

One feature of the day's operations was the successful bombardment of an enemy railroad gun position which was holding up the progress of the 5th Infantry Division near Angers. Forty minutes after the request for air attack on this position was received at Combat Operations, Fighter Control at 303d Wing had vectored the 367the Squadron of the 358th Group to the target, and the position was destroyed by two direct bomb hits and four near misses.

For a loss of 4 planes, XIX TAC claimed a total of 10 locomotives, 243 railroad cars, 15 tank cars, 42 tanks and other armored vehicles, 119 motor vehicles, and 20 horse-drawn vehicles demolished or damaged. Successful attacks were made on 6 marshalling yards, 5 field gun positions, a troop concentration, a headquarters, an ammunition dump, a storage building, and an airfield, and 10 railroad lines were cut. Of 15 reconnaissance sorties flown, 10 were tactical, 3 photographic, and 2 for artillery adjustment.