This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: January 8th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 08 Jan 2026 13:46:47 -0000

January 8, 1943
8th AF: Twelve Spitfire Mk Vs fly defensive patrols. The 107th Observation Squadron (originally a Michigan National Guard unit), 67th Observation Group moves its Spitfires and L-4s from Aldermaston to Membury, England.

January 8, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 180: During the evening, 5 B-17's drop 2.292 million leaflets on Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium; and Rennes, Brest and Nantes, France without loss.

January 8, 1945
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 299
Targets: Transportation Center at Schweich, Germany (GH),
Mosel Marshalling Yard at Koblenz, Germany (PFF)
Crews Dispatched: 39
Length of Mission: 7 hours, 10 minutes
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb H.E. M43 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 25,500, 24,900 & 27,500 ft
Ammo Fired: 600 rounds

January 8, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: 2 missions are flown. Mission 787: 736 bombers and 269 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on communications centers, rail targets and bridges in Germany; 2 bombers are lost. 1. 151 B-17s are sent to hit the Wissembourg communications center (36) and highway and rail bridge at Alzey (36); 65 hit a secondary target, the marshalling yard at Speyer; 4 hit a target of opportunity; all attacks are made using Gee-H and H2X; 2 B-17s are damaged beyond repair. 2. 117 B-17s are dispatched to hit communications centers at Kyllburg (37), Schweich (24) and Speicher (37); 12 hit a secondary target, the marshalling yard at Koblenz; all attacks use Gee-H and H2X; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 24 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 9 MIA. 3. 24 of 30 B-24s hit the Stadtkyll communications center and 2 hit a target of opportunity using Gee-H without loss. 4. 204 B-24s are sent to hit communications centers at Wittlich (14), Oudler (29), Clerf (18), Burghreuland (31) and Dasburg (30); 2 others hit a target of opportunity; all use Gee-H; 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair; 1 airman is WIA. 5. 225 B-17s are sent to hit communications centers at Waxweiller (33) and Lunebach (29); 131 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Frankfurt; 1 hits a target of opportunity; attackers use Micro H and H2X; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 47 damaged. 6. 219 of 229 P-51s fly a freelance escort mission of all the bombers above without loss. 7. 9 of 9 B-17s fly a screening mission. 8. 29 of 32 P-51 fly a scouting mission. 9. 8 of 8 P-51s escort 2 Mosquitoes on photo reconnaissance missions over Germany. Mission 788: 1 B-17s and 2 of 4 B-24s drop leaflets over St Hubert, Belgium.