This Day in . . .
303rd Bomb Group (H) History
July 2, 1942
ETO 8th AF: The RAF invites the 8th AF to share membership in important RAF operational committees dealing with targets, operational research, interception, and bomber operations. VIII Air Force Service Command sets up HQ at Bushy Park with Major General Walter H Frank as Commanding General. 6 B-17s arrive in the UK via the N Atlantic ferry route.
July 2, 1943
303rd BG: A mission to LeMans, France was scrubbed due to adverse weather over the target.
July 2, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 450: 350 bombers and 171 P-51s are dispatched to hit 13 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost: 1. Of 78 B-17s, 24 hit Fleury, 24 hit Fressin, 21 hit Blengermont and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 33 B-17s are damaged. 2. Of 272 B-24s, 36 hit Crepy, 35 hit Fiefs, 24 hit Vignacourt, 23 hit Blanc Pignon, 22 hit Courbronne, 21 hit Renescure, 13 hit Haute Cote Island, 13 hit Mont Louis Ferme, 13 hit Santrecourt and 12 hit Belloy-sur-Somme; 1 B-24 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair; 4 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA. Escort for the above is provided by 166 of 171 P-51s without loss. 41 P-51s, temporarily in Italy while en route from the USSR to the UK during a shuttle mission, join Fifteenth Air Force fighters in escorting Fifteenth AF bombers against targets in the Budapest, Hungary area, claiming 9 aircraft destroyed and suffering 4 losses. 37 B-24s CARPETBAGGER missions in France during the night.
July 2, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: The 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Grafton Underwood, England to Istres, France with B-17s to transport personnel from France to N Africa for shipment back to the US.
July 1
July 3
