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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 163 -- November 29, 1944, Wednesday PM Mariaweiler, Germany Defended Village
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 163 -- November 29, 1944, Wednesday PM Mariaweiler, Germany Defended Village
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Place of Take-Off : A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France A/C Dispatched : 37 Total -- 6 A-20K's, 31 A-26B's Modified British System Reference: F-091471 Secondary Target : No Alternate Targets Authorized Summary of Results : No attack due to weather - 6/10 to 8/10 clouds at target. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.81629,6.44661 (50° 48' 59" N, 6° 26' 48" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wF091471) (See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information. Note: This coordinate represents the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ) |
| Date | Report |   |
A/C Serial # Type |
Mis- sion # |
Bomb Sq |
Location | Personnel (Status when available) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29, 1944 Wednesday |
No_Report | 43-22324 A-26B |
163 | 670 | vicinity of Ciney | McBride, Leonard Robert (Bailed out, Not Injured)
Eutsler, Ralph J. (Bailed out, Not Injured) |
= Entries having actual Reports available for review. = Entries having additional Images or Photos.)Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 163 -- November 29, 1944, Wednesday PM
Mariaweiler, Germany -- Defended Village
| 1 670th 44-076 F6-Q A-20K Maj Dunn, L.F. Lt Powell, V.H. S/Sgt Stobert, R.F. S/Sgt Glynn, F.P. |
2 670th 41-39215 F6-R A-26B Lt Heinke, W.R. S/Sgt VanWert, G.R. Brig Gen Backus, E.N. |
3 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B Lt Johnson, E.L. T/Sgt Goggin, J.F. |
| 4 670th 41-39235 F6-M A-26B Lt Ostrander, W.B. S/Sgt Wilson, J.E. |
5 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt Brown, N.G. S/Sgt Glynn, P.F. |
6 670th 43-22296 F6-D A-26B Lt Turner, E.O. Sgt Belcas, J.O. |
| 1 668th 44-108 5H-M A-20K Capt Prentiss, R.B. Lt Bursiel, F.H. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. |
2 668th 41-39219 5H-E A-26B Lt Evans, H.M. Lt Morris, B.C. Sgt Merritt, O.N., Jr. |
3 668th 41-39269 5H-K A-26B Lt Stanley, C.S. F/O Blount, J.H., Jr. Sgt Collier, C.B. |
| 4 668th 41-39216 5H-Q A-26B Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr. S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W. |
5 668th 43-22317 5H-O A-26B Lt Svenson, R.R. S/Sgt Fild, P.G. |
6 668th 41-39264 5H-I A-26B Lt Parker, P.E. S/Sgt Galloway, A.F. |
| 1 668th 44-081 5H-P A-20K Capt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Forma, W. S/Sgt Lagerman, K.G. S/Sgt Simmonds, J.R. |
2 668th 41-39214 5H-B A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. Sgt Gandy, R.S. |
3 668th 41-39218 5H-C A-26B Lt Jacobsen, O.F. Sgt Gooch, H.I. |
| 4 668th 43-22302 5H-D A-26B Lt Hale, W.L. Sgt Bentzler, D.H. |
5 668th 41-39259 5H-H A-26B Lt Annin, W.W. Sgt Rivard, C.J. [Not Airborne Flat Tire] |
6 668th 41-39213 5H-A A-26B Lt Kenny, J.P. Sgt Sittarich, J.J. |
| SPARE 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. S/Sgt Scott, J.O. Pfc Rapacz, H.S. [Rapacz (4th CCU)] |
| 1 670th 44-173 F6-W A-20K Capt Rudisill, R.S. Lt Joost, R.H. Sgt Caudell, S.R. Lt Lindsay, G.E. [Lindsay (4th CCU)] |
2 670th 43-22320 F6-S A-26B Lt Shea, D.F. Lt Koch, O.R. S/Sgt Falk, F.G. |
3 670th 43-22324 F6-O A-26B Lt McBride, L.R. S/Sgt Eutsler, R.J. |
| 4 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Paules, E.F. |
5 670th 41-39217 F6-I A-26B Lt Murphy, T.A. S/Sgt O'Connell, L.W. |
6 670th 43-22315 F6-L A-26B Lt Gruetzemacher, R.O. S/Sgt Teran, A. |
| 1 669th 44-178 2A-L A-20K Capt Hulse, D.A., Jr. Lt Conte, R.F., Sr. S/Sgt Allred, F.D. S/Sgt Stephens, D.W. |
2 669th 43-22292 2A-H A-26B Lt Street, M.S. S/Sgt Carstens, R.W. [Airspeed & Rate of Climb Indicator Out] |
3 669th 43-22300 2A-P A-26B Lt MacManus, P.F.E., Jr. S/Sgt Fleischman, G.I. |
| 4 669th 43-22301 2A-O A-26B Lt DuBose, M.W. Lt Berger, B.K. Sgt Walters, J.H. |
5 669th 41-39229 2A-B A-26B Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. Lt Britt, J.W. Sgt Moskowitz, L. |
6 669th 41-39232 2A-A A-26B Lt Martin, E.C. Cpl Draft, L.B. |
| 1 671st 44-185 5C-G A-20K Lt Pair, H.F. Lt Corum, J.L. S/Sgt Marion, H.A. S/Sgt Adams, V.P. |
