AUGUST 27-1944
With American forces now across the Marne River at two points near Meaux and advancing rapidly, German fighter bases along that historic river quickly became untenable and the remnants of the Luftwaffe in eastern France were focused to decamp. Enemy fighters were again conspicuously absent and the only claims in aerial combat were made by two tactical recon P-51s of the 10th Recon Group, which were bounced by Me-109s between Verdun and Bar-le-Duc.
Results, one Me-109 destroyed, one probably destroyed. Three more of the Command’s total losses of 8 planes during the day were suffered by the recon group. One was shot down by the small-arms fire while directing artillery at Brest and two others failed to return from a mission in the Dijon area. Supporting ground forces in the Brest area, the 358th Group scored at least 9 direct bomb hits on 2 gun positions, put several Napalm bombs in a target area marked by smoke, and damaged 3 merchant vessels. In connection with the burst attack, the 362nd Group got 19 direct hits on 6 gun positions and other results were reported good to excellent by the ground controller. One flight leader was reported killed apparently by our own artillery fire while flying at 30 feet.
Considerable execution against enemy troops and transport was done by the 406th Group, supporting ground forces in the Melun Provins area with its rockets and guns; by the 36th Group on a similar mission; by the 363rd Group along highways east of Paris; and by the 405th Group on armed recce south of the Loire. A rail-cutting project to cut off the main escape route of Germans entrapped south of the Loire by the 3-A and the 7-A successes was begun by the Command, and the 371st Group reported cutting railroad tracks at 5 places in the Chateauroux–Besancon area. In all, 650 fighter-bomber sorties and 63 recon sorties were flown. Results included 44 tanks and other armored vehicles, 379 motor vehicles, 238 horse-drawn vehicles, 11 locomotives, 45 railroad cars, and 10 vessels or barges destroyed or damaged. 49 gun positions, 9 troop concentrations, a headquarters, an ammunition dump, 12 barracks buildings, 2 flak towers, and a tunnel were attacked and 5 rail lines cut.
AUGUST 28-1944
US troops of the 1-A and the 3-A had crossed the Marne on a 90 mile front between Paris and Chalons and were pressing on toward the Aisne. Our pilots over Chateau-Thierry in the morning reported the streets filled with American soldiers and equipment. Low cloud during much of the day restricted operations to 196 fighter-bomber and 88 recon sorties.
In the Dijon–Besancon area, the enemy was seen to be making strenuous efforts to escape northeastward toward Germany, and during the brief periods of flying weather effective attacks were made on these transport targets, in addition to the usual fighter sweeps and direct support both to forces attaching Brest, and those advancing eastward in the area of the Marne. On the armed recon mission in the Beacon–Dijon area, the 405th Group destroyed 11 enemy aircraft by bombing and strafing an airfield near Neufchateau. A train nearby was seen to be carrying 13 Ju-88 fuselages, and 11 of these were destroyed the other two being damaged. Results of the day’s attacks included 34 locomotives, 148 freight cars, 158 motor vehicles, and 6 tanks destroyed or damaged; 2 lines cut; 4 gun positions, a command post, 5 river craft, and an airfield attacked, and 7 hangars destroyed. Against enemy aircraft, our claims were 3-0-0 in the air and 11-0-0 on the ground. 3 of our planes were lost. Tactical recon P-51s accounted for one of the claims and one of the losses.
AUGUST 29-1944
Because of completely unflyable weather on this date, only one combat mission was undertaken and no targets were attacked. The pilots were forced to return to base 30 minutes after take-off. The day’s total activities consisted of these 8 abbreviated combat sorties and 4 reconnaissance sorties. Despite rain and mud, Allied advances continued, both in the 1st and 3rd US Army areas east and northeast of Paris and in the British – Canadian sector north of the lower Seine where advances were threatening Rouen, Le Havre, and the whole “flying bomb” coast. American forces had secured the line of the Marne as far east as Vitry le François, only about 100 miles from the German border. Chateau-Thierry and other battlefields in the Aisne–Marne area which had been fought over for months in the previous world war had been captured within a few hours by US armored columns.
AUGUST 30-1944
A cold front was sweeping over Western Europe, and the resulting low ceilings and rain continued to blot out our bases and target areas.
