This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: September 27th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 27 Sep 2026 09:03:02 -0000

September 27, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 72
Target: Port Area, Emden, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 20
Crews Lost: S/Sgt. W.E. Rein wounded by flak
Length of Mission: 5 hours, 50 minutes
Bomb Load: 40 M47A1 Incendiary bombs
Bombing Altitude: 25,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 6,655 rounds

September 27, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 104: The port of Emden, Germany is the target. 2 of 3 H2S equipped pathfinder B-17's of the 482nd Bombardment Group (Pathfinder) lead the mission. This is the first Pathfinder (PFF) mission. 1. 246 of 308 B-17's hit the Emden industrial area and targets of opportunity at 0958-1008 hours; they claim 32-7-24 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 78 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 18 WIA and 71 MIA. This mission is escorted by 262 P-47's which claim 21-2-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; casualties are 1 MIA. 2. 24 B-24's fly a diversion. VIII Bomber Command Mission 105: 4 of 5 B-17's of the 422nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), hit Hannover at 2208-2217 hours in a night raid with the RAF; 1 B-17 is lost; casualties are 10 MIA. VIII Air Support Command Missions 73 & 74: 2 airfields in France are targeted. 1. 65 of 72 B-26's hit Beauvais/Tille airfield at 1044-1045 hours; they claim 4-6-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-26 is damaged beyond repair and 23 damaged; casualties are 4 MIA. 2. 68 of 72 B-26's hit Conches Airfield at 1729 hours; 1 B-26 is lost and 4 damaged; casualties are 6 MIA.

September 27, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 247
Target: Marshalling Yards at Cologne, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 39
Length of Mission: 6 hours
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb G.P. M43 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 24,600, 24,200 & 23,800 ft
Ammo Fired: 1,790 rounds

September 27, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 650: 1,192 bombers and 678 fighters are dispatched to hit industrial and transportation targets in W Germany and use PFF methods for all targets; 28 bombers and 2 fighters are lost: 1. 421 of 462 B-17s hit a secondary target (Cologne) and 10 others hit Blatzheim; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 165 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA; 7 WIA and 1 MIA. Escort is provided by 221 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 5-0-0 aircraft in the air; 3 P-47s are damaged. 2. 415 B-17s are dispatched to hit Ludwigshafen/Opau oil refinery (214) and Mainz (171); 4 others hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost and 142 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 9 WIA and 19 MIA. Escort is provided by 212 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air; 1 P-47 is damaged. 3. 315 B-24s are dispatched to hit Kassel/Henschel aircraft plant (248); 35 also hit Gottingen; they claim 5-3-0 aircraft; 26 B-24s are lost, 6 damaged beyond repair and 41 damaged; 20 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 245 MIA. Escort is provided by 207 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 25-0-6 aircraft in the air and 5-0-1 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA), 1 P-51 damaged beyond repair, and 2 P-38s and 2 P-47s damaged. Mission 651: 8 of 10 B-17s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night. 163 B-24s on a TRUCKIN' mission carry fuel to France.