This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: August 30th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 30 Aug 2026 14:33:28 -0000

August 30, 1943
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: The 482nd Bombardment Group (Pathfinder), a Pathfinder (PFF) group fitted with British Oboe and H2S and US H2X blind-bombing equipment, becomes operational. VIII Air Support Command Mission 38: 36 B-26's are dispatched to an ammunition dump at Foret d'Eperlecques near Saint-Omer, France; 33 hit the target at 1859 hours; 14 aircraft are damaged; casualties are 3 WIA.

August 30, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 234
Target: "No Ball" V-1 Launching Sites in the Pas de Calais Area
Cauche D'Ecques, France
Crews Dispatched: 39
Length of Mission: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Bomb Load: 20 x 250 lb G.P. M57 bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 25,200 & 25,100 ft

August 30, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Three missions are flown. Mission 590: 107 of 159 B-17s and 108 of 145 B-24s dispatched hit 8 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area of France; one wing uses GH and H2X methods; 22 bombers are damaged. Escort is provided by 16 of 16 P-51s without loss. Mission 591: Later in the day, 637 B-17s are dispatched to bomb the U-boat base and shipyards at Kiel (282), and aircraft plant and other industry in the Bremen area (327); 4 others hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 136 damaged. Escort is provided by 258 of 294 P-51s without loss. Mission 592: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Belgium during the night.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 594: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night. 37 B-24s and C-47s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.