Field order 1446A, 24 December 1944, zero hour 1100
Estimate of the situation.
Since 17 December the hun has been employing the bulk of his fighter aircraft on tactical ground support work. Opposition to strategic bombers has been on a reduced scale, but he is still capable of opposing them with approximately 700 fighters in the Ruhr area.
Planning.
First Force support (23 Combat Groups of 3rd Division).
This force was to be supported by six (6) split groups on close escort.
Second Force support (14 Combat Groups of 1st Division).
This force was to be supported by five (5) split groups on close escort.
Third Force support (5 boxes of 2nd Division).
This force was to be supported by one and a half (1 ½) groups of P-47’s and two (2) groups of eighth AF P-51’s based on the continent. All these groups were free-lance support.
Other support. One (1) squadron of P-51’s of 359 group based on the continent, one (1) of P-51’s on test mission and five (5) P-51’s conducting a short sweep were all scheduled as indirect support to this effort.
The 78 and 56 groups were scheduled to be in the battle area at the time the first force crossed in the enemy coast, but 56 group timing was set back 31 minutes on the group leader’s request.