This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: July 31st

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 31 Jul 2026 05:43:05 -0000

July 31, 1942
ETO 8th AF: Units of the Provisional Troop Carrier Command are organized in UK.

July 31, 1943
8th AF VIII Air Support Command Missions Number 11A, 11B, 11C and 11D: The targets are 4 airfields in France:
1. 21 B-26B's are dispatched against Merville Airfield; 20 hit the target at 1120 hours; 2 B-26's are damaged.
2. 21 B-26B's are dispatched against Poix/Nord Airfield; 19 hit the target at 1122 hours; 1 B-26 is lost and 5 ared damaged; casualties are 7 MIA.
3. 21 B-26B's are dispatched against Abbeville/Drucat Airfield and all hit the target at 1617 hours.
4. 21 B-26B's are dispatched against Tricqueville Airfield; 18 hit the target at 1623 ours; they claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-26's are damaged.Lille and Amiens, France are bombed by Royal Air Force (RAF) bombers, also fighter-escorted, in conjunction with US raids. HQ 392nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) and its 576th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) arrive at Wendling, England from the US with B-24's. They will fly their first combat mission on 6 Sep 43 and remain at this station until Jun 45.

July 31, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 215
Target: Aero Engine Works, Munich, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 38
Crewmen wounded or killed: 3 minor wounds
Length of Mission: 8 hours, 25 minutes
Bomb Load: 10 x 500 lb M17 Incendiary bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 27,500, 27,000, 25,600 & 24,600 ft
Ammo Fired: 125 rounds

July 31, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 507: 1,295 bombers and 701 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany and airfields in France; 16 bombers and 3 fighters are lost: 1. Of 705 B-17s, 567 bomb Munich, 43 hit Schleissheim Airfield, 36 hit aircraft engine plants at Munich-Allach and 4 hit targets of opportunity; 10 B-17s are lost and 331 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 82 MIA. Escort is provided by 439 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 18-0-12 on the ground; 1 P-47 and 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 5 P-47s and 3 P-51s are damaged. 2. 447 of 486 B-24s bomb the chemical works and city at Ludwigshafen, and SW part of the city of Mannheim; 6 B-24s are lost and 186 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 62 MIA. Escort is provided by 135 P-38s; 1 is damaged. 3. Of 104 B-24s, 47 hit Laon/Athies Airfield, 36 hit Creil Airfield and 1 hits Poix Airfield; 4 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided by 38 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair (pilot is KIA) and 2 damaged. 13 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.