Loading List 1, Box I
Note Brig. Gen. Backus Flew on This Mission




Loading List 2, Box II




Route Map




Primary Target area around MBS Coordinate (NGZ) wM803481
Extracted from GSGS-4416/AMS-M641 Sheet T3 - "Frankfurt" 1:100:000 Military Topographic Map
(Downloaded from Map Archive of Wojskowy Instytut Geograficzny 1919 - 1939,
GSGS 4416 / AMS M641, 651, 671 Germany, Poland, Middle Danube 1:100,000,
Frankfurt sheet)
(Note: This coordinate and map display represent the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ)
(Annotated Full Map PDF)

Missing Air Crew Reports, Aircraft Accident Reports, and other incidents

Date	Report		A/C Serial # Type	Mis- sion #	Bomb Sq	Location	Personnel (Status when available)
Feb 22, 1945 Thursday	AAR 45-2-22-524		41-39208 A-26B	210	671	Station A-69 - Laon, France	VanNoorden, Hartwig M. (Not Injured) Steffey, Robert I. (Not Injured)

To view more information regarding an Incident/Report, click on the Report hyperlink.
( = Entries having actual Reports available for review.   = Entries having additional Images or Photos.)
To view an individual's Memorial page, click on the "Name" hyperlink.

Included are Box, Flight and Position; Bomb Squadron; Aircraft Serial Number, Fuselage Code and Model; and Crew Members
transcribed from individual mission Loading List documents by Chris and Mary Adams and Carl Sgamboti.
Some information, such as Squadron, Serial Number, etc. has been expanded from other documents.

Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 210 -- February 22, 1945, Thursday PM
Miltenberg, Hochst and Munster, Germany -- Railroad Bridges and Marshalling Yards

"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives

For weeks, Intelligence and Operations knew of plans for a series of attacks up and down the Western Front, aimed at disrupting the German communications network in one great blow. It was to be a maximum effort on the part of the Ninth Air Force, the Eighth Air Force, and the Royal Air Force. For the Ninth, it would be one of its most spectacular, but dangerous attacks. The 22nd, Washington's birthday, was the day for its execution. Three flights were to attack bridges at Miltenberg; two flights, railroad sidings and bridges at Hochost; one flight, the bridge at Munster; and the seventh flight, the Simmern marshalling yard. The bombing attacks on the first two targets and the last were to be made at about 10,000 feet. Peeling off by elements of two planes, the planes were to dive to the deck and strafe targets only of military importance. We had flown four experimental missions, bombing and strafing before. This, however, was the first time that we had made such an attack on a Group scale. The Munster bridge was attacked in the usual manner, bombing from a medium altitude. All of the bombing attacks were successful, except the attack on Munster. Haze prevented clear recognition of the target so a section of railroad track and a bridge about 43 miles south of the primary target, near Mechesheim, was attacked with excellent results. There were smiles on the faces of those who had strafed. Most of the planes carried wing guns which gave them 14 forward firing machine guns in addition to the four guns in the two turrets. The speed of the planes was the keynote of their success. The speed over the targets ranged from 400 to 500 miles per hour. A total of 63,605 rounds of ammunition were expended in addition to 55 tons of bombs that were dropped. The strafing claims included; 1 tank train destroyed and left burning, one horsedrawn vehicle destroyed, four heavy M/T destroyed, one railroad station damaged, six locomotives damaged, 15 buildings damaged, one light M/T damaged, five barges damaged, 15 goods wagons damaged plus several at Simmern, 15 buildings (barracks) damaged, oil tanks at Simmern damaged.

Box I, attacking Miltenberg, was led by Major Price, Lt Forma and F/O Harvest as B and N. Two flights of Box II, attacking Hochst, were led by Capt Evans, Lt McCartney and F/O Blount as B and N. Flight C of Box II, attacking Munster, was led by Lt Grunig, Lt Morris, B-N. The attack on Simmern, counted as a separate mission, was led by Lt Rooney, Lt Kirk, B-N. Photos showed approximately 11 craters visible in the railroad crossing, cutting at least seven damaged lines and destroying or damaging six wagons.

The formation encountered some weak but accurate flak coming out over the bomb line. There was light flak fired at the strafing planes. Three planes received minor battle damage and returned safely.

"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 212 - 213

Mission #210 - and #211 - 22 February - Miltenberg - Hochost - Munster - Bombing Strafing Mission. A massive offensive was planned for this day to have the 8th Air Force and 9th Air Force help the ground forces in their advances in Germany by disrupting their communications network. The 9th Air Force was assigned the job of bombing out three bridges and railroad sidings. Bombing was to be done at 10,000 feet and then the formations were to break up into two ship elements and go down to strafing altitudes to wipe out the bridges and railroad sidings. This was, indeed, going to be a thrilling and knowingly dangerous missions and was met with much enthusiasm. Major Price with Lt. Forma and F/O Harvest as BN team leading Box I with three flights to attack the Miltenberg target. Captain Evans and Lt. McCartney and F/O Blount as BNs, were to take out the Hochost target with two flights and Lt. Brunig and Lt. Morris BN to attack Munster with one flight.

