This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: June 8th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 08 Jun 2026 21:09:49 -0000

June 8, 1942
ETO US Army (ETOUSA) established by presidential directive. Major General James E Chaney is designated commander of all US forces of ETOUSA.

June 8, 1943
8th AF: The 22nd Photographic Squadron (Light), 5th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, attached to the 8th AF, arrives at Mount Farm, England from the US with F-5's. The squadron will fly its first mission in Jul 43. The 350th, 351st and 352nd Fighter Squadrons, 353rd Fighter Group arrives at Goxhill, England from the US with P-47D's. The group will fly its first mission in Aug 43.

June 8, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 176
Target: Marshalling Yards & Railroad Bridge
at Orleans, France
Crews Dispatched: 48
Length of Mission: 6 hours, 20 minutes
Bomb Load: 6 x 1,000 lb G.P. bombs
Bombing Altitude: 20,500 ft

June 8, 1944
303rd BG: The 359th Bomb Squadron set a record as it completed its 1000th sortie over Germany and enemy occupied territory.

June 8, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 400: 1,178 bombers and 1,353 fighter sorties are flown on communications in France to isolate German forward elements, and airfields are bombed to prevent Luftwaffe support. Cloud conditions prevent 400+ bombers from executing attacks. 1. 640 B-17s are dispatched to La Frilliere (66 bomb), Orleans (36 bomb), Rennes Airfield (30 bomb), Orleans/Les Aubrais marshalling yard (60 bomb), Nantes (25 bomb), La Huchetiere (31 bomb), Tours/La Riche (61 bomb) and Cinq Mars bridge (57 bomb); 18 hit Bruz, 2 hit Rennes and 13 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 63 damaged; 11 airmen are KIA and 10 MIA. 2. 538 B-24s are dispatched to Pontaubault (67 bomb), Angers/St Laud (24 bomb), Angers (19 bomb), Le Mans/Arnage Airfield (14 bomb), Pontaubault (13 bomb), Nantes (42 bomb) and Cinq Mars bridge (55 bomb); 5 hit Dinon, 1 hits Precey, 1 hits Cinq Mars bridge, 30 hit Grandville Harbor, 19 hit a bridge at Rennes, 9 hit Precey and 26 hit targets of opportunity; an attack on the Melun bridge by an Azon unit is foiled by clouds; 2 B-24s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 73 damaged; 17 airmen are KIA, 4 WIA and 20 MIA. Escort for the bombers is provided by 116 P-51s; they claim 3-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-51s are lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair. Other fighter-bomber missions are: 1. 381 P-38s, 24 P-47s and 89 P-51s fly sweeps and patrols along the Normandy beachhead and the Channel area; P-47s claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost; 1 P-38 and 1 P-51 are damaged beyond repair. 2. 333 P-47s and 526 P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against communications in NW France; they claim 27-2-4 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 21-0-11 on the ground; 6 P-47s and 11 P-51s are lost; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair. Overall, the fighters fly 1,405 sorties and attack nearly 75 targets; 1 pilot is KIA and 21 MIA during the day.