This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: April 27th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 27 Apr 2026 11:56:10 -0000

April 27, 1942
ETO 8th AF: Advanced echelon (ADVON) of HQ 8th AF and bomber, interceptor and base commands, along with 15th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 2nd Air Depot Group, and a weather detachment totalling about 1,800 men, sail from Boston, Massachusetts for the UK.

April 27, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 142
Target: Crossbow Targets at Sottevast, France
Crews Dispatched: 18 + 2 spares
Length of Mission: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Bomb Load: 8 x 1,000 lb M-44 G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitude: 19,750 ft
Ammo Fired: 140 rounds

April 27, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 143
Target: Toul / Croix de Metz Airdrome, France
Crews Dispatched: 20
Length of Mission: 5 hours, 50 minutes
Bomb Load: 12 x 500 lb M-43 G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitude: 19,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 410 rounds

April 27, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 322: 596 bombers and 357 fighters are dispatched to bomb V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais and Cherbourg areas of France; 4 bombers and 2 fighters are lost; the fighters claim 0-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 307 of 393 B-17s and 169 of 203 B-24s hit the target; 3 B-17s are lost and 227 damaged; 1 B-24 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 25 damaged; B-17s casualties are are 7 WIA and 30 MIA; B-24 casualties are 3 KIA, 9 WIA and 10 MIA; escort is provided by 47 P-38s, 262 P-47s and 48 P-51s; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost; both pilots are MIA. Mission 323: 486 bombers and 543 fighters are dispatched to bomb airfields, marshalling yards and targets of opportunity in France and Belgium; 4 bombers and 4 fighters are lost. 1. 168 B-17s are dispatched to bomb Nancy/Essay Airfield (103 bomb) and Toul/Croix de Metz landing ground (60 bomb), France; 2 B-17s are lost and 33 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA. 2. Of 120 B-17s, 98 bomb Le Culot Airfield and 20 bomb Ostend/Middelkerke Airfield, Belgium; 2 B-17s are lost and 29 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 20 MIA. 3. Of 198 B-24s, 118 bomb Blainville sur L'eau marshalling yard and 72 bomb Chalons sur Marne marshalling yard, France; 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 22 damaged; casualties are 24 KIA, 6 WIA and 1 MIA. Escort is provided by 106 P-38s, 283 P-47s and 154 P-51s; the fighters claim 3-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 4-0-5 on the ground; 4 P-47s are lost and 2 P-47s and 1 P-51 are damaged; 3 airmen are MIA. Mission 324: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 3.36 million leaflets on 23 towns in France including Cambrai, Orleans, Rennes, Nantes, Brest, Tours, Lorient, Caen, Le Mans, Limoges and Chatearuoux without loss. Other missions: 1. 21 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations; 1 B-24 is lost. 2. 52 P-38s, using the Droopsnoot method, attack Roye Amy Airfield, France without loss. 3. 36 P-38s, using the Droopsnoot method, attack Albert/Meaulte Airfield, France; 6 P-38s are damaged. 4. 17 P-51s dive bomb Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airfield, France without loss. 849th and 850th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 490th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrive at Eye, England from the US with B-24s; first mission is 31 May.

April 27, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: By this date the flow of P-51, B-17, and B-24 replacement aircraft has stopped and the authorization of 68 planes per bomb group and 96 per fighter group is reduced to the original 48 and 75, respectively.

April 27, 1945
Total V2-weapon casualties in Britain are announced as 2,754 killed and 6,523 seriously injured.