Another target was assigned to Lt. Rooney and Lt. Kirk, as BN to wipe out the Simmern Bridge with the seventh flight and this was to count as mission #211.

The bombing attacks on Miltenberg and Hochost were successful. The Munster attack was hindered by haze preventing proper sighting of the target. This flight flew south about 43 miles and picked up a bridge at Mochesheim and knocked it out of commission.

The strafing crews succeeded with tremendous results, including one tank train destroyed and left burning, one horse drawn vehicle destroyed, four heavy motor transports destroyed, one railroad station damaged, 15 buildings damaged severely, one light motor transport left burning, five barges damaged, 16 goods wagons damaged. At Simmern, 15 barracks damaged and oil tanks damaged. Photos showed 11 craters on railroad crossings, cutting at least seven damaged lines and destroying six wagons.

A total of 63,605 rounds of ammunition were spent and 55 tons of bombs dropped. With each A-26 spitting 50 caliber bullets out of 16 guns, must have been quite a sight to experience. There is no way to describe the elation of the crews participating in this exciting adventure.

"668th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives

On 22 February, the Squadron participated in the first really successful low-level strafing mission by our aircraft. One flight led by Major Price and Lieutenant Forma attacked bridges at Miltenburg; another led by Captain Evans and Lieutenant McCartney flew against the sidings and bridges at Hochost. This mission was flown as part of a coordinated attack upon Nazi rail and road centers designed to paralyze all German transport in the Rhine valley. The ships released their bombs from medium altitude, and then went down on the deck to strafe any target of military value in the vicinity. When the scores were added up, the Group had the following claims to its credit: one tank train destroyed and left burning; one horsedrawn vehichle destroyed; one R.R. station damaged; fifteen buildings damaged; five locomotives, five barges and fifteen goods wagons damaged.

"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives

The mission flown on the 22nd of February was unusual for aircraft of this squadron. Instead of flying the entire mission at medium altitude, the combat crews were briefed to descend and strafe certain targets on the return trip. Therefore, after attacking the Miltenberg Bridges, the airplanes descended and strafed the Simmern railroad yards, with good results.

"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives

Two missions were run on the 22nd of February. The morning mission was an attack on the Munster Bridge with undetermined results. Six of our crews took part. The afternoon mission was an attack on the Simmern marshalling yards, Bridge and Round house. Excellent results were achieved.

The first leaves given to ground personnel since we arrived overseas were started on the 22nd when Lt Easterwood, T/Sgt Robinson, Sgt Goff and Cpl Wurzburg left for seven days in England. Also on this day, S/Sgt's Burger and Blackford left for the Zone of Interior after having completed their tours of combat missions.

"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns

February 22nd, 1945

Marauder, Invader and Havoc fleets of the Ninth Bombardment Division swept over GermanyÆs vast railroad and communication systems on the afternoon of February 22nd, bombing and strafing bridges and other rail targets in a 200 mile arc running from the Hannover area, northeast of the Ruhr, to the Saar valley. Combined with the Eight Air Force, the R.A.F. and the tactical air forces on the continent, this was one of the most spectacular displays of air power to date. In most cases the planes bombed from their regular altitudes and then dropped down to the deck to strafe. Almost every section of Germany was hit by one of the air forces during the afternoon and night of Operations.

The 416th did its share of disrupting the German rail system by taking four targets û bridges in the Miltenberg area, sidings and bridges at Hochost, the Munster Rail Bridge and the Simmern marshalling yard. After bombs away all ships dropped down to deck level and strafed targets at random.

The three flights of the first box found a haze over the bridge network in the Miltenberg area and the bombardiers were unable to pick up the primary. The bombs hit on roads and factory buildings close by. Two flights of the second box dropped on Hochost. Flight B received an excellent, while the first flight missed the target due to a smoke covering. The bombardier of Flight C mistook a bridge S.E. of Mochesheim for the Munster Bridge, but scored direct hits on the railroad embankment and cut the tracks at several points. The seventh flight hit the Simmern M/Y.. Although photos were not taken, visual observation showed the bombs to have hit close to the large bridge at the marshalling yard. Flak at all these targets was meager.

After the bombing attacks the flights peeled off and strafed in the vicinity of the targets, later re-assembling at the rally point. However, a number of the ships returned on their own. Strafing at speeds up to 425 M.P.H. all crews reported shooting up some type target from horse drawn vehicles, rail stations, buildings, motor conveys and trains.

Captain Hixon, flying his first mission since December 15th, 1944. Captain Sutton chalked up the two outstanding strafe jobs of the day. Capt. Hixon and his gunner, Sgt.Schmidt picked out a German motor convey. In his own words: "We roared down a road and I saw two German trucks standing in the center. The drivers were running for a ditch where I saw a number of people taking cover. Both trucks were burning as we pulled away." Sgt. Schmidt in the turret also managed to pour some lead into a chain of railroad cars. Captain Sutton and is gunner, S/Sgt. Gilliam, strafed a long tank train and set it on fire as nose, wing and turret guns poured a stream of ammunition the length of the train.

The Group did not lose a man or a plane in the day's operation; and a good time was had by all!

[February 22, 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 22, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress

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