2 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Lt Brown, C.J. Lt Kerns, J.E. S/Sgt Sunderland, H.E. |
3 671st 41-39209 5C-M A-26B Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. S/Sgt Jones, R.J. |
| 4 671st 41-39211 5C-K A-26B Lt Perkins, R.D. S/Sgt DiMartino, A.E. |
5 671st 41-39265 5C-V A-26B Lt Smith, R.H. S/Sgt Mahoney, R.J. |
6 671st 41-39237 5C-D A-26B Lt Andrews, H.D., Jr. S/Sgt Swank, O.E. |
| SPARE 671st 41-39210 5C-J A-26B Lt Col Meng, W.J. Sgt Elliott, F.W. Mr. Schwab, E.F. [Schwab (Correspondent)] |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 163 -- November 29, 1944, Wednesday PM
Mariaweiler, Germany -- Defended Village
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
It was ten days later before the next mission was able to take off, on the 29th. It was mission No. 163. The target was the defended village at Mariaweiler. The target was obscured by an 8/10th cloud cover so that no attack was made. Moderate to intense flak was encountered along the route and moderate flak at the target. The plane piloted by Lt Lenard R. McBride was hit and broke away from the formation at the target, smoking. He kept the plane under control although he could not extinguish the fire. After he reached friendly territory, he ordered his gunner, Staff Sergeant Ralph Eutsler, to bail out. A short while later, the pilot bailed out. Before the plane had dropped more than 2,000 feet, the flames reached the fuel tanks and the plane exploded. The pilot and gunner landed safely. It was the first Invader lost by the Group on a combat mission. The two crewmen were able to give much good information to the other crews on emergency procedure, gained from first-hand knowledge.
On these five missions, 193 sorties were flown and 130 tons of bombs dropped.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 170
Mission #163 - 29 November - Mariamweiler. Captain Hulse
and Lt. Conte, BN led Box I. Flight leaders were Captain
Osborne and Lt. Forma, BN and Captain Prentiss and Lt. Burseil,
BN, and Lts. Pair and Corum, BN. Modern and intense flak en
route and Moderate over the target caused damage to many
planes. Lt. McBride of the 670th received a direct hit over the
target, exploding the plane. The gunner, S/Sgt. Eutsler and
McBride managed to bail out and land in friendly territory. The
plane went down aflame as a total loss.
Due to the transition training of pilots and bombardier-navigators
and gunners, to the new A-26s, in combination with
lousy weather, only five missions were flown in November. On
A-26s, there is only one gunner on each plane.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Ten days later the Group flew its fifth mission of the month. No attack could be made on the assigned target at Mariamweiler because of an 8/10th cloud cover. Captain Hulse led a flight on this mission which encountered moderate to intense flak enroute and moderate flak over the target.
Checking back on the 158 missions flown by the Group since the beginning of our operations on 3 March 1944, the Squadron flew 1506 sorties.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Mission activities for the month were brought to a close on November 29th when twelve of our crews participated in an attack on the defended village of Mariaweiler, in support of 1st and 9th Army troops one mile north of Duren. Due to weather conditions no bombs were dropped, but flak was very heavy. Lieutenant McBride's ship was hit and caught fire. The pilot and Staff Sergeant Eutsler bailed out and landed in friendly territory at Florennes-Juzaine. The ship exploded and crashed in the vicinity of Ciney.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
November 29th, 1944
While ten other groups of the Ninth Bomb Division went out to bomb with PFF, the 416th was sent to bomb the defended village of Mariaweiler, one mile northwest of Duren, employing visual method. A 3-5/10th-cloud cover was net in the target area and the lead bombardiers were unable to identify the target. Moderate to intense accurate flak was encountered during the turn off from the target. An A-26, flown by Lt.McBride, received a direct hit and exploded in mid-air after the two crew members bailed out. They landed in friendly territory and both are safe. Six other planes received battle damage.
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[November 29, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, November 29, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |