This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: March 13th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 13 Mar 2026 15:20:23 -0000

March 13, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 23
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards, Amiens / Longeau, France
Crews Dispatched: 20
Length of Mission: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Bomb Load: 6 x 1000 lb H.E. M44 bombs
Bombing Altitude: 21,800 ft
Ammo Fired: 5,535 rounds

March 13, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission No. 43: 80 B-17's of the 1st Bombardment Wing are dispatched against the marshalling yard at Amiens, France; 44 bomb the marshalling yard while 31 hit targets of opportunity. A total of 223.5 tons of bombs are dropped between 1515-1517 hours local. We claim 2 enemy fighters destroyed and 2 damaged; 11 B-17's are damaged and 6 men WIA. Sixteen B-24's of the 2nd Bombardment Wing fly a diversion without loss.

March 13, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 257: 127 B-17s and 144 B-24s are dispatched to bomb V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais, France area but the strike is cancelled due to bad weather; 7 B-17s bomb Poix Airfield as a target of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 61 B-17s and 13 B-24s are damaged; casualties are 6 KIA, 1 WIA and 20 MIA. Escort is provided by 213 P-47s; 1 P-47 is damaged. Mission 258: 7 of 7 B-17s drop 350 bundles of leaflets on Reims, Orleans, Paris, Amiens, Rouen and Chartres, France at 2104-2137 hours without loss.

March 13, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: 16 P-51s based at Chievres, Belgium fly an uneventful aircraft sweep in the Remagen-Koblenz, Germany area; 17 F-5s fly photo reconnaissance missions over Germany.