This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: May 13th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 13 May 2026 13:06:18 -0000

May 13, 1942
ETO 8th AF: Flying personnel of the 15th Bombardment Squadron (Light), VIII Bomber Command, the first US bomb unit sent to the UK, arrive at Newport, UK without aircraft.

May 13, 1943
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 34
Target: Potes Aircraft Factory, Meaulte, France
Crews Dispatched: 21
Length of Mission: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Bomb Load: 10 x 500 lb G.P. M-43 bombs
Bombing Altitude: 24,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 3,976 rounds
Enemy Aircraft Claims: 2 Destroyed
B-17F "Hell's Angels" became the first 8th AF B-17 to complete 25 combat
missions.

May 13, 1943
303rd BG: B-17F "Hell?s Angels" completed its 25th Mission, the first B-17 in the 8th Air Force to achieve that goal.

May 13, 1943
8th AF: VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 55: 97 B-17s' are dispatched against the Avions Potez aircraft factory at Meaulte, France; 88 aircraft hit the target at 1628-1630 hours local. We claim 11-31-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 3 and 11 others are damaged. Casualties are 1 WIA and 31 MIA. In a second raid, 72 B-17's are dispatched against the Longuenesse and Ft. Rouge Airfields at St. Omer, France; 31 bomb Longuenesse at 1637-1638 hours; 1 B-17 is lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair. Casualties are 1 KIA and 2 WIA. The 416th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command arrives at Honiley, England from the US. Detachments are dispersed to Cranfield, Usworth and Bath to train with Beaufighters under control of the RAF. The 456th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 323rd Bombardment Group (Medium), with B-26C's, arrives at Horham, England from the US.

May 13, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 153
Target: Stettin, Germany (PFF)
Crews Dispatched: 13
Length of Mission: 10 hours, 10 minutes
Bomb Load: 38 x 65 lb M47A1 Incendiary bombs
Bombing Altitude: 24,000 ft
Ammo Fired: 715 rounds

May 13, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 355: 749 bombers and 737 fighters hit targets in Germany; 12 bombers and 5 fighters are lost; they claim 58-5-13 Luftwaffe aircraft: 1. 289 B-17s are dispatched to hit oil targets in W Poland but clouds force 215 to bomb Stettin and 57 to hit Stralsund; 10 bombers are lost and 81 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 88 MIA. 2. 199 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Osnabruck; 178 hit the primary and 1 bomb a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost and 61 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 10 MIA. 3. 261 B-24s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Tutow; 228 hit the primary and 12 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 2 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 153 P-38s, 238 P-47s and 346 P-51s; the P-47s claim 14-2-9 Luftwaffe aircraft, the P-51s claim 33-1-4; 1 P-38, 2 P-47s and 2 P-51s are lost, 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair and 5 P-38s and 7 P-51s are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 5 MIA.

May 13, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: The 327th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 92nd Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Podington England to Port Lyautey, French Morocco with B-17s and, as part of Project Green, begins servicing aircraft of units which are transporting redeployed personnel from Europe to N Africa.