This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: June 24th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 24 Jun 2026 05:26:32 -0000

June 24, 1942
ETO 8th AF: Lieutenant General Dwight D Eisenhower arrives in the UK.

June 24, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 190
Target: Deutsche Vacumol A.G. Works at Bremen, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 35
Crews Lost: F/O Farthing
Length of Mission: 6 hours, 25 minutes
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitudes: Group A - 25,000 ft; Group B - 24,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 150 rounds

June 24, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 438: During the morning 967 bombers are dispatched to hit targets in Germany and France: 5 bombers are lost: 1. Of 340 B-17s, 213 hit oil industry targets in Bremen, 53 hit an aircraft factory at Westermunde and 40 attack Bremen; 1 B-17 is lost and 105 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 6 fighter groups (185 P-38s and 85 P-47s); 1 group strafes an airfield and rail transport in the Munster and Hamm areas and claims 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; no losses. 2. 407 B-24s are dispatched to France; 78 hit Conches Airfield, 45 hit Chateaudun Airfield, 45 hit Orleans/Bricy Airfield, 34 hit Toussus/Le Noble, 31 hit a fighter strip, 12 hit Pont Audmer, 11 hit Toussus/Paris and 9 hit Dreux Airfield; 2 B-24s are lost and 81 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 45 P-38s and 36 P-47s; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA); the fighters later fly strafing missions. 3. 86 B-17s and 60 B-24s are dispatched to hit 12 CROSSBOW (V-weapon) sites in the Pas de Calais area but are prevented by overcast from bombing the sites, but 11 B-17s fly S and release bombs near the industrial area of Rouen; 1 B-17 is lost to AA fire; 13 B-17s and 1 B-24 are damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 35 of 36 P-47s without loss. 4. Of 74 B-17s dispatched to the Saumur bridge, 38 hit the primary and 36 hit Tours/La Riche Airfield without loss; escort is provided by 121 of 135 P-51s who claim 4-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground. Mission 439: During the afternoon 62 B-17s and 167 B-24s are dispatched to targets in France; 2 B-24s are lost; escort for the mission is provided by 71 P-47s and 50 P-51s without loss; 25 other P-51s fly a sweep of the Angers/Le Mans area and claim 25-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground: 1. Of 62 B-17s, 32 hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area, 12 hit Holque electrical stations and 12 hit Saint-Pol-sur-Mer marshalling yards; 17 B-17s are damaged. 2. Of 167 B-24s, 67 hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area, 14 hit the Abbeville power station, 12 hit Pont-a-Vendin and 12 hit the Tingry electrical station; 2 B-24s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 44 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA. Mission 440: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.

June 24, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: HQ 381st and 532nd, 533rd, 534th and 535th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) begin a movement from Ridgewell, England to the US with B-17s.