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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 14 -- April 11, 1944, Tuesday AM Bonnieres and Beauvoir, France NOBALL (XI/A/85 and XI/A/79)
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 14 -- April 11, 1944, Tuesday AM Bonnieres and Beauvoir, France NOBALL (XI/A/85 and XI/A/79)
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 6 Total -- 4 A-20G's, 2 A-20J's Target Operational Number: Z 3096 and Z 3031A Illustration : A/85/1 and A/79/1 Illustration Ref : 027038, 019057 Summary of Results : Dropped Window in support of Boxes 1 (Bonnieres) and 2 (Beauvoir). Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.24028,2.28611 (50° 14' 25" N, 2° 17' 10" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on V1 Sites, BEAUVOIR - PH M1-83) (See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information. Note: This coordinate represents the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ) |
Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 14 -- April 11, 1944, Tuesday AM
Bonnieres and Beauvoir, France -- NOBALL (XI/A/85 and XI/A/79)
| 1 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Lt MacManus, P.F.E., Jr. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt Webb, C.L. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. |
2 671st 43-9203 5C-A A-20G Lt Shainberg, N.V. S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L. S/Sgt Hatch, H.F. [Lt. D.F. Shea substituted for Shainberg] |
3 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Siggs, W.C. S/Sgt Shields, J.J. S/Sgt Radlich, N. |
| 1 668th 43-9444 5H-J A-20J Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Maltby, A.H. S/Sgt Kelly, E.E. S/Sgt Coe, W.H. |
2 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Meagher, J.F. S/Sgt Damico, E.A. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. |
3 670th 43-9696 F6-G A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 14 -- April 11, 1944, Tuesday AM
Bonnieres and Beauvoir, France -- NOBALL (XI/A/85 and XI/A/79)
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
In the afternoon 38 planes made an attack on a NOBALL target at Bonnieres and Beauvoir. Three planes dropped window between the two targets to protect the 37 planes that made the attack. The boxes led by Major Meng with, Lt. Powell, B/N, and Major Willetts with Lt. Peter C. Royalty, B/N, hit the targets squarely with 130 x 500 G.P. bombs. Bomber Command rated the results "good".
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 49 - 50
Mission #13 and 14 - 11 April - Bonniers and Beauvoir NoBall targets. Each of the two boxes were assigned different targets although both taking off in normal fashion and split up at the target area. Major Meng and Lt. Powell, BN went for one Noball and Major Willetts and Lt. Basnett went after the other. Both bombardiers hit their assigned aiming points, after which the two boxes re-assembled and flew back to base. Moderate flak met both boxes but with little damage. The major problem meeting the group was a heavy cloud bank prevented normal landing patterns. Descending through the clouds caused planes to scatter, fortunately, not into each other. They made it back to base in pairs, or trios and various times, but with no casualties.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Major Meng lead the mission of April 11th, which was an attack on two Noball targets - Bonnieres and Beauvoir. Nine of our crews participated in the attack and the results were rated as "Good". On this mission a shell burst 15-20 feet below the front of Lt McGlohn's airplane while near the target. The left tachometer, the left manifold pressure gauge and the airspeed indicator were shot out. Lt McGlohn was injured in the left knee by pieces of flak, and pieces of his instrument panel. There were about 30 holes in his aircraft. Lt McGlohn stayed in formation until a descent through the overcast was started over England. Due to the lack of instruments and the fact that he could not keep a good formation because of his injury, he left the formation and circled until he found a hole in the clouds. He descended safely. Due to the fact that his radio was out he could not contact his gunners to tell them of his plight. However he had their confidence and they remained with him. Lt McGlohn safely landed at Nuthemstead, England. He learned on landing that his right tire was blown. This necessitated using the left brake with his wounded left knee. However, he was able to keep the aircraft straight on the runway until the last moment when he swerved off the runway to the right. By skillful landing under extreme difficulty Lt McGlohn prevented a crash of his aircraft and also possible injury to his gunners. He was hospitalized for his injuries (See Exhibit # 13 attached), and the wounds sustained earned him the Purple Heart.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
The 416th went on their third mission in 25 hours on the morning of April 11, 1944. One box was led by Major Willetts with Lt. Basnett navigator and Lt. Royalty bombardier. There were two boxes each with a separate "No-Ball" target. They were both bombed successfully, and the two boxes reformed and started their return trip. Moderate flak was encountered, but little damage was done.
Upon arrival over England the formation found it necessary to let down through the clouds. The result was hardly as desired, as the ships scattered all over this section of England, coming in by twos and threes. All ships returned.