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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 140 -- September 10, 1944, Sunday AM Nancy-Foret De Haye, France Fortifications
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 140 -- September 10, 1944, Sunday AM Nancy-Foret De Haye, France Fortifications
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 37 Total -- 30 A-20G's, 7 A-20J's Modified British System Reference: U-821165 and U-750090 Secondary Target : No Alternate Targets Authorized Summary of Results : Results by flight ranged from Poor to Excellent. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.73738,6.13307 (48° 44' 15" N, 6° 7' 59" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) vU821165) (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 # 140 -- September 10, 1944, Sunday AM
Nancy-Foret De Haye, France -- Fortifications
| 1 668th 43-9444 5H-J A-20J Maj Price, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. Sgt Roberts, J.H. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. |
2 668th 43-21819 5H-K A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Brown, D.M. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. |
3 668th 43-21764 5H-X A-20G Lt Parker, P.E. Sgt Kochan, S.J. Sgt Galloway, A.F. |
| 4 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Ebenstein, G.N. S/Sgt Love, C.F. S/Sgt Adair, F.L. |
5 668th 43-21480 5H-B A-20G Lt Hale, W.L. Sgt Geyer, J.F. Sgt Bentzler, D.H. |
6 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Wright, J.W. Sgt Profita, P.J. Sgt Simmonds, J.R. |
| 1 671st 43-21711 5C-S A-20J Lt Greenley, R.E. Lt Mitchell, R.H. S/Sgt Worden, H.C. S/Sgt Rzepka, J.J. |
2 671st 43-9219 5C-D A-20G Lt Andrews, H.D., Jr. S/Sgt Swank, O.E. S/Sgt Werley, E.R. |
3 671st 43-10165 5C-H A-20G Lt Zubon, M. T/Sgt Tanner, J.R.L. S/Sgt Russell, W.C. |
| 4 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Morehouse, R.C. S/Sgt Zygiel, L.A. S/Sgt Burgess, A.J. |
5 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt VanNoorden, H.M. Cpl Steffey, R.I. Sgt Thompson, G.H., Jr. |
6 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt Fero, D.A. Cpl Skelton, T.W. Cpl Rojas, A.A. |
| 1 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Lt Peck, W.A. Lt Madenfort, J. S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E. S/Sgt Kelton, H.E. |
2 669th 43-21767 2A-N A-20G Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. S/Sgt LaNave, O.D. Cpl Moskowitz, L. |
3 669th 43-9376 2A-O A-20G Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. S/Sgt Scott, J.O. S/Sgt Mallory, D.F. |
| 4 669th 43-21961 2A-P A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Wing, J.S. |
5 669th 43-10155 2A-V A-20G Lt Allen, J.F., Jr. Sgt Getgen, L.R. Sgt Veazey, C.W. |
6 669th 43-9692 2A-M A-20G Lt Land, W.H. S/Sgt Abriola, D.R. Cpl Fair, V.F. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Remiszewski, A. Sgt Miguez, J.H. S/Sgt DiOrio, F.M. [Returned Early as Briefed No Sortie] |
| 1 668th 43-21717 5H-P A-20J Capt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Forma, W. Sgt Metzler, L.V. Sgt Sittarich, J.J. |
2 668th 43-10226 5H-E A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. S/Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr. |
3 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Svenson, R.R. S/Sgt Fild, P.G. S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H. |
| 4 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. Sgt Heitell, S.L. |
5 668th 43-10150 5H-N A-20G Lt Saidla, J.B. Sgt Cavanagh, A.F. Sgt Harris, J.M. |
6 668th 43-21760 5H-Z A-20G Lt Evans, H.M. Sgt Skeens, C.L. Sgt Merritt, O.N., Jr. |
| 1 670th 43-22063 F6-A A-20J Lt Monroe, H.A. Lt Kirk, R.L. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. S/Sgt Risko, S. [Returned Early Faulty Gas Cap No Sortie] |
2 670th 43-21467 F6-W A-20J Lt Shea, D.F. Lt Koch, O.R. S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr. S/Sgt Falk, F.G. |
3 670th 43-9892 F6-L A-20G Capt Gruetzemacher, R.O. Sgt Majewski, S.J. Sgt Teran, A. |
| 4 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
5 670th 43-9674 F6-R A-20G Lt Warren, J.R. Sgt Stroup, C.C., Jr. Sgt Turpin, S.J. |
6 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G F/O Turner, E.O. Sgt Sienkiewicz, J., Jr. Sgt Belcas, J.O. |
| 1 670th 43-9452 F6-Q A-20J Lt Harrold, F.J., Jr. Lt Brewer, W.E., Sr. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. Capt Sheridan, M.B. |
