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

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 02 Sep 2026 17:30:40 -0000

September 2, 1943
303rd BG: A mission to the Vannes / Meucon France Airfield was recalled. Five aircraft had aborted, some due to clouds at the French coast. The entire mission was then recalled and no credit was given.

September 2, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 89: Airfields in France are targeted; because of unfavorable cloud conditions only part of one force is able to attack a target. 1. 233 B-17's are dispatched to airfields in NW France but the mission is abandoned at the French coast due to heavy clouds. 2. 86 B-17's are dispatched to Mardyck and Denain/Prouvy Airfields; 34 hit the target at 1922 and 1905 hours respectively; 9 B-17's are damaged; casualties are 2 WIA. 182 P-47's are dispatched to escort the bombers but they carry out fighter sweeps; 3 P-47's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 4 are damaged; casualties are 3 MIA. VIII Air Support Command Missions 41 and 42: 216 B-26's are dispatched to 5 targets in France (36 per target); the missions to a power station at Rouen and Poix/Nord and Lille/Nord Airfields are aborted due to weather; 35 B-26's hit a power station at Mazingarbe and 69 hit a fuel dump at Hesden; 1 B-26 is lost and 13 damaged; casualties are 5 WIA and 6 MIA.

September 2, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Missin 596: 34 of 36 P-47s strafe gun positions and road and rail traffic in the Bruges-Ghent-Courtrai-Roulers, Belgium area; 2 P-47s are damaged beyond repair and 7 are damaged. 2 C-47s fly CARPETBAGGER missions to France.