303rd BG(H) Firsts

38th Reconnaissance Squadron
(Later designated as 303rd BG(H) 427th BS)
07 Dec 1941

First USAAF aircraft in combat against the enemy (Hickam Field, Hawaii) B-17s arrived during the Japanese attack

Flights from the Molesworth, England Airfield
with RAF 226 Squadron flying RAF Boston (A-20) aircraft
29 June 1942
First U.S. crew to bomb occupied Europe - Molesworth based Captain Kegelman
04 July 1942
First U.S. combat crew loss - Lt Loehrl and crew
First U.S. POW - Lt Marshall Draper
11 July 1942
First 8th AF Distinguished Service Cross Award - Major Kegelman for his 4 April 1942 flight
First 8th AF Distinguished Flying Cross Awards - to three members of the Kegelman crew

Crews and aircraft of the 303rd BG(H) that were
transferred to the 97th BG(H) on May 18-20, 1942
22 June 1942
First 8th AF B-17 rescued from a temporary runway to permit takeoff - B-17 #41-9129, 1stLt Schmoldt at Bathhurst, New Brunswick
01 July 1942
First 8th AF B-17 to arrive in the United Kingdom - #41-9085 Jarrin Jenny, Lt Johnson
17 Aug 1942
First 8th AF (VIII BC) combat mission - #41-9125 Prowler, Lt Blair, to Rouen/Scotteville, FR
17 Sept 1942
First 8th AF B-17 to be salvaged as a result of combat mission damage - #41-9074 at Burtonwood

Crews and aircraft of the 303rd BG(H) at Molesworth, England
17 Nov 1942
303rd BG(H) enters combat - One of the 8th AF's pioneer Bomb Groups
27 Jan 1943
First 8th AF mission to bomb Germany - 303rd BG)(H) mission #12 to Wilhelmshaven. (Also 91st, 305th and 306th BG's) 303rd formations led by 306th BS Capt Lewis E. Lyle, Pilot, and Colonel Charles E. Marion, CoPilot.
18 Mar 1943
First 8th AF Medal of Honor - earned by 1stLt Jack W. Mathis, 359th BS Bombardier flying in The Duchess on 303rd BG(H) mission No. 24 to Vegesak, Germany
31 Mar 1943
First 8th AF fatal mid-air collision while forming for a mission - 303rd BG(H) mission No. 27 to Rotterdam, Holland. Involved #41-29573, Two Beauts, Lt James R. Dunn and #41-24599 Ooold Soljer, Lt Keith O. Bartlett
14 May 1943
First 8th AF bomber to complete 25 combat missions - 358th BS #41-24577, Hell's Angels
First 8th AF mission on which over 200 bombers participated - to Kiel, Germany
16 Nov 1943
First 8th AF heavy bomber to complete 50 combat missions - 359th BS Knockout Dropper on 303rd mission #82 to Knaban, Norway
27 Mar 1944
First 8th AF heavy bomber to complete 75 combat missions 359th BS - Knockout Dropper on 303rd mission No. 129 to Chartes Airfield, France
15 June 1944
First 8th AF Distinguished Service Cross Award for "Outstanding Leadership and Overall Superior Job" - To Lt.Col Lewis E. Lyle for 303rd BG(H) services from 17 Nov 1942 to 5 June 1944
09 July 1944
First 8th AF Bomb Group to complete 200 missions - to Chatteaudon Airfield, France
10 Jan 1945
First 8th AF Bomb Group to complete 300 missions from the U.K. - 303rd BG(H) mission #300 to Bonn/Hangelar Airfield, Cologne Brillion and Euskirchen. 1st Air Division commander was 358th BS Commander Major George T. Mackin
25 April 1945
Final 8th AF combat mission - To Pilsen, Czechoslovakia.
303rd BG(H) flew the most 8th AF combat missions from England -- 364
303rd BG(H) had second highest 8th AF total sorties flown -- 10,721
303rd BG(H) dropped second highest 8th AF tons of bombs -- 26,346