This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: September 7th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 07 Sep 2026 01:41:26 -0000

September 7, 1942
ETO 8th AF: Mission 11: 29 bombers attack targets in the Netherlands without loss: 1. 4 of 15 B-17s ineffectively raid the Wilton shipyards at Rotterdam in bad weather; they claim 8-4-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 3 WIA. 2. 5 of 14 B-17s seek targets of opportunity in the vicinity of Utrecht; they claim 4-6-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is damaged and 1 airman is WIA. Units arriving in England from the US: HQ 2nd Bombardment Wing at Old Catton; HQ 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) and 328th, 329th, 330th and 409th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) at Alconbury with B-24s (first mission is 9 Oct 42); HQ 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) at Thurleigh; 12th, 107th, 109th and 153rd Observation Squadrons, 67th Observation Group, at Membury with no aircraft (first mission is in Aug, Dec 43 and Jan 44 respectively); and 15th Photographic Mapping Squadron, 3rd Photographic Group, at Membury with B-17s (first mission is Nov 42).

September 7, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 68
Target: Evere Airdrome at Brussels, Belgium
Crews Dispatched: 14
Length of Mission: 4 hours, 35 minutes
Bombing Altitude: 24,000 ft
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb H.E. M-43 G.P. bombs
Ammo Fired: 5,330 rounds

September 7, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 92. 1. 114 B-17's are dispatched to the Brussels/Evere Airfield in Belgium; 105 hit the target at 0849-0852 hours; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 10 are damaged; no casualties. 2. 29 B-24's are dispatched to the Bergen/Alkmaar Airfield in the Nether-lands; 3 hit the airfield at 0857 and 19 hit a convoy off Texel Island; no B-24's are lost or damaged; no casualties. 3. 147 B-17's are dispatched V-weapon site at Watton, France; weather is a problem and 3 groups abort the mission; 58 hit the target at 0820-0854; 39 B-17's are damaged; casualties are 7 WIA. The 1st and 2nd Bombardment Divisions are escorted by 178 P-47's; they claim 3-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and another is damaged; casualties are 1 MIA. VIII Air Support Command Mission 52: Marshalling yards at Lille and St Pol are targetted; confusion at the rendezvous point causes one group and half of another to abort the mission; St Pol is hit by 81 aircraft at 0854-0858 hours; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-26's are damaged; no casualties.