This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: April 18th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 18 Apr 2026 03:19:56 -0000

April 18, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 136
Target: Heinkel Aircraft Component Factory, Oranienburg, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 35
Crews Lost: Lt. Holdcroft - 10 POW
Crew Members Lost or Wounded: 1 crewman wounded by flak
Length of Mission: 8 hours, 40 minutes
Bomb Load: 42 x 65 lb Incendiary bombs
Bombing Altitudes: Group A - 25,300 ft; Group B - 24,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 1,475 rounds

April 18, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 306 Part 1: 776 bombers and 634 fighters are dispatched to hit airfields and aviation industry targets in Germany; the AAF claims 33-5-19 Luftwaffe aircraft; 19 bombers and 5 fighters are lost; due to poor weather, several units bomb targets of opportunity in the Berlin area; details are: 1. 275 of 280 B-17s hit aviation industry targets at Oranienburg, Perleberg Airfield, Wittenberge and targets of opportunity; 3 B-17s are lost and 90 damaged; 29 airmen are MIA. 2. 210 of 221 B-17s hit Oranienburg, Brandenburg, Luneburg Airfield, Rathenow and targets of opportunity; 14 B-17s are lost and 94 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 12 WIA and 139 MIA. 3. 248 of 275 B-24s hit Brandenburg, Rathenow, Cuxhaven, Wittenberge and targets of opportunity; 2 B-24s are lost and 20 damaged; 5 airmen are WIA and 20 MIA. Escort is provided by 119 P-38s, 296 P-47s and 219 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 3 P-51s are lost; 3 P-38s are damaged beyond repair and 7 P-38s, 3 P-47s and 18 P-51s are damaged; 4 pilots are MIA. Mission 306 Part 2: 12 of 12 B-24s hit V-weapon sites at Watten, France; 1 B-24 is damaged; escort is provided by 36 P-47s without loss. Mission 307: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 2.56 million leaflets on Stavanger, Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim, Norway at 2336-0041 hours without loss. HQ 492nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at North Pickenham, England from the US.

April 18, 1945
303rd BG: A new Lead Team Squadron was formed with the 359th BS. Lead Crews from the 358th, 360th and 427th Squadrons were transferred to the 359th. Eighteen lead crews were assigned.

April 18, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: 2 missions are flown. Mission 959: 767 bombers and 705 fighters are dispatched to hit rail targets in Czechoslovakia and SE Bavaria; they claim 16-0-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17s and 2 P-51s are lost: 1. 174 B-17s hit the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Straubing without loss. 99 P-51s escort. 2. 121 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Kollin (97); 21 others hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Pilsen; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 17 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA. The escort is 157 of 160 P-51s; they claim 3-0-4 aircraft in the air; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA). 3. 196 B-24s are sent to hit the marshalling yard (166) and rail bridge and rail industry (28) at Passau without loss. Escorting are 240 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 12-0-8 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA). 4. 276 B-17s are sent to hit electrical transformers (9) and marshalling yard (56) at Traunstein and marshalling yard and electrical transformers at Rosenheim (148); 61 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Freising; no losses or casualties. 139 of 150 P-51s escort. 5. 101 of 103 P-51s escort Ninth AF B-26s claiming 1-0-2 aircraft in the air. 6. 27 P-51s fly scouting missions. 7. 15 of 17 P-51s escort 11 of 13 F-5s on photo reconnaissance missions over Germany. Mission 960: During the night of 18/19 Apr, 11 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany and 17 of 18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions to Denmark and Norway.