This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: April 16th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 16 Apr 2026 01:16:08 -0000

April 16, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 30
Target: Power Station, Lorient, France
Crews Dispatched: 21
Length of Mission: 6 hours, 50 minutes
Bomb Load: 5 x 1,000 lb H.E. M44 bombs
Bombing Altitude: 26,700 ft
Ammo Fired: 37,450 rounds
Enemy Aircraft Claims: 4 destroyed, 1 probable

April 16, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 51: 25 B-24's are dispatched against the Brest, France U-Boat base while 83 B-17's are dispatched against the Lorient, France U-Boat base. 19 B-24's drop 52 tons on Brest at 1337-1338 hours; the B-24's claim 2-3-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-24's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 9 are damaged; casualties are 3 WIA and 31 MIA. 59 B-17's bomb Lorient at 1412-1414 hours dropping 147 tons of bombs; they claim 9-4-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is lost and 8 are damaged; casualties are 7 WIA and 10 MIA. The attack is hindered by an effective smoke screen and strong fighter opposition. HQ 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Great Saling, England from the U.S.

April 16, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: HQ 55th Fighter Group and 338th and 343rd Fighter Squadrons move from Nuthampstead to Wormingford, England with P-38s.

April 16, 1945
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 361
Target: Railroad Bridge at Straubing, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 39
Length of Mission: 8 hours, 41 minutes
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 18,000, 17,500 & 19,000 feet

April 16, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: 3 missions are flown. Mission 954: In the afternoon, 1,252 bombers and 913 fighters are dispatched to attack rail targets in Germany; they claim 727-0-373 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-24 and 31 fighters are lost. 1. 273 of 306 B-24s bomb the marshalling yard at Landshut; 1 B-24 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 8 damaged; 7 airmen are MIA. Escorting are 299 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 228-0-109 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-47 and 16 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). 2. 454 B-17s are sent to hit the marshallling yard (148), East rail bridge (72) and West rail bridge (74) at Regensburg, the Platting marshalling yard (77) and rail bridge at Straubing (76); 2 B-17s are damaged. The escort is 240 of 262 P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft in the air and 86-0-66 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). 3. 286 of 298 P-51s fly a freelance mission in support of the bombers attacking 40+ landing grounds in Germany and Czechoslovakia; they claim 1-0-1 aircraft in the air and 410-0-198 on the ground; 9 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). 4. 19 of 22 P-51s fly a scouting mission. 5. 16 P-51s escort 10 F-5s on photo reconnaissance missions over Germany; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). Mission 955: During the morning, 485 of 489 B-17s bomb the tank ditch defense line at Pointe de Grave on the S side of the Gironde estuary in the Bordeaux area in support of the ground assault in that area; 14 B-17s are damaged. Mission 956: During the night, 11 of 12 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany.