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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 218 -- March 1, 1945, Thursday AM Giessen, Germany Ordnance and Supply Depot
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 218 -- March 1, 1945, Thursday AM Giessen, Germany Ordnance and Supply Depot
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Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 41 Total -- 39 A-26's, 2 B-26's (PFF) Modified British System Reference: G-688214 Secondary Target : Selected in accordance with IX Bomb Div Cipher F-576-E (9-2-45) Summary of Results : No photos due to cloud cover. 3 A-26's dropped Window, remaining attacked Eller R.R. Bridge (Secondary). Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.58816,8.70936 (50° 35' 17" N, 8° 42' 34" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wG688214) (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 # 218 -- March 1, 1945, Thursday AM
Giessen, Germany -- Ordnance and Supply Depot
| 1 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Maj Dunn, L.F. Lt Brewer, W.E., Sr. Lt Basnett, R.J. Sgt Rose, J.W. |
2 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Capt Evans, H.M. Lt McCartney, T.M. Sgt Hood, A.R. |
3 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Lt Withington, D.L., III S/Sgt Huss, C.F. [Returned Early Nose Wheel Would Not Retract] |
| 4 671st 41-39209 5C-M A-26B Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. S/Sgt McElhattan, L.D. |
5 671st 41-39297 5C-T A-26B Lt Miller, J.H. S/Sgt Schrom, R.G. |
6 671st 41-39300 5C-K A-26B Lt Winn, A.J.P. Sgt Davis, W.G., Jr. |
| 1 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Lt Cornell, R.H., Jr. Lt Enman, R.E. S/Sgt Carter, A.E. |
2 669th 41-39229 2A-B A-26B Lt Turner, D.O., Jr. S/Sgt McGuire, J.J. |
3 669th 43-22354 2A-S A-26B Lt Jordan, C.S. S/Sgt Jensen, K.F. |
| 4 669th 43-22351 2A-F A-26B Capt Behlmer, R.L. Capt DuFault, W.F. S/Sgt Burland, A.J. |
5 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt VanRope, R.W. Sgt Klingman, W.H. |
6 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B F/O Swap, F.W. Sgt Santandrea, M. |
| 1 669th 43-22487 2A-J A-26C Lt Miller, E.L. Lt Conner, J.K. S/Sgt Pemberton, J.M. |
2 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Hayter, E.R. S/Sgt Basford, F.P. |
3 669th 43-22381 2A-Q A-26B Lt Willard, J.A. Sgt Hinker, C.V. |
| 4 669th 41-39314 2A-H A-26B Lt Allen, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Veazey, C.W. [Returned Early All Flight Instruments out] |
5 668th 43-22321 5H-T A-26B Lt Smith, D.E. Sgt Kirik, S.J. |
6 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. Sgt Brinkman, E.R. |
| SPARE 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Capt Wheeler, R.V. S/Sgt Elliott, F.W. |
| 1 668th 43-22481 5H-P A-26C Lt Grunig, D.B. Lt Morris, B.C. S/Sgt Dias, M.E. S/Sgt Nowosielski, H.J., Jr. |
2 670th 41-39286 F6-D A-26B Lt Barausky, P.P. Sgt Hall, M. S/Sgt Teran, A. |
3 668th 43-22385 5H-D A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. S/Sgt Gandy, R.S. S/Sgt Felkel, J.W. |
| 1 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Lt Buskirk, J.A. Lt Hanna, R.C. Lt Muir, R.C. S/Sgt Corbitt, C.H., Jr. |
2 671st 43-22498 5C-R A-26C Lt Brown, C.J. Lt Kerns, J.E. S/Sgt Sunderland, H.E. |
3 671st 43-22313 5C-B A-26B Lt Remiszewski, A. S/Sgt DiOrio, F.M. [Returned Early Nose Wheel Would Not Retract] |
| 4 671st 43-22419 5C-Z A-26B Lt Ames, W.H. Sgt Brown, R.J. |
5 671st 41-39332 5C-P A-26B Lt Graeber, T.E. Sgt Miller, A.H. |
6 671st 41-39237 5C-D A-26B Lt Cocke, J.B. S/Sgt MacCartney, W.A. |
| 1 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Lt Mish, C.C. Lt Shaft, R.E. S/Sgt Roberts, J.H. |
