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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 196 -- February 1, 1945, Thursday PM Schleiden, Germany Defended Village
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 196 -- February 1, 1945, Thursday PM Schleiden, Germany Defended Village
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Place of Take-Off : A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France A/C Dispatched : 22 Total -- 7 A-20's, 14 A-26's, 1 B-26 (PFF) Modified British System Reference: F-108152 Secondary Target : Suitable Alternate 10 miles or more from the bombline in Enemy held territory Summary of Results : Results Unobserved - 10/10's cloud cover over target. Three A-20's dispensed Window. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.52968,6.47831 (50° 31' 47" N, 6° 28' 42" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wF108152) (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 # 196 -- February 1, 1945, Thursday PM
Schleiden, Germany -- Defended Village
| 1 671st 43-22023 5C-X A-20J Lt Col Willetts, D.L. Lt Royalty, P.G. S/Sgt McElhattan, L.D. Sgt Rose, J.W. |
2 671st 44-106 5C-E A-20K Capt Greenley, R.E. Lt Basnett, R.J. S/Sgt Hinson, A.H. Sgt Miller, H.K. |
3 671st 41-39300 5C-K A-26B Lt Edstrom, L.W. Sgt Pompa, P.A. |
| 4 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Lt Herman, A.E. Lt Graeber, T.E. S/Sgt Galender, J.W. |
5 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Capt Sutton, L.J., Jr. S/Sgt Gilliam, D.C. |
6 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B F/O Wilson, H.J. Sgt Stypenski, V.S. |
| 1 669th 44-085 2A-T A-20K Capt DeMun, E.E. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt Donnelly, W.W. Sgt Kruger, C.J. |
2 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt Martin, E.C. Lt Britt, J.W. Sgt Sumner, W.R., Jr. |
3 669th 41-39229 2A-B A-26B Lt Allen, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Veazey, C.W. [Not Airborne] |
| 4 669th 43-22354 2A-S A-26B Lt Smith, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Reiter, G.E. Lt Farley, J.J. |
5 669th 41-39238 2A-M A-26B Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. Sgt Brinkman, E.R. |
6 669th 41-39241 2A-F A-26B Lt Johnson, R.K. Sgt Brandt, H.E. |
| 1 669th 44-075 2A-J A-20K Capt Hulse, D.A., Jr. Lt Conte, R.F., Sr. S/Sgt Carstens, R.W. Sgt Sharp, R.P., Jr. |
2 669th 43-22383 2A-V A-26B Lt Jordan, C.S. S/Sgt Jensen, K.F. |
3 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Turner, D.O., Jr. S/Sgt Reyes, M.R. |
| 4 669th 43-22306 2A-X A-26B Lt DuBose, M.W. Lt Steed, G.H., Jr. S/Sgt Walters, J.H. |
5 669th 43-22344 2A-C A-26B Lt Smith, D.E. Sgt DeStefano, R. [Returned Early] |
6 669th 41-39263 2A-G A-26B Lt VanRope, R.W. Sgt Klingman, W.H. |
| SPARE 670th 41-39222 F6-S A-26B Lt Errotabere, M. Sgt Bowie, E.A. |
| 1 670th 43-21467 F6-W A-20J Lt Singletary, R.B. Lt Rosenquist, A.E. S/Sgt Wiggins, H.G. S/Sgt Cianciosi, A.A. |
2 670th 43-9439 F6-V A-20J Lt Popeney, H.V. S/Sgt Arnett, W.E. S/Sgt Burger, L.C. |
3 669th 44-178 2A-L A-20K Lt Hale, W.L. S/Sgt Bentzler, D.H. S/Sgt Geyer, J.F. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 196 -- February 1, 1945, Thursday PM
Schleiden, Germany -- Defended Village
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
The first mission of the month, mission No. 196, was an attack on the defended village of Schleiden on the 1st. The one box, led by Lt Col Willetts, Lt Royalty, B-N, attacked the target using PPF technique. Results were unobserved due to cloud cover. There was no flak.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 204
Mission #196 - 1 February - Schleiden. Colonel Willetts and Lt. Royalty, BN lined up to take two boxes on this mission. Prior to take off, however, Headquarters called down to cancel the take off of the second box. Captain Greenley with Lt. Basnett, BN - Lts. Herman and Graeber BN and Captain Hulse and Lt. Conte, BN led flights. Perhaps higher ups felt that since the cloud cover at the target, it would not be sensible to send all those planes over with the possibility that they would not be able to hit the target. In any event, the three flights of the first box did drop their bombs through clouds, following PFF Pathfinder leaders. Results were unobserved. No damage was incurred on the planes since no flak or fighters showed up.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
On the first of the month, Capt. Earl E. De Mun and Lt. Robert J. McQuade, his Bombardier-Navigator, led the second flight of the first box, while Capt. David Hulse with his B/N, Lt. Ralph Conte, led the third flight of the first box in an attack on the defended village of Schleiden, Germany. No results could be determined for this mission, because PPF technique was used, and 10/10ths cloud cover prevented observation of the bombing.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
On the first day of February three of our crews took part in an attack on the defended village of Schleiden in Germany. The results were undetermined because there was no photo cover.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
February 1st, 1945
The defended village of Schleiden was the 416th Bomb Group's target on February 1st, 1945. Colonel Willetts and Lt. Royalty led the formation and dropped on a Pathfinder lead with unobserved results. Flak was not encountered and all ships returned safely.
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[February 1, 1945], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, February 1, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |