This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: July 6th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 06 Jul 2026 00:32:17 -0000

July 6, 1943
303rd BG: The Bob Hope Show entertained the troops at Molesworth. Bob was joined by Frances Langford, Jack Pepper and Tony Ramano.

July 6, 1943
8th AF: HQ 385th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and its 549th, 550th, and 551st Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) with B-17's arrive at Great Ashfield, England from the US joining the 548th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) which arrived on 29 Jun 43. The group will fly its first combat mission on 17 Jul 43.

July 6, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 197
Target: V-Weapon Sites "No Ball" Target,
Beaumetz-Les-Aires, France
Crews Dispatched: 38
Length of Mission: 4 hours, 25 minutes
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb G.P. M43 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 26,000, 25,100 & 24,500 ft

July 6, 1944
303rd BG: Royal Visit: King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Elizabeth visited Molesworth in the afternoon.

July 6, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 455: In the morning, missions are flown to France and Germany: 1. 800 bombers and 224 fighters are dispatched to bomb 18 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 556 of 641 B-17s and 133 of 159 B-24s bomb; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair; 161 B-17s and 59 B-24s are damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 3 WIA. Escort is provided by 141 P-38s and 83 P-51s; they claim 4-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA). 2. 229 of 262 B-24s bomb the dock area at Kiel, Germany and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 3 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 105 damaged; 8 airmen are WIA and 22 MIA. Escort is provided by 168 of 189 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA). Mission 456: In the late afternoon 73 of 104 B-17s and 148 of 176 B-24s strike 6 V-weapon sites and supply installations, 3 railroad bridges, a highway bridge, and an airfield in N France. Escort is provided by 443 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 is lost; afterwards a squadron of P-47s dive-bombs 3 airfields in the Conches area. 212 P-38s and P-47s, fly fighter-bomber missions against rail and road traffic in the Paris area; they claim 11-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-47s are lost (pilots are MIA). Mission 457: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in Belgium and France during the night. 20 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions; 1 B-24 is lost. A C-47 makes the first landing at a secret airstrip in the Ain, France area.

July 6, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: HQ 466th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and 784th, 785th, 786th and 787th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) begin a movement from Attlebridge, England to the US with B-24s.