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

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 08 Feb 2026 05:57:22 -0000

February 8, 1944
303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 107
Target: City area, Frankfurt, Germany (PFF)
Crew Dispatched: 20 plus 2 spares
Crew Members Lost or Wounded: 1 minor wound, 1 frostbite
Length of Mission: 7 hours, 40 minutes
Bomb Load: 21 or 42 x 65 lb M47A1 Indendiary bombs
Bombing Altitude: 26,400 ft

February 8, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 214: 53 of 54 B-24s hit the V-weapon site at Siracourt, France while 57 of 73 B-24s hit the V-weapon site at Watten, France; 41 B-24s are damaged and 10 airmen are WIA; escort is 89 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s. 88 of 236 B-17s hit the marshalling yards at Frankfurt, Germany using blind-bombing techniques; 107 other B-17s hit targets of opportunity; they claim 1-3-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 13 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 108 damaged; casualties are 11 KIA, 4 WIA and 130 MIA; escort is provided by 77 P-38s, 435 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 41 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claim 16-1-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-38s, 3 P-47s and 4 P-51s are lost, 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair and 4 P-47s are damaged; casualties are 9 MIA. Mission 215: 6 of 6 B-17s drop 360 bundles of leaflets in a CARPETBAGGER operation over Caen, Rouen, Paris, Rennes and Amiens, France at 2106-2136 hours without loss.

February 8, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: 150 B-17s and 264 B-24s dispatched to attack targets in W Germany are recalled before leaving the UK coast due to clouds over bases, routes, and targets. 98 of 99 P-51s fly a sweep strafing rail traffic and parked aircraft; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft. 11 of 13 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany.