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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 167 -- December 8, 1944, Friday PM Sinzig, Germany Railroad Bridge
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 167 -- December 8, 1944, Friday PM Sinzig, Germany Railroad Bridge
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Place of Take-Off : A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France A/C Dispatched : 37 Total -- 10 A-20K's & J's, 25 A-26B's, 2 B-26's (PFF) Tactical Target Dossier: 5007E/4 Illustration : 5007E/4 Illustration Ref : 072030 Secondary Target : No Alternate Targets Authorized Summary of Results : Unobserved results, Three Window aircraft. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.55230,7.25411 (50° 33' 8" N, 7° 15' 15" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on Google Maps, Selected RR Bridge near Sinzig, Germany) (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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8, 1944 Friday |
No_Report | 41-39215 A-26B |
167 | 670 | A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France | Grunig, David B. (Not Injured)
Nowosielski, Henry J. Jr. (Not Injured) |
= Entries having actual Reports available for review. = Entries having additional Images or Photos.)Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 167 -- December 8, 1944, Friday PM
Sinzig, Germany -- Railroad Bridge
| 1 670th 44-614 F6-A A-20K Maj Dunn, L.F. Lt Maltby, A.H. Sgt Majewski, S.J. S/Sgt Teran, A. |
2 669th 44-178 2A-L A-20K Capt Peck, W.A. Lt Madenfort, J. S/Sgt Burland, A.J. S/Sgt Heath, K. |
3 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B Lt Leonard, T.J. Sgt Harris, M.C. |
| 1 668th 44-081 5H-P A-20K Lt Andersen, C.J., Jr. Lt Babbage, W. Sgt Euga, P.G. S/Sgt Schafer, E.L. |
2 668th 41-39219 5H-E A-26B Lt Kreh, E.B. S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H. |
3 668th 41-39269 5H-K A-26B Lt Chalmers, J.J. Sgt Fortner, K. |
| 4 668th 41-39213 5H-A A-26B Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr. S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr. |
| 1 668th 43-22302 5H-D A-26B Lt Mish, C.C. Lt Shaft, R.E. Sgt Merritt, O.N., Jr. |
2 668th 43-22290 5H-L A-26B Lt Hale, W.L. Sgt Bentzler, D.H. |
3 668th 41-39264 5H-I A-26B Lt Parker, P.E. S/Sgt Galloway, A.F. |
| 4 668th 41-39233 5H-F A-26B Lt Colquitt, J.K. S/Sgt Mohr, C.M. |
| 1 670th 41-39212 F6-K A-26B Lt Hall, R.B. S/Sgt Burger, L.C. |
2 670th 41-39227 F6-F A-26B Lt Singletary, R.B. S/Sgt Wiggins, H.G. |
3 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt Heinke, W.R. S/Sgt VanWert, G.R. Brig Gen Backus, E.N. |
| 4 670th 41-39235 F6-M A-26B Lt Ostrander, W.B. Cpl Lynch, P.R. |
| SPARE 669th 43-22300 2A-P A-26B Lt VanMeter, G.C., Jr. Cpl Kirik, S.J. |
| 1 671st 44-560 5C-X A-20K Lt Brown, C.J. Lt Kerns, J.E. S/Sgt Sunderland, H.E. Sgt Miller, H.K. |
2 669th 43-22024 2A-E A-20J Lt DuBose, M.W. Sgt Griffin, D.L., Jr. Sgt Walters, J.H. |
3 669th 44-085 2A-T A-20K Lt Clark, H.B. S/Sgt Sabadosh, J.W. S/Sgt Floyd, C.F. |
| 1 670th 44-173 F6-W A-20K Capt Atkinson, P.G., Jr. Lt Ackerson, D.G. Sgt Collier, J.L. Sgt Friday, L.R. |
2 670th 44-076 F6-Q A-20K Capt Harrold, F.J., Jr. Lt Brewer, W.E., Sr. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. Sgt Hudnutt, L.W. |
3 670th 41-39215 F6-R A-26B Lt Grunig, D.B. Sgt Nowosielski, H.J., Jr. |
| 1 671st 44-089 5C-R A-20K Lt Miller, E.L. Lt Conner, J.K. Sgt Malloy, J.F. S/Sgt Pemberton, J.M. |
2 669th 41-39241 2A-F A-26B Lt Cornell, R.H., Jr. Lt Enman, R.E. S/Sgt Carter, A.E. |
3 669th 43-22292 2A-H A-26B Lt Kehoe, J.W. Cpl Richardson, L.L. |
| 4 669th 41-39238 2A-M A-26B Lt Sorrels, D.W. Sgt Malara, V.A. |
| 1 671st 44-106 5C-E A-20K Lt Buskirk, J.A. Lt Hanna, R.C. S/Sgt Corbitt, C.H., Jr. S/Sgt MacCartney, W.A. |
2 671st 41-39211 5C-K A-26B Maj Ferris, C.H. S/Sgt Rio, D.J. |
3 671st 43-22291 5C-Z A-26B Lt Withington, D.L., III S/Sgt McElhattan, L.D. |
| 4 671st 41-39210 5C-J A-26B Lt Estes, C.L. S/Sgt Orvold, C.R. |
| 1 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Lt Merchant, W.A. S/Sgt Davis, H.R. |
2 671st 41-39234 5C-P A-26B Lt Fero, D.A. Sgt Rojas, A.A. |
3 671st 41-39265 5C-V A-26B Lt Tutt, R.J. Cpl Schwartzapel, D. |
| 4 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Lt Zubon, M. S/Sgt Huss, C.F. |
| SPARE 669th 43-22344 2A-C A-26B Lt Martin, E.C. Cpl Draft, L.B. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 167 -- December 8, 1944, Friday PM
Sinzig, Germany -- Railroad Bridge
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
The Sinzig railroad bridge was attacked on the 8th. The first box led by Major Dunn, Lt. Maltby, B-N, dropped on the PPF plane. The second box, led by Capt. Atkinson, Lt. Ackerson, B-N, used their Gee equipment to bomb. Complete cloud cover prevented any observation of the results. Photo reconnaissance showed that the bombs had fallen beyond the bridge. Losing altitude as they crossed the bombline, the planes received moderate accurate light flak from the ground defenses. Lt. Grunig's plane was hit but he made it home safely on a single engine. This was the first occasion that Gee equipment, which heretofore had been used for navigation only, was used for bombing. It seemed to operate successfully although it was thought to be too inaccurate for truly precision bombing.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 175
Mission #167 - 8 December - Sinzig Railroad Bridge. Major Dunn and Lt. Maltby, BN, led Box I and Captain Atkinson with Lt. Ackerson, BN on Box II. Flights were led by Lts. Anderson and Babbage, BN, - Lts. Buskirk and Hanna, BN, plus Lts. Brown and Kerns, BN. A new bomb dropping technique was being introduced, called GEE equipment. This uses coordinates of geographic dimensions to line up the bombsight pointers together, when bombing through cloud layers. It appears successful and will be used on future bombing missions. No flak or fighters were encountered on this mission. On the way back, however, flak greeted the formation as it was descending from the 13,000 foot bombing altitude. One plane was hit and had its engine knocked out, but the pilot Lt. Grunig, made it back okay.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The "Stars and Stripes" carried a description of the new A-26 on 8
December and quoted Lieutenant McGlohn's statement that the airplane
was "a dream ship".
Major Dunn and Lieutenant Maltby led the first box of the 8
December mission against the Sinzig railway bridge and Captain
Atkinson and Lieutenant Ackerson led the second box. Complete cloud
cover prevented any observation of the results, although later photo
reconnaissance showed that the bombs had fallen beyond the bridge. On
the return leg of the mission the planes encountered moderate-accurate
light flak from Jerry ground defenses. Lieutenant Grunig's plane was
hit and one engine knocked out. However, he made it back to the base
and landed safely on single engine. Captain Atkinson and Lieutenant
Ackerson had dropped their bombs using their Gee equipment. This was
the first time that Gee equipment had been used for any purpose other
than navigation. Ten of our crews had participated in this mission.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
December 8th, 1944
With movement of German troops and armor to the southern section of the Western Front reportedly increased, A-26 Invaders of the 416th Bomb Group struck through overcast skies at a 280 foot bridge across the Ahr River at Sinsig, 20 miles northwest of Koblents, in an attempt to destroy a key link.
Blind bombing technique was employed in attacking the single span Sinsig Bridge, which carries a double track railroad west of the Rhine linking Cologne with Koblents to the south. Clouds prevented visual observations although crews reported they released 1,000 pound bombs at the briefed position. The first box dropped by PFF, but the second box dropped by Gee as the Pathfinder equipment failed.
Flak was not encountered in the target area. However, enroute back to the base the formation dropped to 2000 feet and was engaged by light moderate flak near Esch. Since the planes were coming from enemy territory and were loosing altitude, friendly light ack-ack gunners probably mistook the formation for enemy aircraft.
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[December 8, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, December 8, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |