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

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 15 Sep 2026 12:51:06 -0000

September 15, 1943
303rd BG: A mission to Rheim / Champagne, France was scrubbed due to bad weather over the target area.

September 15, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 95: Aviation facilities in France are targeted: 1. 87 of 93 B-17's dispatched attack the Romilly-sur-Seine air depot at 1848-1850 hours; 2 B-17's are damaged beyond repair and 7 damaged; casualties are 3 WIA. 2. 139 of 152 B-17's dispatched attack three targets; 40 hit the Caudron-Renault industrial area in Paris at 1855 hours, 21 hit the Billancourt-Renault works at 1854 hours, and 78 hit the Hispano-Suiza aircraft engine works in Paris; they claim 12-2-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17's are lost and 33 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 51 MIA. 3. 47 of 63 B-24's hit Chartres Airfield at 1904-1911 hours; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-24 is lost; casualties are 10 MIA. VIII Bomber Command Mission 96: 5 B-17's of the 422nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), join the RAF in a night attack on the Dunlop factory at Montlucon, France; there are no losses or casualties. VIII Air Support Command Mission 58; 2 airfields in France are targeted: 1. 72 B-26's are dispatched to Lille/Nord Airfield but the mission is aborted due to weather. 2. 68 of 72 B-26's hit Merville Airfield at 1745 and 1748 hours; 27 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 2 WIA. The 325th, 326th, 327th and 407th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 92nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Alconbury to Podington, England with B-17's.

September 15, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 632: As part of Operation FRANTIC, 110 B-17s are dispatched to drop supplies to Warsaw patriots and then proceed to bases in the USSR; a weather front is encountered over the North Sea and the bombers are recalled. Escort is provided by 149 of 156 P-51s; 2 P-51s collide in a cloud and are lost. Three Fighter Wings and the 15 Fighter Groups are reassigned from the VIII Fighter Command to the three Bombardment Divisions as follows: 1st Bombardment Division 67th Fighter Wing: 20th, 352nd, 356th, 359th and 364th Fighter Groups 2nd Bombardment Division 65th Fighter Wing: 4th, 56th, 355th, 361st and 479th Fighter Groups 3rd Bombardment Division 66th Fighter Wing: 55th, 78th, 339th, 353rd and 357th Fighter Groups