This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: July 19th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 19 Jul 2026 09:27:19 -0000

July 19, 1943
303rd BG: 303rd BG Commanding Officer Col Charles E. Marion was transferred to the 1st Bombardment Wing as Deputy Commanding Officer of Operations, however he remained at Molesworth until Col Stevens took command on 05 August.

July 19, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 207
Target: Hollriegelskreuth, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 37
Crews Lost: Lt. Boyce, 4 KIA, 5 POW
Crew Members Lost or Wounded: 2 killed by flak
Length of Mission: 8 hours, 40 minutes
Bomb Load: 10 x 500 lb M43 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: Group A - 26,000 ft; B - 25,000 ft; C - 24,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 21,000 rounds

July 19, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 482: 1,082 of 1,242 B-17s and B-24s and 670 of 761 P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s dispatched, operating in 5 forces, attack targets in W and SW Germany including 2 plants producing hydrogen peroxide (an ingredient in V-weapon fuels), a chemical plant, 2 aircraft factories, 4 ball bearing plants, 6 marshalling yards, 4 airfields, and a river dam; 17 bombers and 7 fighters are lost. Attacks in the the Munich area are followed, within 90 minutes, by Fifteenth Air Force attacks. 731 fighters, operating in 19 separate units support the bombers; 8 of these units afterwards strafe ground targets, including parked aircraft, locomotives and rolling stock, and road vehicles. The bombers claim 6-4-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; the fighters claim 17-0-4 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 38-0-14 on the ground. Mission 483: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Belgium during the night. 5 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.