This Day in 303rd Bomb Group History: April 12th

glm@303rdbg.com (Gary L. Moncur) — 12 Apr 2026 00:05:30 -0000

April 12, 1942
ZONE OF INTERIOR (HQ AAF): Lieutenant General Henry H "Hap" Arnold sends air plans for Operation BOLERO, the buildup of US armed forces in the UK for an attack on Europe, to General George C Marshall in London. The plan calls for establishment of the 8th AF in the UK.

April 12, 1943
8th AF: In England, a Board of 5 officers of the 8th AF and 1 of the Royal Air Force complete formulation of a plan for the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) from the United Kingdom in accordance with the mission prescribed by the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) in the Casablanca Directive.

April 12, 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: Mission 300: 455 bombers and 766 fighters dispatched to bomb industrial targets at Schweinfurt, Zwickau, Oscheresleben, Schkeuditz, Halle and Leipzig are forced to abandon the mission because of haze and multilayer clouds; Luftwaffe fighter opposition is concentrated over N France and the bombers claim 10-6-7 fighters; 6 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; 25 B-24s are damaged; casualties are 12 KIA, 16 WIA and 56 MIA. Escort is provided by 124 P-38s, 449 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 193 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claim 18-1-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-8 on the ground; 3 P-38s and 2 P-51s are lost, 2 P-47s are damaged beyond repair and 3 P-38s, 17 P-47s and 1 P-51 are damaged; 5 pilots are MIA. HQ 353rd Fighter Group moves from Metfield to Raydon, England.

April 12, 1945
303rd BG: A mission to Weiden, Germany was scrubbed. There were no offensive operations from England. President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in Warm Springs, Georgia. Vice President Harry S. Truman became President.

April 12, 1945
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 8th AF: 95 of 99 P-51s escort Ninth AF B-26s in an attack on an ordnance depot. Mission 944: During the night of 12/13 Apr, 9 of 10 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany and 6 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in Denmark.