Eighty years ago, the US 8th Air Force showed how much it had yet to learn whilst RAF Bomber Command showed much it had learned

 

The US 8th Air Force launched its first serious raid on Germany. The targets were the Schweinfurt ball-bearings factories and the Regensburg aircraft plant, deep in southern Germany well beyond fighter escort range. Because of differences in weather conditions the original plan for simultaneous attacks was abandoned so the Luftwaffe was able to bring its full strength to bear on each formation in turn. The expectation that the B-17s would be able to defend themselves proved illusory and casualties were  severe. Of 376 bombers, 60 were shot down and the same number were badly damaged. The targets were hit badly but speedy repairs and the use of slack capacity still present in German industry meant comparatively little output was lost. The Americans suspended daylight raids.  

600 RAF Bomber Command aircraft attacked the German research station  at Peenemünde which had been identified as the centre for the development of rocket weapons to attack Britain and thus the object of intense concern. The combination of Bomber Command's increasing operational skill and an easily identifiable coastal target made for great accuracy. A number of key personnel were eliminated and some facilities wrecked. The V weapon programme was put back some weeks and the raid spurred the Germans to shift production of V weapons to far less identifiable and safer locations. The attackers suffered casualties of 6.7%, slightly above average.  The commander of the Luftwaffe defence of the Reich General Jeschonnek committed  suicide.

For the second time allied aircraft bombed Rome raid, killing 500 civilians which was fewer than the first attack. The new Italian government declared Rome to be an 'Open' or undefended city. Apart from providing a title for Rosselini's 1945 movie Roma città aperta which delved into the realities of life under the ensuing German occupation this achieved nothing.

Expecting strong opposition after ferocious resistance on Attu Island had inflicted 2,000 casualties,  one US and one Canadian division landed on Kiska in the next step in reconquering the Aleutians. In fact the Japanese had decided Kiska was indefensible and had already evacuated the island undetected by the Allies.  Partly because of thick fog the attackers suffered a serious blue on blue, friendly fire episode killing over thirty of the landing force.