This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: May 15th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 15 May 2026 12:18:39 -0000

May 15, 1942
ETO 8th AF: HQ VIII Bomber Command transfers from Daws Hill to High Wycombe, England.

May 15, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 36
Target: Airdrome and Naval Installations, Heligoland Islands
Crews Dispatched: 24
Crews Lost: Lt. Jacques and crew, 3 crewmen slightly wounded
Length of Mission: 5 hours, 50 minutes
Bomb Load: 10 x 500 lb H.E. M43 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 23,000 ft & 26,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 45,722 rounds
Enemy Aircraft Claims: 2 Destroyed, 3 Probables, 2 Damaged

May 15, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 57: 113 B-17's are dispatched against various targets in Germany as well as airfield and naval installations on Helgoland Island and the naval base and submarine construction works at Wilhelmshaven; 76 bomb the targets at 1050-1055 hours local; we claim 29-20-30 Luftwaffe aircraft destroyed; we lose 5 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 26 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 7 WIA and 51 MIA. 80 B-17's are dispatched against the U-boat yard, marshalling yard and airfield at Emden, Germany; 59 bomb at 1056-1103 hours local; they claim 14-3-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 1 B-17 and 9 others are damaged; casualties are 10 MIA. 116 P-47's are dispatched on a high altitude sweep of the Amsterdam/Rotterdam area prior to the bombing raids; they claim 2 Luftwaffe aircraft damaged; 1 P-47 is lost and the pilot is listed as MIA. The 109th Observation Squadron, 67th Observation Group, with Spitfire VB's, transfers from Atcham, England to Membury, England.

May 15, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 154
Target: V-Weapon Site at Mimoyocques, France
Crews Dispatched: 20
Length of Mission: 4 hours, 10 minutes
Bomb Load: 6 x 1000 lb M-44 G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitude: 24,800 ft
Ammo Fired: 230 rounds

May 15, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 356: 166 bombers and 104 fighters hit V-weapon sites in France with 1 fighter lost; 38 of 58 B-17s bomb Marquise/Mimoyecques with 5 B-17s damaged; 90 of 108 B-24s bomb Siracourt with 8 B-24s damaged; escort is provided by 104 P-51s with 1 lost (pilot is MIA). Mission 357: 3 of 3 B-17s drop 1.1 million leaflets on 10 towns in Belgium and France; 1 B-17 crash lands on returning to base, 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA. 5 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations. HQ 479th Fighter Group and 434th and 436th Fighter Squadrons arrive at Wattisham, England from the US with P-38Js; first mission is 26 May.