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416th Bombardment Group (L) No Report January 23, 1945, Tuesday
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416th Bombardment Group (L) No Report January 23, 1945, Tuesday
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Aircraft Serial Number (Type): 41-39238 (Douglas A-26B-20-DL Invader)
9th AF; 416th Bomb Gp; 669th Bomb Sq Mission # 192; Box: I; Flight: 1; Position: 6; A/C Fuselage Code: 2A-M Reason: Enemy anti-aircraft Damage: Battle damage Point Of Departure: A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France Location: A-68
Description: Captain L.C. Nielsen, in the second flight, was hit shortly after the flight broke up into two-ship elements to attack. A flak burst blew out the storm window, damaged the bullet-proof windshield, wounded the pilot severely about the face with plexiglass splinters, and knocked him unconscious. The plane careened out of control and fell to an altitude of 1,000 feet, where Captain Neilsen regained his senses and pulled the plane out of the dive. Although his gun sight was shot out, he continued on in, despite his painful injuries and pieces of glass in his eyes, through intermittent flak fields until he caught sight of a column of vehicles in the town of Berk, where he dropped his bombs. He landed his plane at A-68 without further injury to himself or his crew. (416th BG History 1945) See Mission # 192 for additional details |