This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: April 20th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 20 Apr 2026 16:18:10 -0000

April 20, 1943
303rd BG: RAF transfers RAF Molesworth to USAAF.

April 20, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 138
Target: Crossbow Targets at Sottevast & Mesmil Au Val, Fra.
Crews Dispatched: 28
Crew Members Lost or Wounded: Lt. Lux KIA
S/Sgt. Schlottman WIA, Lt. Randall WIA
Length of Mission: 5 hours
Bomb Load: 6 x 1000 lb M44 & 2 x 500 lb AN-64 RDX bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 19,000, 19,400, 19,500 & 19,700 ft
Ammo Fired: 3,200 rounds

April 20, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 309: 842 bombers and 388 fighters are dispatched to hit V-weapon sites in France; 24 of 33 sites briefed are hit; 9 bombers and 2 fighters are lost: 1. 438 of 630 B-17s hit sites in the Pas de Calais and Cherbourg areas; 19 others hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 309 damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 25 WIA and 69 MIA. 2. 113 of 212 B-24s hit sites in the Pas de Calais area; 2 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged; casualties are 10 KIA, 9 WIA and 20 MIA. Escort is provided by 89 P-38s, 211 P-47s and 88 P-51s; they claim 4-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 4-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost and 1 damaged; 2 pilots are MIA. VIII Fighter Command flies 2 missions: 1. 35 P-51 fighter-bombers are dispatched to Cambrai/Epinoy Airfield, France; escort is to be provided by 31 P-47s but they are unable to locate the P-51s; 33 P-51s hit the primary and 1 hits Vitry Airfield, France. 2. 56 P-38 fighter-bombers are dispatched to hit St Trond Airfield, Belgium but jettison their bombs in the English Channel after overcast prevents location of the targets; escort is provided by 36 P-47s. Mission 310: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 1.92 million leaflets on Nantes, Orleans, Paris and Tours, France at 2238-2246 hours without loss. Six B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations.

April 20, 1945
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 363
Target: Marshalling Yards at Treunbrietzen, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 42
Length of Mission: 8 hours, 18 minutes
Bomb Load: 8 x 500 lb G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 20,000, 19,000 & 21,000 feet

April 20, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 962: 837 bombers and 890 fighters are dispatched to hit rail targets NNW to SSW of Berlin, Bavaria and Czechoslovakia; they claim 7-0-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is lost: 1. 319 B-17s are sent to hit the rail industry at Nauen (82) and marshalling yards at Wustermark (77), Neuruppin (57) and Oranienburg (82); 1 hits Neuruppin Airfield, a target of opportunity; 15 B-17s are damaged and 1 airman WIA. Escorting are 258 of 271 P-51s; 1 is lost. 2. 289 B-17s are dispatched to attack marshalling yards at Brandenburg (137), Seddin (66) and Treuenbrietzen (82); 1 B-17 is lost and 10 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA. The escort is 227 of 241 P-51s. 3. 223 B-24s are sent to hit a rail bridge and junction at Zwiesel (56); marshalling yard and rail junction at Muhldorf (53) and the railroad and rail junction at Irrenlohe (55) and Klatovy (54); 1 hits the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Straubing; no losses, damage or casualties. 228 P-47s and P-51s escort. 4. 100 of 108 P-51s fly a freelance fighter sweep for Forces 2 and 3 above; they claim 7-0-4 aircraft in the air. 5. 6 B-17s fly a screening mission. 6. 22 of 25 P-51s fly a scouting mission. 7. 11 P-51s escort 11 F-5s on photo reconnaissance missions over Germany. During the night of 20/21 Apr, 12 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions to Norway; 2 B-24s are lost.