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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 216 -- February 26, 1945, Monday PM Sindorf, Germany Road Junctions
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 216 -- February 26, 1945, Monday PM Sindorf, Germany Road Junctions
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Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 42 Total -- 41 A-26's, 1 B-26 (PFF) Modified British System Reference: F-253572 Secondary Target : Selected in accordance with IX Bomb Div Cipher F-576-E (9-2-45) Summary of Results : Unobserved due to cloud cover. 3 a/c dropped Window, 37 attacked Munstereifel (Secondary), 1 Attacked target with another Group (410). Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.90938,6.67456 (50° 54' 34" N, 6° 40' 28" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wF253572) (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 # 216 -- February 26, 1945, Monday PM
Sindorf, Germany -- Road Junctions
| 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 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Lt Mish, C.C. Lt Shaft, R.E. S/Sgt Roberts, J.H. |
3 668th 41-39325 5H-L A-26B Lt Jordan, C.S. S/Sgt Jensen, K.F. |
| 4 669th 41-39314 2A-H A-26B Lt Allen, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Getgen, L.R. |
5 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Depner, A.W. Sgt Gillespie, R.H. |
6 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. Sgt Brinkman, E.R. |
| 1 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Lt Buskirk, J.A. Lt Hanna, R.C. S/Sgt Corbitt, C.H., Jr. |
2 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B Lt Spires, J.W. Sgt Messinger, R.W. |
3 671st 41-39300 5C-K A-26B Lt VanNoorden, H.M. S/Sgt Steffey, R.I. |
| 4 671st 41-39209 5C-M A-26B Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. S/Sgt Swank, O.E. |
5 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Capt Hixon, S.M. S/Sgt Hinson, A.H. |
6 671st 41-39332 5C-P A-26B Lt Hlivko, A.E. Sgt Farmer, L.J. |
| 1 671st 43-22490 5C-X A-26C Lt Lackovich, J.J. Lt Muir, R.C. Pvt Barry, R.M. |
2 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Lt Remiszewski, A. S/Sgt Miguez, J.H. |
3 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Lt Withington, D.L., III S/Sgt McElhattan, L.D. |
| 4 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B Lt Herman, A.E. S/Sgt Schrom, R.G. |
5 670th 43-22330 F6-P A-26B Capt Nielsen, L.C. Pvt Elliott, E.R. |
6 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Edstrom, L.W. Sgt Pompa, P.A. |
| SPARE 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Lt Errotabere, M. Sgt Lynch, P.R. |
| 1 668th 43-22481 5H-P A-26C Lt Miller, E.L. Lt Conner, J.K. S/Sgt Pemberton, J.M. S/Sgt Malloy, J.F. |
2 668th 43-22495 5H-G A-26C Lt Cannon, L.E. S/Sgt Robinson, J.W. S/Sgt Brzezinski, E.P. |
3 668th 41-39274 5H-S A-26B Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. S/Sgt Floyd, C.F. S/Sgt Mani, J. |
| 1 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Capt Stebbins, B.D. Lt Calloway, A.S. Lt Johnson, G.G. S/Sgt Brown, W.J. |
2 670th 43-22503 F6-X A-26C Lt Brewster, F.S. Lt Dennis, L.W. Sgt Torres, I. |
3 669th 41-39229 2A-B A-26B Lt Turner, D.O., Jr. S/Sgt Reyes, M.R. |
| 4 669th 43-22354 2A-S A-26B Capt Behlmer, R.L. S/Sgt Donnelly, W.W. |
5 669th 43-22344 2A-C A-26B F/O Swap, F.W. Sgt Meliniotis, N. |
6 670th 43-22320 F6-S A-26B Lt Willard, J.A. Sgt Hinker, C.V. |
| 1 670th 43-22501 F6-W A-26C Lt Singletary, R.B. Lt Rosenquist, A.E. S/Sgt Wiggins, H.G. |
2 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Lt Grunig, D.B. Lt Morris, B.C. Sgt Nowosielski, H.J., Jr. |
3 670th 43-22315 F6-L A-26B Lt Bower, R.S. Sgt Rhoney, C.B. |
| 4 670th 41-39286 F6-D A-26B Lt Barausky, P.P. Pvt Wilson, B.R. |
5 670th 43-22334 F6-G A-26B Capt Borman, H.W. Pfc Finnell, D.O. |
6 670th 41-39215 F6-R A-26B Lt Chitty, W.D., Jr. Sgt Raccio, V.B. |
| 1 668th 43-22523 5H-N A-26C Capt Evans, H.M. Lt McCartney, T.M. Sgt Windisch, R.P. |
2 668th 43-22385 5H-D A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. S/Sgt Felkel, J.W. |
3 668th 41-39213 5H-A A-26B Lt McCready, T.D. S/Sgt Lemonds, W.E. |
| 4 668th 41-39305 5H-U A-26B Lt Colquitt, J.K. S/Sgt Jordan, D.W. |
5 668th 43-22321 5H-T A-26B Lt Russell, R.A. Sgt Spence, J.I. |
6 668th 41-39361 5H-M A-26B Lt Phillips, J.P. Sgt Grzona, L.J. |
| SPARE 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt VanRope, R.W. Sgt Klingman, W.H. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 216 -- February 26, 1945, Monday PM
Sindorf, Germany -- Road Junctions
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
The following day, the 26th, flying our ninth mission in six days, thirty-eight aircraft took off to attack road junctions in Sindorf. The PPF plane was unable to release its bombs. The box leader contacted "Roselee," as his Gee equipment was not operating. "Roselee" vectored the planes of the first box in on the town of Munstereifel and gave them the signal when to attack. Entirely by coincidence, the second box also chose the town of Munstereifel as a secondary and attacked on Gee. One aircraft was forced to drop from formation by engine trouble. It joined the 410th Bomb Group and dropped on its target, a communications center at Wickrath. There was no flak. The two boxes were led by Col Napier, Lts Moore and McQuade as B and N, and Capt Stebbins, Lts Calloway and Johnson as B and N.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 215
Mission #216 - 26 February - Sindorf Communication Center. Colonel Napier with Lts. Moore and McQuade BNs with Captain Stebbins and Lts. Calloway and Johnson, BNs led boxes. This is the fourth straight day that we were called upon to bomb ahead of IX and I Armies. Captain Evans and Lt. McCartney, BN, Lts. Mish and Shaft, BN, Captain Tutt with Lt. Beck, BN and Lts. Buskirk and Hanna, BN led flights. The PFF plane could not drop his bombs. Col. Napier contacted "Roselee" because their GEE devices were not working. Roselee directed them to hit Munstereifel. When they arrived over that target, they found that the second box had selected that same target on its own. Results were not determined due to cloud cover. One plane had to drop out of its spot in the formation due to engine trouble. He joined up with the 410th group hitting Wickrath Communication Center. No flak was encountered.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The PPF aircraft failed to bomb in an attack on Munstereifel, Germany, on the 26th February. Cloud cover made a visual bomb-run impossible. The Gee equipment of the lead aircraft was inoperative. Despite all these handicaps, the formation went on to bomb the target on a vector from the fighter control station, "Roselee". Lt. Col. Napier with Lts. Moore and McQuade, led the first box of the formation while Capt. Stebbins and Lts. Calloway and G.G. Johnson led the second box.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The Sindorf Communications center was bombed on 26th February and Unna Ordnance Depot on the 28th to conclude the month's operations.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
February 26th, 1945
Sweeping ahead of advancing U.S.First and Ninth Armies the 416th Group kept up their offensive against the enemy in the narrowing gap between the Western Front and the Rhine, on February 26th, 1945. A 10/10-cloud cover protected the formation from the flak fire, which the Germans could throw up if they could pick out the formation. As it was flak was not seen.
The Pathfinder failed to drop on the primary, which was the Sindorf Communication Center. However, both boxes bombed the secondary target, which was Munstereifel, a highly important town being used to advantage by the Germans. The first box bombed on Gee and the second on information from the air-ground station. Results were unobserved.
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[February 26, 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 26, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |