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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 200 -- February 8, 1945, Thursday AM Nutterden, Germany Defended Area
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 200 -- February 8, 1945, Thursday AM Nutterden, Germany Defended Area
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Place of Take-Off : A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France A/C Dispatched : 42 Total -- 40 A-26's, 2 B-26's (PFF) Target Ref : Operation VERITABLE Area V-14 Illustration : GSGS 4414 Sheet 4202 Illustration Ref : 84005435, 83755485 Secondary Target : Suitable Alternate 10 miles or more from the bombline in Enemy held territory Summary of Results : Town of Elton (E-920640) was bombed because of inclement weather at Primary. Results Unobserved (Box 1 (4) flights, and Box 2 (3) flights bombed on Gee and ETA respectively.) Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 51.77543,6.05640 (51° 46' 32" N, 6° 3' 23" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) qE840543) (See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information. Note: This coordinate represents the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked my differ) |
| Date | Report |   |
A/C Serial # Type |
Mis- sion # |
Bomb Sq |
Location | Personnel (Status when available) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 8, 1945 Thursday |
AAR 45-2-8-538 |
|
41-39222 A-26B |
200 | 670 | 3 miles south Villeneuve St. George | Steed, George Hubert Jr. (Fatal)
Tranchina, Carl E. (SWA, EUS) |
= Entries having actual Reports available for review. = Entries having additional Images or Photos.)Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 200 -- February 8, 1945, Thursday AM
Nutterden, Germany -- Defended Area
| 1 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Lt Col Willetts, D.L. Lt Royalty, P.G. Lt Muir, R.C. Cpl Rose, J.W. |
2 671st 43-22490 5C-X A-26C Capt Greenley, R.E. Lt Basnett, R.J. S/Sgt Miguez, J.H. [Not Airborne] |
3 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Lt Henderson, F.W. S/Sgt Thompson, G.H., Jr. |
| 4 671st 43-22313 5C-B A-26B Lt Remiszewski, A. S/Sgt DiOrio, F.M. |
5 671st 43-22326 5C-W A-26B Lt Ames, W.H. S/Sgt Huss, C.F. |
6 671st 41-39332 5C-P A-26B F/O Wilson, H.J. Sgt Stypenski, V.S. |
| 1 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Maj Price, R.F. Lt Forma, W. Lt Harvest, R.W. S/Sgt Fetko, C., Jr. |
2 668th 43-22378 5H-O A-26B Lt Annin, W.W. Sgt Pauker, J.L. |
3 668th 41-39331 5H-C A-26B Lt Russell, R.A. Sgt Spence, J.I. |
| 4 668th 41-39335 5H-W A-26B Lt Wright, J.W. S/Sgt Profita, P.J. |
5 668th 41-39305 5H-U A-26B Lt Long, R.H. Sgt McCarthy, C.J. |
6 668th 43-22389 5H-X A-26B Lt Blevins, J.W. S/Sgt Gooch, H.I. |
| 1 670th 43-22503 F6-X A-26C Lt Rooney, R.J. Lt Kirk, R.L. S/Sgt Caudell, S.R. |
2 670th 41-39321 F6-V A-26B Lt Sheley, S.H. Sgt Tharp, F.M. |
3 670th 41-39215 F6-R A-26B Lt Warren, J.R. S/Sgt Turpin, S.J. |
| 4 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Merritt, T.S. S/Sgt Gatti, R.J. |
5 670th 43-22337 F6-O A-26B Lt Cook, J.A. S/Sgt Jackson, W.S. |
6 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B Lt Bower, R.S. Sgt Rhoney, C.B. |
| 1 671st 43-22498 5C-R A-26C Capt Pair, H.F. Lt Corum, J.L. S/Sgt Cheuvront, R.W. |
2 668th 43-22523 5H-N A-26C Capt Shea, D.F. Lt Koch, O.R. S/Sgt Urbanicio, F.R. |
3 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B Lt VanNoorden, H.M. S/Sgt Steffey, R.I. |
| 4 671st 41-39208 5C-L A-26B Lt Gary, J.C. Pvt Schoen, A.E., Jr. |
5 671st 43-22352 5C-J A-26B Lt Wright, J.R. Sgt Gross, V.F. |
6 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Lt Cocke, J.B. Sgt Redding, R.D. |
| 1 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Capt Hulse, D.A., Jr. Lt Conte, R.F., Sr. Lt Enman, R.E. S/Sgt Donnelly, W.W. |
2 669th 43-22292 2A-H A-26B Lt Willard, J.A. Sgt Hinker, C.V. |
3 669th 43-22306 2A-X A-26B Lt Martin, E.C. Lt Britt, J.W. Sgt Draft, L.B. |
| 4 669th 43-22381 2A-Q A-26B Lt Behlmer, R.L. S/Sgt McGaughy, W.S. |
5 669th 43-22344 2A-C A-26B Lt Weinert, C.E. Sgt Dubi, R.J. |
6 670th No Aircraft Lt Johnson, R.K. Sgt Brandt, H.E. [No A/C [spare filled Lt Johnson's position]] |
| 1 669th 43-22521 2A-N A-26C Lt Col Napier, J.G. Lt Moore, D.L. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt Carstens, R.W. |
2 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt VanRope, R.W. Sgt Klingman, W.H. |
3 669th 41-39229 2A-B A-26B Lt Anderson, C.M. Sgt Deatherage, J.H. |
| 4 670th 43-22330 F6-P A-26B Lt Smith, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Reiter, G.E. |
5 670th 41-39222 F6-S A-26B Lt Steed, G.H., Jr. Sgt Tranchina, C.E. [Crashed Near Villenuve St. George] |
6 670th 41-39205 F6-M A-26B Lt Hayter, E.R. S/Sgt Basford, F.P. [Not Airborne Prop Blast from Preceeding Aircraft Blew Barrel into Prop] |
| SPARE 669th 43-22300 2A-P A-26B Lt Jokinen, W.R. Sgt McNellis, D.E. |
| 1 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Lt Stanley, C.S. F/O Blount, J.H., Jr. Sgt Edenburn, J.C. |
2 668th 41-39188 5H-R A-26B Lt Parkhurst, G.J. Sgt Newman, F. |
3 668th 43-22321 5H-T A-26B Lt Colquitt, J.K. S/Sgt Mohr, C.M. |
| 4 668th 41-39213 5H-A A-26B Lt McCready, T.D. S/Sgt Lemonds, W.E. |
5 668th 41-39274 5H-S A-26B Lt Drum, E.B. Sgt Schwartzkopf, J.R. |
6 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt Prucha, L.J. S/Sgt Heitell, S.L. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 200 -- February 8, 1945, Thursday AM
Nutterden, Germany -- Defended Area
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
The big day arrived on the 8th. After an aerial barrage similar to that of St Lo, the Canadian First Army was to step off in an offensive that was soon to reach the Rhine northwest of Dusseldorf. Weather again was very bad, but our planes went in to do an excellent job. A letter of commendation was received on the bombing. The mission marked the first time that we had bombed equipped solely with A-26s. The new A-26C with a glass nose led the flights and boxes. The planes carried 250-lb. fragmentation bombs, dropping 99 1/2 tons on the target. This was the greatest tonnage ever dropped by the Group. The mission also marked the 200th flown by the Group. The 200 mission had been flown in the span of a few days more than 11 months. Col Willetts, with Lt Royalty and Lt Muir as B and N, had the pleasure of leading the formation on its 200th mission. Captain Pair, Lt Corum, B-N, led the second box. While returning to the base, Lt C.H. Steed called the control tower saying that he had only a few minutes fuel left. It was the last word heard from him. His plane was found later in a field near Villers St George, where it had crashed. Lt Steed was killed. His gunner, Sgt C.E. Tranchina, was seriously injured in the crash and died the next day [NOTE: Sgt Tranchina did not die, but was Evacuated to the U.S.]. Their bodies were interred at the American Military Cemetery, Solars Seine et Marne, France. The mission was successful and marked the beginning of a series of attacks all along the front. ... Sgt C.E. Tranchina, who had been seriously wounded in a crashlanding in January, in which his pilot, Lt Steed, was killed, was evacuated to the States.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 206
Mission #200 - 8 February - Nutterden-Crannenberg, Holland. Colonel Willetts and Lt. Royalty, BN and Captain Pair, Lt. Corum, BN led boxes. Captain Hulse and Lt. Conte BN led a flight. The group has now been outfitted with glass nosed A-26s, releasing the popular A-20s, for leading flights. The concept of two BNs riding in the nose of the A-26s started, with one man responsible for the navigation and the other to be the bombardier. Lt. Muir rode with Lt. Royalty as the combination BN team. Clouds obscured the target again. The secondary targets were hit with good results. Lt. Stead reported he was low on gas, but then there was no further communication from him. His plane had crashed, killing him and seriously injuring his gunner, Sgt. C. E. Transhina [Tranchina] who died the next day [NOTE: Sgt Tranchina did not die, but was Evacuated to the U.S.].
The Canadian and British ground forces were scheduled for a big push toward Dusseldorf, and aerial bombardment was called to clear some of the path for them. The Canadian First Army stepped off on an offensive to reach the Rhine River. While weather was bad our bombing helped since we received a letter of commendation for the excellent bombing accomplished.
"Operational History 668th Bomb Squadron (416th Bomb Group (L)) WWII"
Wayne Williams, et.al.
8th of February – this mission # 200 was flown with twelve crews representing our squadron. Price & Hand, Stanley & Blount led our flights. The defended area at Nutterden was the target bombed, this action in accordance with the ground strategy. This time the bombs were dropped on "Gee", and again no photos were taken to establish the success of the mission. The formation returned after a 3:45 flight with a comparatively quiet time of it.
"668th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
On 8 February, a sortie against the defended area at Nuttenden marked the 200th mission for the Group in less than a year of operations.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
February 8th was quite a noteworthy day. The squadron engaged in its 200th mission against the enemy. The area on the Canadian First Army and British Second Army front near Cleve, Germany, was attacked. The results of the mission were unobserved because of 10/10ths cloud cover. On this mission, Capt. Hulse and his B/N Lt. Clonte [Conte] led the second flight of the Second box, while Lt. Col. Napier and Lt. Moore led the third flight of the second box. (A-26C aircraft were used for the first time to lead flights on this mission.) The 200th mission was marred by an unfortunate accident. Enroute back to the base, the airplane piloted by Lt. Steed ran short of fuel. Lt. Steed attempted a forced landing near Villers St. George, France. The airplane crashed into some trees. The pilot was killed instantly, and the gunner, Sgt. Tranchina, was seriously injured.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Seven of our crews took part in an attack 8th February on the Nutterden. 98 1/2 tons of 260 pound fragmentation bombs were dropped. This was the Group's 200th mission.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
Group Mission Number 200 on February 8th, 1945
The "Bridge-Bustin", "Road-Blocking", "Town Smashing" 416th Bomb Group set what is probably an all time record on February 8th, 1945 by running its 200th mission in less than a year of Operations. The Group ran its mission on March 3rd, 1944 and reached the 100th mission mark on July 18th, 1944.
The lead for this record mission went to the 671st Bomb Squadron, with Lt. Colonel Willetts and Lt. Royalty leading the first box and Captain Pair and Lt. Corum leading the second.
It was ironical that the A-20 Havoc would never see its 200th mission with this Group, but that was the case. The formation was composed entirely of A-26 Invaders for the first time. A-20Js and Ks had been used for leading flights since the Group converted to the A-26s in October, but new A-26Cs replaced the veteran A-20s on this 200th mission.
The formation was briefed and sent off as a visual mission, but adverse weather was encountered in the target area. Unable to pick out the primary which was the defended village of Nutterden, Colonel Willetts dropped on the German town of Elton with the aid of Gee, while Captain Pair dropped his lead on the same town using ETA, as his Gee box was out. In all, 37 A-26s dropped 739 x 260 frags in the area.
There was no battle damage, but one ship crashed 12 miles from the base because of a fuel shortage. The pilot, Lt. Steed of the 669th Squadron, was killed and his gunner was seriously injured.
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[February 8, 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 8, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |