This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: March 16th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 16 Mar 2026 22:47:00 -0000

March 16, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 121
Target: City Area, Augsburg, Germany (PFF)
Crews Dispatched: 29
Crew Members Lost or Wounded: 4 crewmen:
3 from enemy fire, 1 from frostbite
Length of Mission: 9 hours
Bomb Load: 65 lb M47A1/120 lb Frag
Bombing Altitude: 18,900 feet
Ammo Fired: 13,870 rounds

March 16, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 262: 2 primary targets and targets of opportunity in Germany are attacked; fighter opposition is heavy against the first force of bombers over France and Germany; the bombers claim 68-32-43 Luftwaffe aircraft; 23 bombers and 10 fighters are lost and 179 damaged: 1. 401 of 501 B-17s hit Augsburg, 46 bomb Gessertshausen and 18 hit Ulm; 18 B-17s are lost; casualties are 1 KIA, 10 WIA and 171 MIA. 2. 197 of 213 B-24s bomb Friedrichshafen and 13 hit targets of opportunity; 5 B-24s are lost and 1 damaged beyond repair; casualties are 6 KIA, 7 WIA and 46 MIA. Escort is provided by 125 P-38s, 608 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 135 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; claims and losses are: 1. P-38s: 1 lost. 2. P-47s claim 25-3-17 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-47s are lost and 5 damaged; 3 pilots are MIA. 3. P-51s claim 53-4-16 Luftwaffe aircraft; 6 P-51s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 5 damaged; 6 pilots are MIA. The fighters also claim 1-0-13 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground.

March 16, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: During the night of 16/17 Mar, 12 B-24s drop leaflets in Germany and the Netherlands and 20 of 22 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.