This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: February 15th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 15 Feb 2026 11:01:46 -0000

February 15, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 35: The 2nd Bombardment Wing dispatches 23 B-24s against the port area and shipping at Dunkirk, France; 21 aircraft drop 62 tons of bombs at 1540 hours local. We claim 3 enemy aircraft destroyed and 1 possibly destroyed; we lose 2, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 7 are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA and 24 MIA. The Spitfire Mk Vs of the 4th Fighter Group fly 30 uneventful sorties on shipping patrols.

February 15, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 223: 52 of 54 B-24s hit V-weapon sites at St Pol/Siracourt, France; 29 B-24s are damaged; no losses or casualties. Mission 224: 95 P-47s are dispatched to bomb 2 airfields in France but are recalled; 1 P-47 is damaged; no casualties Mission 225: 6 of 6 B-17s drop 300 bundles of leaflets on Orleans, Chartres, Cambrai, Le Mans, Lille and Reims, France at 2124-2155 hours without loss.

February 15, 1945
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 315
Target: Military Objectives at Dresden, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 39
Length of Mission: 8 hours, 22 minutes
Bomb Load: 18 x 250 lb H.E. M57 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 24,700, 24,100, & 25,600 ft
Ammo Fired: 1,050 rounds

February 15, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 832: 1,131 bombers and 510 fighters are dispatched to hit oil targets in Germany; with some exceptions, all attacks are made using H2X radar; they claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 bombers and 1 P-51 are lost 1. 459 B-17s are sent to hit oil targets at Bohlen; 435 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Cottbus; targets of opportunity are Dresden (1), Quackenbruck (1) and other (2); 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 34 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA. 153 of 173 P-51s escort; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft; 3 P-51s are damaged beyond repair. 2. 224 B-17s are dispatched to hit oil targets at Ruhland; 210 hit the secondary, Dresden; targets of opportunity are Lingen (1) and the Ems-Weser Canal (1); 4 B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 8 damaged; 7 airmen are KIA and 8 WIA. Escorting are 141 of 158 P-51s; 1 is lost (pilot MIA). 3. 353 of 372 B-24s hit the Magdeburg synthetic oil plant; 1 B-24 is lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 32 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 3 MIA. The escort is 110 of 120 P-51s. 4. 58 of 76 B-17s hit a target of last resort, the Rheine marshalling yard; 13 others hit Munster, a target of opportunity. Escorting are 27 P-47s. 5. 4 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany. 6. 25 of 28 P-51s fly a scouting mission.