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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): 41-39259 (Douglas A-26B-20-DL Invader)
9th AF; 416th Bomb Gp; 668th Bomb Sq Mission # 191; Box: I; Flight: 1; Position: 4; A/C Fuselage Code: 5H-H Reason: Enemy anti-aircraft Damage: Two bullet holes Point Of Departure: A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France Location: A-68
Description: A fourth plane, piloted by Lt Theron S. Merritt, in the first flight, also attacked. Unable to stay with the planes of his flight in the bad weather, he dove down from 8,000 to about 1,000 feet to strafe vehicles that he found hidden in a town in the target area. Speeding by, he came over a second town where he noticed several vehicles and released his bombs. Guns hidden in the houses sprayed their steel at him and his gunner, Staff Sergeant R.J. Gatti, strafed gun emplacements with his lower turret. Lt Merritt's plane received only two holes due to the violent manuevers that he executed. Unable to locate his flight, he turned around and headed for A-68 where he landed without further injury to the crew or the plane. (416th BG History 1945) See Mission # 191 for additional details |