This Day in . . .
303rd Bomb Group (H) History
December 10, 1943
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 150: 1 B-17 is dispatched on an OBOE test flight but turns back due to an oxygen leak; two 2,000 pound (907 kg) bombs and a Photoflash are jettisoned off the French coast. In the second part of this mission, 6 of 6 B-17's drop 1.2 million leaflets on Rouen, Paris, Caen and Amiens, France and Ghent, Belgium at 2026-2102 hours. No losses. HQ 2nd Bombardment Division transfers from Horsham St Faith to Ketteringham Hall, England.
December 10, 1944
303rd BG: A mission to Oberlahnstein, Germany was scrubbed before briefing.
December 10, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 745: 534 bombers and 690 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks and a fighter sweep in Germany; 2 fighters are lost: 1. 173 of 225 B-24s hit the marshalling yard at Bingen and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 4 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 287 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost and 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are damaged beyond repair. 2. 277 of 309 B-17s hit the Lutzel marshalling yard at Koblenz and 13 hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 27 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA. Escorting are 226 P-47s and P-51s without loss. 3. 96 of 111 P-51s make a fighter sweep E of the bomber's targets; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair. 4. 22 of 22 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
December 9
December 11
