This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: February 5th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 05 Feb 2026 13:19:02 -0000

February 5, 1943
8th AF: Spitfires of the 4th Fighter Group fly 8 sorties; 2 on uneventful patrols and 6 to strafe an shipping convoy. Two corvettes and a merchant ship are damaged in the convoy; 1 Spitfire is shot down and the pilot is listed as MIA.

February 5, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 105
Target: Bricy German Airfield, Orleans, France
Crews Dispatched: 20 with 3 spares (unused)
Length of Mission: 5 hours, 25 minutes
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitude: 15,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 1,780 rounds

February 5, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: In view of the previous decision to concentrate most of the training activities of the 8th AF in the VIII Air Force Composite Command, a decision is made to transfer HQ from Limavady, County Derry, Ireland, to Cheddington, England, to bring it closer to the combat crew training stations over which it is to be given supervision. Most of the transfer is completed between 7 and 15 Feb. Mission 210: Airfields in France are targetted. 103 B-17s are dispatched to Chateauroux/Martinerie and Avord Airfields with 50 hitting each target; 121 B-17s are dispatched to Chateaudun (61 bomb) and Orleans/Bricy (60 bomb) Airfields; 182 B-17s are dispatched to Romilly-sur-Seine air depot but 133 hit Villacoublay; 103 B-24s are dispatched to Meslay Airfield (90 bomb) and 8 hit Chateaudun; they claim 5-0-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-24s are lost, 3 B-17s and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair and 39 B-17s and 31 B-24s are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 15 WIA and 22 MIA. Escort is provided by 92 P-38s, 496 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 46 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claim 6-0-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-47s are lost, 1 P-38 and 1 P-47 are damaged beyond repair and 1 P-38 and 1 P-47 are damaged; casualties are 2 MIA. Mission 211: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 300 bundles of leaflets during a CARPETBAGGER mission on Ghent, Monceau-sur-Sambre, Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium at 2026-2037 hours without loss.

February 5, 1945
303rd BG: Major William C. Heller was appointed Commanding Officer of the 360th Bomb Squadron, replacing LtCol Water K. Shayler.