This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: August 28th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 28 Aug 2026 09:29:39 -0000

August 28, 1942
ETO 8th AF: Mission 7: 11 of 14 B-17s bomb the Avions Potez aircraft factory at Meaulte at 1337-1344 hours; 3 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA.

August 28, 1943
303rd BG: No mission was scheduled. Ground school lectures on aircraft recognition and security were given.

August 28, 1943
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Major General William E Kepner succeeds Major General Frank O Hunter as Commanding General VIII Fighter Command.

August 28, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Weather prevents heavy bomber operations; 835 fighters are dispatched on fighter-bomber and strafing attacks on rail targets in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany: 20 fighters are lost: 1. 174 of 260 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s attack transportation targets on the German/French border; they claim 12-1-0 aircraft in the air and 3-0-4 on the ground; 1 P-38 is lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 1 P-38 and 1 P-47 damaged; 1 pilot is MIA. 2. 143 of 195 P-38s and P-47s hit transportation targets in France, Belgium and the Netherlands; they claim 4-0-0 aircraft in the air and 3-0-2 on the ground; 3 P-47s are lost (pilots MIA) and 2 damaged. 3. An unknown number of 380 P-51s strafe transportation targets on the French/German border; they claim 3-0-0 aircraft in the air and 5-0-2 on the ground; 16 P-51s are lost and 12 damaged; 15 pilots are MIA. Mission 588: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.