This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: August 11th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 11 Aug 2026 09:06:39 -0000

August 11, 1942
ETO 8th AF: Referring to Operation TORCH (plans for the invasion of N Africa in Nov 42), Major General Carl Spaatz informs General Henry H "Hap" Arnold that, in his opinion, the UK remains the only base from which air supremacy over Germany can be established.

August 11, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 225
Target: Tactical Ground Support Mission, Brest, France
Crews Dispatched: 38
Length of Mission: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb G.P. M43 or 6 x 1,000 lb G.P. M44 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 26,500, 26,300 & 25,500 ft

August 11, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Three missions are flown today (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of bombers attacking the target). Mission 541: 660 bombers and 300+ fighters are dispatched to attack 13 marshalling yards, fuel dumps, airfields, and targets of opportunity, in NE France and the Paris area; 4 bombers are lost: 1. 157 B-17s are dispatched to attack Belfort (76) and Mulhouse (76) marshalling yards and 1 B-17 hit a target of opportunity; 16 B-17s are damaged. 2. Of 141 B-24s, 47 hit Coulommiers Airfield, 36 hit Pacy-sur-Armancon and 34 hit St Florentin; 5 B-24s are damaged. 3. 76 of 77 B-17s hit Villacoublay aircraft depot; 1 B-17 is lost and 17 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 9 MIA. 4. 45 of 65 B-24s dispatched hit Toussus le Noble Airfield; 9 others hit Orleans/Saran Airfield; 1 B-24 is damaged. 5. Of 220 B-24s, 66 hit Strasbourg fuel dump; marshalling yards at Strasbourg (65) and Saarbrucken (60); Nivelles Airfield (10) and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 3 B-24s are lost and 112 damaged; 7 airman are KIA, 7 WIA and 19 MIA. Mission 542: 275 of 294 B-17s attack 23 arsenal areas, barracks, concrete emplacements and heavy artillery posts in and around Brest, France; 1 B-17 is lost and 37 damaged. Mission 541 and 542 are escorted by 356 P-38s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair; 1 pilot is WIA and 1 MIA. Mission 543: 1 of 2 B-17s flies a Micro H test against La Chenaie rail bridge. Escort is provided by 7 of 8 P-47s. Mission 544: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in Franc during the night. 165 of 180 P-47s fly a fighter sweep of the Paris area; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-0-0 on the ground. 28 of 31 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France.