Today in World War II History—June 21, 1944

B-17s en route to Poltava, June 1944 (US Air Force photo)

70 Years Ago—June 21, 1944: US Eighth Air Force flies first shuttle mission to USSR; B-17s leave bases in UK, bomb targets in eastern Europe, and land at Poltava. That night the Luftwaffe bombs Poltava, destroying 44 of 72 B-17s.