This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: July 1st

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 01 Jul 2026 05:23:10 -0000

July 1, 1942
ETO 8th AF: The first B-17, assigned to the 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) of the BOLERO air movement via the N Atlantic route lands at Prestwick, Scotland..

July 1, 1943
8th AF: A memo by Major General Barney Mc Giles for General Henry H "Hap" Arnold, Commanding General, USAAF, stresses great need for more fighter escort for strategic bombing missions. The present ratio of less than 1 fighter group to 4 heavy bomber groups is held to be completely insufficient and a minimum ratio of 1 to 2 is suggested. Brigadier General Frederick L Anderson Jr replaces Brigadier General Newton Longfellow as Commanding General VIII Bomber Command. HQ 14th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) transfers from Hethel, England to Camp Thomas, England. HQ 20th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) transfers from Camp Lynn, England to Cheddington, England. The 556th, 557th, 558th and 559th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 387th Bombardment Group (Medium) arrive at Chipping Ongar, England from the US with B-26's. During the month of July, HQ 99th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) arrives at Aldermaston, England from the US.

July 1, 1943
B/Gen Frederick L. Anderson was appointed Commanding General of the VIII Bomber Command, replacing B/Gen Newton D. Longfellow.

July 1, 1944
303rd BG: Molesworth Station 107 was officially transferred from the Royal Air Force to the 8th Air Force.

July 1, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 449: 323 bombers (78 B-17s and 245 B-24s) and 166 P-51s are dispatched to bomb 14 V-weapon sites in N France but are recalled because of clouds; the recall messages by mistake are not sent to 3 squadrons; 2 of these abort on a decision of the squadron leaders; the other continues on the mission and 9 B-24s bomb a V-weapon site at Mont Louis Ferme; 1 B-24 is lost and 10 are damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 9 MIA; 124 P-51s, relieved of escort duty by the recall of the bombers, claim 5-0-5 Luftwaffe aircraft, 1 P-51 is lost. 82 fighters of a force of 97 P-38s, 169 P-47s and 99 P-51s attack rail and road targets in N France; they claim 3-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost and 2 damaged beyond repair; 2 pilots are KIA and 2 MIA. 18 B-24s participate in CARPETBAGGER missions in France.

July 1, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: The 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Grafton Underwood, England to Istres, France with B-17s to begin moving troops from Europe to N Africa for shipment back to the US.