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

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 27 Jul 2026 11:56:42 -0000

July 27, 1942
ETO 8th AF: HQ VIII Bomber Command issues an order establishing 1st Bombardment Wing at Brampton Grange [replacing 1st Bombardment Wing (Provisional), established there on 15 Jun) and 2nd Bombardment Wing at Old Catton. 1st Bombardment Wing is commanded by Colonel Claude E Duncan; 2nd Bombardment Wing by Colonel Newton Longfellow. US aircraft of 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and 1st Fighter Group land at Prestwick, Scotland, thus completing the first series of flights in Operation BOLERO, air movement across the N Atlantic ferry route. 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) becomes the first US heavy bomber group complete with air and ground echelons in the UK. Lieutenant General Ira C Eaker and officers of the RAF Fighter Command agree to use Spitfire Mk IX's as high fighter cover for B-17s of the VIII Bomber Command until the VIII Fighter Command is ready for escort duty; this also will provide a test of the Spitfire Mk IX against Fw 190s at high altitude. HQ VIII Fighter Command moves from High Wycombe to Bushey Hall, England.

July 27, 1943
8th AF VIII Air Support Command Mission Number 5: 18 B-26B's are dispatched against Tricqueville Airfield, France; 17 hit the target at 1825 hours.

July 27, 1944
303rd BG: A mission to Munich, Germany was scrubbed before briefing, and a mission to an airfield at Laon / Couvron, France was scrubbed after briefing.

July 27, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 498: 26 B-17s are dispatched to hit coastal batteries at Ostend and Cap Gris Nez/Calais area but weather prevented bombing. In Belgium, of 120 B-24s, 34 hit a Luftwaffe communication center at Brussels/Vilvorde, 20 hit a coastal battery at Gravelines, 11 hit oil installations and industrial plants at Ghent and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 32 damaged. Escort is provided by 154 P-38s, P-47s and P-51; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA). Mission 499: 193 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber mission against rail traffic S of Rouen and Amiens; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft on the ground; 2 P-38s and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA); 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair and 2 P-47s are damaged. Mission 500: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and France during the night.