This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: September 26th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 26 Sep 2026 07:36:55 -0000

September 26, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 71A
Recall Mission
Target: Port Area, Nantes, France

September 26, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission 103. Today's targets are in France with 1 B-17 lost. 1. 40 of 84 B-17's hit Reims/Champagne Airfield at 1751-1752 hours; 2 B-17's are damaged beyond repair; 21 are damaged; casualties are 20 KIA. 2. 55 B-17's dispatched to the Paris area abandon the mission after crossing the enemy coast; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair, and 8 are damaged. 3. 63 B-17's dispatched to Meulon Les Mureaux and Citroen in the Paris area are prevented from bombing by the weather. 4. 37 B-24's fly a diversion. VIII Air Support Command Mission 72: 72 B-26's are dispatched to Conches Airfield in France; they are recalled due to weather.

September 26, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 246
Target: Marshalling Yards at Osnabruck, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 39
Crews Lost: Lt. Bennett, 3 KIA, 6 POW
Length of Mission: 6 hours, 5 minutes
Bomb Load: 5 x 1,000 lb G.P. M44 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 26,400, 26,000 & 25,200 ft
Ammo Fired: 4,240 rounds

September 26, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 648: 1,159 bombers and 432 fighters are dispatched to hit rail targets and armored vehicle factories in W Germany; 9 bombers and 2 fighters are lost: 1. 422 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard and steel industry at Osnabruck (383); other targets hit are Rheine Airfield (10), Hesepe Airfield (3) and others (4): 2 B-17s are lost and 101 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 18 MIA. Escort is provided by 134 of 144 P-51s; they claim 2-0-3 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair. 2. 274 of 317 hit the marshalling yard at Hamm and 1 hits Liesborn; 3 B-24s are lost and 53 damaged; 31 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 138 of 146 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA). 3. 420 B-17s are dispatched to hit armored vehicle factories at Bremen (381); other targets hit are Bremerhaven (13) and other (1); 4 B-17s are lost and 208 damaged; 10 airmen are WIA and 21 MIA. Escort is provided by 133 of 142 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 2 damaged beyond repair. Mission 649: 3 B-24s and 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night. 320 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s (P-38s from Ninth Air Force) support the First Allied Airborne Army in the Netherlands; they claim 32-1-8 aircraft in the air; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot MIA), 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair and 5 P-47s and 4 P-51s are damaged. 165 B-24s fly a TRUCKIN' mission carrying fuel to France. HQ 361st Fighter Group moves from Bottisham to Little Walden, England.