2 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Johnson, E.L. S/Sgt Donahue, W.J. S/Sgt Binney, I. |
3 670th 43-9689 F6-I A-20G Lt Brown, N.G. Sgt Hummer, J.A. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F. |
| 4 670th 43-9720 F6-F A-20G Lt Hall, R.B. S/Sgt Blackford, D.S. S/Sgt Burger, L.C. |
5 670th 43-21810 F6-P A-20G Lt Murphy, T.A. Sgt Ricketson, J.J. Sgt O'Connell, L.W. |
6 670th 43-9207 F6-B A-20G Lt Popeney, H.V. Sgt Arnett, W.E. Sgt Candler, H.C.S. |
| SPARE 669th 43-9929 2A-C A-20G Lt Clark, H.B. S/Sgt Sabadosh, J.W. S/Sgt Floyd, C.F. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 140 -- September 10, 1944, Sunday AM
Nancy-Foret De Haye, France -- Fortifications
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Then followed three more days of bad weather, so that the next mission was not flown until the 10th. On that day, in answer to a request by the ground forces, a strongpoint in Nancy in the path of General Patton's advance was to be attacked. Two aiming points were chosen, one a star-shaped fort in a small clearing, the other, only coordinates on a map--actually a concealed spot in the woods. The results were excellent, apparently destroying both targets. The thorough training and aggressiveness of our crews was brought out on the mission. While the planes were still circling the Base, a gas cap came off the lead plane of one flight, causing it to abort. The rest of the planes in that flight reformed on the number 4 plane which became the flight leader. They flew on to the I.P. and when the flights broke off for the run, they fell in behind Captain Osborne's flight. When he released his bombs, they dropped with him. Lt Forma, Captain Osborne's bombardier-navigator, with five extra planes tagging on to his bombing, scored an excellent for all of them. Major Price and Captain Osborne served as box leaders on this particular, and highly successful mission.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 143 - 144
Mission #140 - 10 September - Foret de Haye, near Nancy. General Patton was forging his way east toward Germany. Bomber Command ordered the 416th along with the 410th, a sister group, to pin point and demolish a strong point and ammunition depot. Five Medium bombers, B-26s, were assigned to area bomb around the targets we had. The A-20s were reported to have done more damage with their attacks than did the B-26 planes. Major Price and Lt. Hand, BN, and Captain Osborne and Lt. Forma, BN led boxes. Lt. Greenley and Lt. Mitchell, BN led a flight. Of the six flights dropping bombs, four of them scored excellents, which is one of the reasons the 416th is called upon regularly to hit finite targets. Not that we're proud or something!?! No opposition was met, No damage to aircraft was experienced.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
A vital German strongpoint at Nancy was attacked on the 10th. Capt. Peck, leading a flight, helped knock it out by scoring an "excellent".
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Eleven of our crews participated in an attack on the Nancy area on September 9th [10th].
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
September 10th, 1944
Havocs and Marauders opened the first round of the battle for the German frontier, bombing immediately ahead of Lt. General George Patton's forces to take out the final barrier in the path of the American advance through Nancy. Bomber Command picked the 410th and 416th Groups to hit specified strong points in the Forst de daye, while five B-26 Groups were sent in on area bombing. Intelligence reports showed the A-20s doing more damage than the combined force of Marauders. Other Medium Groups hit bridges near Nancy with good results.
Excellent bombing results and the 416th seem to go hand in hand, for the Wethersfield Wizards added four more excellents to their record. Their bombs fell on the fortification, probably destroying or severely damaging it.
The all-out attack on this target was carried out in answer to Patton's own request to neutralize this zone in order that the American Army could advance through Nancy on their way to the German border.
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[September 10, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, September 10, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |