This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: December 2nd

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 02 Dec 2025 09:54:58 -0000

December 2, 1942
8th AF: The 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron arrives at Podington, England from the US. The squadron, which was scheduled to go to North Africa with the 3rd Photographic Group, is reassigned to the 8th AF due to lack of equipment, personnel and aircraft and will remain in England for the rest of the war. The squadron will be equipped with F-5s and will fly its first combat mission on 28 Mar 43.

December 2, 1943
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE (AEAF): The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) authorizes AEAF to attack "sky sites" in the Pas de Calais area and on the Cherbourg Peninsula in France, which RAF photography and British intelligence have virtually identified as missile-launching sites.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 146: 1 B-17 flies an Oboe test over Huls, Germany at 2139 hours dropping two 2,000 pound (907 kg) GP bombs and 1 photoflash bomb. 4 B-17's drop 2.09 million leaflets on Bremen, Oldenburg and Hamburg, Germany. No casualties on either mission.

December 2, 1943
Allied bombers resume the Battle of Berlin dropping 1,500 tons, but losing 41 aircraft.

December 2, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 281
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yard at Oberlahnstein, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 39
Length of Mission: 6 hours, 20 minutes
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb H.E. M43, G.P. & RDX bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 26,100, 25,500 & 27,700 ft
Ammo Fired: 890 rounds
View Mission Report

December 2, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: 2 missions are flown. Mission 734: 455 bombers and 604 fighters make GH attacks on marshalling yards and fighter bomber attacks; they claim 34-3-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 bombers and 4 fighters are lost: 1. 135 of 143 B-24s hit the Bingen marshalling yard; 1 others hit a target of opportunity; they claim 2-1-1 aircraft; 11 B-24s are lost and 4 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 102 MIA. Escorting are 97 of 104 P-51s; they claim 4-1-2 aircraft without loss. 2. 152 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Lutzel marshalling yard at Koblenz (9) and the Oberlahnstein marshalling yard (125); 6 others hit targets of opportunity; no losses. Escorting are 158 of 169 P-51s; they claim 6-0-0 aircraft without loss. 3. 160 B-17s are dispatched to Koblenz but abort the mission due to heavy clouds. Escorting are 153 of 156 P-51s; they claim 7-0-0 aircraft without loss. 4. 133 P-47s and P-51s fly fighter sweeps over the Cologne, Kassel, Meiningen, Mannheim and Frankfurt area; they claim 15-1-4 aircraft; 3 P-47s and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots MIA) and 2 P-51s are damaged beyond repair. 5. 28 of 30 P-51s fly a scouting mission. Mission 735: 7 B-17s and 6 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.