This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: June 21st

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 21 Jun 2026 02:35:11 -0000

June 21, 1942
ZONE OF INTERIOR: An agreement is signed by Lieutenant General Henry H "Hap" Arnold, USAAF; Air Chief Marshall Sir Charles F Portal, RAF; and Rear Admiral John H Towers, USN dealing with US air commitments and provides for a strong air force for Operation BOLERO (the buildup of US armed forces in the UK for an attack on Europe).

June 21, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 187
Target: City Area, Berlin, Germany
Crews Dispatched: 43
Crews Lost: Lt. Allen, Lt. Way & Lt. Morningstar
Crew Members Lost or Wounded: 5 crewmen were wounded
Length of Mission: 8 hours, 25 minutes
Bomb Load: 8 x 500 lb M17 Incendiary bombs
Bombing Altitudes: 28,400 ft; 27,000 ft & 25,900 ft
Ammo Fired: 250 rounds

June 21, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 428: 1,234 bombers and 1,170 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany; 45 bombers and 4 fighters are lost: 1. 145 of 163 B-17s begin shuttle bombing missions (Operation FRANTIC) between the UK and bases in the USSR; 72 P-38s, 38 P-47s and 57 P-51s escort the B-17s to the target (synthetic oil plant at Ruhland, Germany); 123 B-17s bomb the primary target, 21 bomb Elsteriverda and a lone B-17 bombs Riesa due to a bomb rack malfunction; after the attack, the supporting P-51s are relieved 50 miles (80 km) SE of Poznan, Poland by 65 other P-51s which are to accompany the B-17s to the USSR; 50 miles (80 km) SE of Brest Litovsk 20 to 30 Luftwaffe fighters attack the force; in the resulting battle 1 P-51 and 6 German fighters are destroyed; 1 B-17 is lost (to unknown causes) on the flight; 144 B-17s land in the USSR, 73 at Poltava, and the rest at Mirgorod; the 64 remaining P-51s land at Piryatin; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 10 MIA. During the night of 21/22 Jun the 73 B-17s which earlier landed at Poltava are attacked for 2 hours by an estimated 75 German bombers led by aircraft dropping flares; 47 B-17s are destroyed and most of the remainder severely damaged; heavy damage is also suffered by stores of fuel and ammunition. This AAF shuttle run is made in conjunction with a large-scale effort against targets in the Berlin area as follows: 2. 456 of 496 B-17s attack Berlin; 12 other hit targets of opportunity; they claim 16-20-19 Luftwaffe aircraft; 16 B-17s are lost and 216 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 10 WIA and 148 MIA; escort is provided by 99 P-38s, 95 P-47s and 73 P-51s; they claim 4-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 fighter is lost. 3. Of 368 B-24s dispatched, 69 hit Genshagen, 52 hit Marienfelde, 47 hit Berlin, 40, hit Potsdam, 28 hit Niederschonweide, 23 hit Genshagen, 16 hit Rangsdorf, 10 hit Trebbin, 8 hit Selvig, 8 hit Stendal, 7 hit targets of opportunity in the Berlin area and 1 hits Bederekesa; they claim 13-3-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 19 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 150 damaged; 21 airmen are KIA, 20 WIA and 182 MIA; escort is provided by 148 P-38s, 147 P-47s and 116 P-51s; they claim 13-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 P-38 damaged beyond repair. 4. Of 207 B-17s, 103 hit Berlin, 80 hit Basdorf and 5 hit targets of opportunity; 9 B-17s are lost; escort is provided by 108 P-38s, 81 P-47s and 91 P-51s; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (all pilot MIA) and 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair. Mission 429: In the late afternoon, 31 B-24s bomb CROSSBOW (V-weapon) supply sites at Oisemont/Neuville and Saint-Martin-L'Hortier and 39 bomb a rocket site at Siracourt, France. AA fire shoots down 1 B-24; escort is provided by 99 P-47s, meeting no enemy aircraft, but 1 group strafes railroad and canal targets. Mission 430: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France. 21 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France during the night.

June 21, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Major General Westside T Larson relieves Major General William E Kepner as Commanding General, Eighth AF.