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

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 06 Sep 2026 13:25:43 -0000

September 6, 1942
ETO 8th AF: Mission 10: 76 bombers and 37 fighters bomb targets in France; 2 B-17s are lost: 1. 12 of 12 DB-7s attack the Abbeville/Drucat Airfield at 1702 hours; escort is provided by 37 Spitfires, all without loss. 2. 30 of 51 B-17s, 30 attack the Avions Potez aircraft plant at Meaulte at 1740-1748 hours; they claim 4-19-20 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17s are lost and 7 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 18 MIA. This is the VIII Bomber Command's first loss of aircraft in combat. 3. Of 13 B-17s, 11 hit St Omer/Longuenesse Airfield and 2 St Omer/Ft Rouge Airfield without loss. Arrivals in England from the US: HQ 67th Observation Group at Membury; and the 367th, 368th and 369th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy), at Thurleigh with B-17s.

September 6, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 67
Target: Robert Bosch A.G. Factory, Stuttgart, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 19
Crews Lost: Lt. Hullar ditched at sea; Lt. James crash landed,
3 crewmen injured
Length of Mission: 7 hours, 25 minutes
Bomb Load: 10 x 500 lb M-43 G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitude: 25,100 ft
Ammo Fired: 56,795 rounds
Enemy Aircraft: 6 Destroyed, 5 Probable

September 6, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 91: Aircraft and bearing factories in and around Stuttgart, Germany are targeted but extensive clouds prevent all but a few B-17's from attacking the primary targets. Formations become separated and disorganized and attack targets of opportunity in a wide area. 1. 151 of 181 B-17's of the 1st Bombardment Division attack various targets of opportunity at 0951-1017 hours; they claim 32-6-21 Luftwaffe aircraft; 27 B-17's are lost, 9 are damaged beyond repair and 47 damaged; casualties are 14 WIA and 153 MIA. 2. 111 of 157 B-17's of the 3rd Bombardment Division hit Stuttgart and various targets of opportunity at 0940-1229 hours; they claim 66-14-29 Luftwaffe aircraft; 18 B-17's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 69 damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 13 WIA and 180 MIA. 3. 60 of 69 B-24's of the 2nd Bombardment Division fly a diversion. 176 P-47's fly escort for the B-17's; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost. Strong fighter opposition is encountered and 45 B-17's are lost. VIII Air Support Command Missions 50 and 51. 1. 144 B-26's are dispatched to the marshalling yards at Ghent, Belgium and Rouen, France; the Ghent mission is recalled when bad weather prevents the fighter escort from taking off; 66 hit Rouen at 0738 and 0739 hours; 3 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 1 WIA. 2. 144 B-26's are dispatched to the marshalling yards at Amiens and Serqueux, France; 126 hit the targets at 1755 to 1757 hours; 3 B-26's are damaged.

September 6, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 607: 49 P-38s and 165 P-47s strafe rail and highway traffic in the Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and the Aachen and Koblenz, Germany areas; 1 P-38 and 3 P-47s are lost to flak (pilots are MIA) and 5 P-38s and 7 P-47s are damaged. 70 B-24s fly TRUCKIN' missions (carrying cargo to airfields in France).