As a result, all XIX TAC operations were scrubbed with the exception of two weather recces flown by the 10th Recon.
The 3-A, meanwhile, continued its advances, with the XX Corps troops beyond Reims and the XII Corps advancing eastward from Chalons sur Marne and Vitry le François. Control of XIX TAC operations now shifted far eastward from the vicinity of Laval to a new advance headquarters site in the Foret de Machenoir, between Orléans on the Loire and the airfield at Chateaudun.
AUGUST 31-1944
With the close of the month, four Allied armies were advancing rapidly north and northeastward on a front extending from the mouth of the Seine to the Meuse River at Verdun, 60 miles from the German border. On the eastern end of the front, the 3-A had crossed the Meuse and were sweeping on past Verdun and Commerce, in the area of the Argonne Forest and St Michiels. The 3-A had now taken more than 70.000 prisoners. To the west, the 1-A forces had freed Laon and were in the outskirts of Sedan, 8 miles from the Belgian frontier. Still farther west the British had taken Amiens and established a strong bridgehead across the Seine. The Canadians, advancing from Rouen, were within 17 miles of Dieppe.
In support of 3-A the fighter-bombers of this Command on Aug 31, flew 18 missions comprising 313 sorties, despite continued bad weather, dropping 60.7 tons of GP bombs 39 tanks of Napalm, and 16 leaflet bombs. Twenty rockets were discharged and considerable strafing is done. There are no claims against enemy aircraft and no losses. Results included 134 motor vehicles and 8 tanks destroyed. Attacks were made on 37 gun positions, a headquarters, a troop concentration, 2 strong points, and a barracks, and 22 roads were cut. Our aircraft were now frequently flying over German territory as Gen Patton’s 3-A approached the borders of the Reich. As the month ended, it could be said with truth that the battle for France had ended and the battle for Germany had begun.
During August the groups under the operational control of this Command flew a total of 12.292 fighter-bomber sorties. One 114 aircraft were lost, but many of the pilots bailed out safely over friendly territory or found their way back through enemy lines. Our pilots claimed 163 enemy aircraft destroyed in aerial combat and 66 on the ground. Complete claims follow:
Air Combat: Destroyed Enemy Aircraft: 163
Air Combat: Probably Destroyed Enemy Aircraft: 16
Air Combat: Damaged Enemy Aircraft: 34
Ground: Destroyed Enemy Aircraft: 66
Ground: Probably Destroyed Enemy Aircraft: 4
Ground: Air Combat: Damaged Enemy Aircraft: 28
Figures give only a partial picture of the results obtained during this crowded month of operation since smoke, dust and the fleeting nature of fighter-bomber attacks frequently make assessment impossible. After many attacks which pilots dismissed simply as NRO (no results observed), 
ground troops reported guns silenced or results excellent and were seen to move forward. Pilots’ claims against ground targets include destruction or damaging of the following:
4058 motor vehicles
466 tanks and other armored vehicles
598 horse-drawn vehicles
246 locomotives
2956 railroad cars
155 barges and other river craft
18 merchant vessels
8 naval vessels
Stationary targets attacked by bombing or strafing, or both, include the following:
222 gun positions
39 marshaling yards
11 ammunition dumps
13 fuel and supply dumps
3 radar installations
17 airfields
7 headquarters
44 troop concentrations and bivouac areas
58 barracks and other enemy buildings
122 rail lines were cut
Recon aircraft flew a total of 599 missions during August, of which 522 were successful. Missions flown consisted of the following:
Tactical Reconnaissance 329
Photo Reconnaissance (Day) 258
Night Photo 12
Total 599
In awarding Gen Weyland the Bronze Star, Gen Patton commended the XIX Tactical Air Command as follows: The superior efficiency and cooperation afforded this army by the forces under your command is the best example of the combined use of air and ground troops I have ever witnessed. Due to the tireless efforts of your flyers, large numbers of hostile vehicles and troop concentrations ahead of our advancing columns have been harassed or obliterated. The information passed directly to the head of the columns from the air has saved time and lives. I am voicing the opinion of all the officers and men in this army when I express to you our admiration and appreciation for your magnificent efforts.
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