This Day in . . .
303rd Bomb Group (H) History
June 10, 1942
ETO 8th AF: The main part of the ground echelon, including ground echelons of the 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 1st and 31st Fighter Groups, 60th Transport Group and 5th Air Depot Group, and service units arrive in the UK aboard the QUEEN ELIZABETH. Units arriving in England from the US: HQ 1st Fighter Group and 71st and 94th Fighter Squadrons at Goxhill (first missions are 1 Sep and 3 Aug respectively); 12th Transport Squadron, 60th Transport Group, at Chelveston with C-47s; and 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, at Atcham (first mission is 17 Aug).
June 10, 1943
8th AF: The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) issues a directive through the Chief of Air Staff (C/AS), Royal Air Force (RAF), marking the official beginning of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) of the USAAF and RAF against sources of German war power. The RAF is to bomb strategic city areas at night and the USAAF is to hit precise targets by daylight. The CCS sanctions the Combined Operational Planning Committee as the agency for coordinating the efforts of the CBO forces. HQ 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) and its 552nd, 553rd, 554th and 555th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-26's transfer from Snetterton Heath, England to Boxted, England. The group will fly its first combat mission on 30 Jul 43. The detachments of the 416th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command at Cranfield, Usworth, and Bath, England return to their base at Honiley, England. The squadron is attached to the RAF for training on Beaufighters. The 417th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command transfers from Cranfield, England to Scorton, England. The detachments at Ayr, Scotland and Uxbridge, Coltishall and Bristol, England transfer to Scorton. The squadron is attached to the RAF for training on Beaufighters.
June 10, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 177
Target: Airdrome at Nantes/Bougeumaie, France
Crews Dispatched: 40
Crews Lost: Lt. Oliver, 6 Killed, 4 Wounded
Crew Members Lost or Wounded: 3 wounded during flight
Length of Mission: 7 hours, 15 minutes
Bomb Load: 250 lb G.P. & 100 lb G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 23,000 ft & 21,200 ft
View Mission Report
June 10, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 403: Bad weather restricts operations to NW France; 883 bombers and 1,491 fighter sorties are flown but 200+ bombers abort due to cloud conditions; 1 bomber and 24 fighters are lost. 1. 507 B-17s are dispatched to Equihen (24 bomb), Hardelot (23 bomb), St Gabriel (26 bomb), Gael Airfield (36 bomb), Nantes/Bouguenais Airfield (55 bomb), Vannes Airfield (59 bomb), Berck (26 bomb), Merlimont Plage (39 bomb), and Toucquet-Paris-Plage (10 bomb); 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged; 6 airmen are KIA and 4 WIA. 2. 257 B-24s are dispatched to Wimereau (23 bomb), Boulogne (34 bomb), Dreux Airfield (26 bomb), Evreux/Fauville Airfield (65 bomb) and Boulogne (13 bomb); 39 others hit Conches Airfield; 1 B-24 is lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 28 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA. 3. 119 B-24s are dispatched to Chateaudun Airfield (45 bomb) and Orleans/Bricy Airfield (66 bomb) without loss. VIII Fighter Command missions during the day are: 1. 405 P-38s fly sweep and escort; they claim 5-2-1 Luftwaffe aircraft. 2. 3 P-47s and 364 P-51s provided escort for the bombers above; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 7 fighters are lost. 3. 506 P-47s and 213 P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against communications targets in the beachhead area; they claim 8-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-1 on the ground; 15 P-47s and 2 P-51 are lost; 3 P-47s and a P-51 are damaged beyond repair. During the day, 1 fighter pilot is KIA and 24 are MIA. Mission 404: During the evening, 11 B-17s drop leaflets on Norway and France without loss.
June 9
June 11