2 668th 43-22378 5H-O A-26B Lt Parkhurst, G.J. Sgt Newman, F. |
3 668th 41-39361 5H-M A-26B Lt Colquitt, J.K. S/Sgt Mohr, C.M. |
| 4 668th 41-39305 5H-U A-26B Lt Harris, F.W. Lt Vars, C.J. Sgt Williford, C.W. |
5 668th 41-39274 5H-S A-26B Lt Tank, F.R. Sgt Harmon, F.B. |
6 668th 43-22495 5H-G A-26C Lt Drum, E.B. Sgt Griffith, J.J., Jr. |
| 1 670th 43-22501 F6-W A-26C Lt Brewster, F.S. Lt Dennis, L.W. Lt Rosenquist, A.E. S/Sgt Clark, W.O. |
2 670th 41-39215 F6-R A-26B Lt Bower, R.S. Sgt Puskas, N.A. |
3 670th 43-22334 F6-G A-26B Capt Borman, H.W. Sgt Perujo, R.J. |
| 4 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Lt Errotabere, M. Sgt Bowie, E.A. |
5 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Wallace, J.F. Sgt Krantz, J.G. |
6 670th 43-22330 F6-P A-26B Lt Chitty, W.D., Jr. Sgt Riggs, P.H. |
| SPARE 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B Lt Herman, A.E. S/Sgt Davis, H.R. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 218 -- March 1, 1945, Thursday AM
Giessen, Germany -- Ordnance and Supply Depot
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
When mission no. 218, the first mission of March, took off in the early afternoon of the first, it was to begin the most active month of our operations and also some of the greatest advance of our Armies on the ground. That first March mission was to attack the Giessen ordnance depot on PPF. No fighters showed up to escort our formation. When the equipment in the PPF plane failed, it attacked the town of Brumm, just over the bombline. The two boxes of our planes, led by Major Dunn, Lts Brewer and Basnett, B-N, and Lt Buskirk, Lts Hanna and Muir, B&N, dropped on the PPF plane. There was no flak.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 220
Mission #218 - 1 March - Giessen Ordnance Depot. Major Dunn with Lts. Brewer and Basnett, BNs, plus Lts. Buskirk with Lts. Hanna and Muir, BNs, led boxes. Lts. Evans and McCartney, BN flew as deputy. Flights were led by Lts. Mish and Shaft, BN and Lts. Brown and Kerns, BN. B-26 PFF pathfinders had to lead the formation due to cloud cover, The PFF equipment failed to operate, and the fighter rendezvous did not connect, so the formation went for the secondary target, just over the bomb line, the town of Brenn and the Eller bridge. No flak or fighters engaged the formation.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The first mission for the month, in which aircraft of this squadron participated, was flown on March 1st. The Giessen Ordnance Depot was attacked. PPF Bombing technique was used.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The Giessen Ordnance Depot in Germany was the target of the 1 March mission which included eight of our crews. Because of PFF failure and the fact that they could not locate their fighter escort, the formation turned back and bombed the secondary target of Brenn with the use of their Gee equipment. No flak was experienced and there were no enemy aircraft encountered. The cloud cover was 10/10.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
March 1st, 1945
Led by Pathfinders, the 416th was slated to hit the Giessen Ordnance Depot on March 1st, 1945. Upon entering the tactical area the PFF ship called the air-ground station, but could not contact it. The fighter escort did not rendezvous, so the PFF led the formation to the secondary target, the Eller rail bridge. The Group dropped on the Pathfinder's Gee, but results were undetermined due to the cloud covering. There were no losses, casualties or battle damages.
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[March 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, March 1, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |