This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: May 29th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 29 May 2026 08:35:57 -0000

May 29, 1942
303rd BG: Col Warren E. Higgens was appointed as 303rd BG(H) Commanding Officer

May 29, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 40
Target: Submarine Locks and Docks Area, St. Nazaire, France
Crews Dispatched: 30
Crews Lost: Lt. Trojan & crew - 1 KIA, 9 POW
Length of Mission: 5 hours, 40 minutes
Bomb Load: 2 x 2,000 lb G.P. M-34 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 24,900 ft & 26,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 69,075 rounds
Enemy Aircraft Claims: 2 Destroyed, 1 Possible, 1 Damaged

May 29, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 61: 169 B-17's are dispatched against the submarine pens and locks at Saint-Nazaire, France; 147 aircraft hit the target at 1706-1711 hours local; we claim 6-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 8 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 58 are damaged; casualties are 10 WIA and 71 MIA. 7 YB-40's, heavily armored B-17's with increased firepower for escorting bombers, fly their first mission. YB-40's show an inability to keep up with B-17's and the need for modification of waist and tail gun feeds and ammunition supplies. In two other raids, 72 B-17's are dispatched against the Rennes, France naval depot; 57 hit the target at 1601-1605 hours; we claim 19-5-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 6 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 30 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 10 WIA and 64 MIA. In the third raid, 38 B-24's are dispatched against the U-boat yards at La Pallice, France; 34 hit the target without any casualties on either side.

May 29, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 164
Target: FW-190 Aircraft Factory at Posen, Poland
Crews Dispatched: 35
Length of Mission: 9 hours, 55 minutes
Bomb Load: 10 x 500 lb G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitude: 22,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 6,165 rounds

May 29, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 379: 993 bombers and 673 fighters are dispatched to attack aircraft plants and oil installations in Germany and Poland; they claim 117-38-49 Luftwaffe aircraft; 34 bombers and 10 fighters are lost: 1. 443 B-24s are dispatched to hit an oil terminal at Politz (224 bomb) and airfield and aircraft assembly plant at Tutow (167 bomb); 14 hit Rensburg Airfield, 9 hit Misdroy and 1 hits Schwerin; they claim 29-15-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 17 B-24s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 150 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 10 WIA and 161 MIA. 2. 251 B-17s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Leipzig/Mockau (149 bomb) and Leipzig/Heiterblick (50 bomb); 4 others hit targets of opportunity; they claim 11-4-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 9 B-17s are lost and 80 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 90 MIA. 3. 299 B-17s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Krzesinki (91 bomb) and Posen (58 bomb), Poland and Sorau (52 bomb) and Cottbus (48 bomb), Germany; 19 others hit Schneidemuhl Airfield and 2 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 22-18-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17s are lost and 97 damaged; 5 airmen are WIA and 67 MIA. Escort is provided by 184 P-38s, 187 P-47s and 302 P-51s; the P-38s claim none and none are lost; the P-47s claim 1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft with the loss of 4 P-47s (3 pilots are MIA) and 3 damaged; the P-52s claim 38-1-4 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 16-0-15 on the ground with the loss of 6 P-51s (5 pilots are MIA) and 6 damaged. 592 Ninth Air Force fighters also support the mission; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft and lose 2 fighters. 23 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions; 1 is lost.

May 29, 1944
Using its maximum range, the US 8th Air Force attacks aircraft production plants at Marienburg and Posen in eastern Germany.