 |
416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 221 -- March 4, 1945, Sunday PM Huls, Germany Marshalling Yards
|
 |
Previous Mission # 220 Mission List Next Mission # 222 Return to Table of Contents
|
416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 221 -- March 4, 1945, Sunday PM Huls, Germany Marshalling Yards
|
|
Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 22 Total -- 21 A-26's, 1 B-26 (PFF) Modified British System Reference: A-614408 Secondary Target : Aalten (A-205712) Summary of Results : Visual observations good, No photo coverage. 3 a/c dropped Window. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 51.66444,7.17927 (51° 39' 52" N, 7° 10' 45" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) rA614408) (See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information. Note: This coordinate represents the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ) |
| Date | Report |   |
A/C Serial # Type |
Mis- sion # |
Bomb Sq |
Location | Personnel (Status when available) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4, 1945 Sunday |
No_Report | 43-22354 A-26B |
221 | 669 | A-69 Laon/Athies, France | Hackley, Robley H. (Not Injured)
Koons, H. A. (Bailed out, Not Injured) |
= Entries having actual Reports available for review. = Entries having additional Images or Photos.)Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 221 -- March 4, 1945, Sunday PM
Huls, Germany -- Marshalling Yards
| 1 669th 43-22521 2A-N A-26C Capt Stebbins, B.D. Lt Calloway, A.S. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt Brown, W.J. |
2 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Lt Blomgren, J.E. Lt Johnson, G.G. S/Sgt Bookach, M. |
3 669th 43-22354 2A-S A-26B Lt Hackley, R.H. Sgt Koons, H.A. |
| 4 669th 43-22381 2A-Q A-26B Capt Behlmer, R.L. S/Sgt McClain, H.B. |
5 669th 41-39263 2A-G A-26B Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. Sgt Brinkman, E.R. |
6 669th 43-22344 2A-C A-26B Lt Smith, D.E. S/Sgt Floyd, C.F. |
| 1 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Lt Andersen, C.J., Jr. Lt Babbage, W. S/Sgt Euga, P.G. |
2 668th 43-22385 5H-D A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. S/Sgt Felkel, J.W. |
3 668th 43-22389 5H-X A-26B Lt Cannon, L.E. S/Sgt Robinson, J.W. |
| 4 668th 41-39305 5H-U A-26B Lt Harris, F.W. Sgt Williford, C.W. |
5 668th 43-22495 5H-G A-26C Lt Evarts, A.V. Cpl Fagan, C.D. |
6 668th 43-22321 5H-T A-26B Lt Tank, F.R. Cpl Sereno, F.L. [Landed at A-93] |
| 1 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Lt Brown, C.J. Lt Kerns, J.E. S/Sgt Sunderland, H.E. |
2 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Capt Sears, A.C. M/Sgt Wells, J.J. |
3 671st 41-39300 5C-K A-26B Lt VanNoorden, H.M. S/Sgt Hinson, A.H. |
| 4 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Capt Hixon, S.M. Sgt Schmidt, K.W. |
5 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Lt Eastman, D.M. S/Sgt Johnson, R.J. [No Sortie Returned Early. Could not keep up with formation] |
6 671st 41-39297 5C-T A-26B Capt Moore, Z.R. S/Sgt Helton, C. |
| SPARE 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt Anderson, C.M. Sgt Gilbert, C. |
| 1 668th 43-22481 5H-P A-26C Maj Price, R.F. Lt Shaft, R.E. S/Sgt Fetko, C., Jr. S/Sgt Roberts, J.H. |
2 671st 43-22313 5C-B A-26B Capt DuFault, W.F. S/Sgt Vorce, K.E. S/Sgt Arendt, E.A. |
3 669th 43-22351 2A-F A-26B Lt Turner, D.O., Jr. S/Sgt Reyes, M.R. S/Sgt McGuire, J.J. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 221 -- March 4, 1945, Sunday PM
Huls, Germany -- Marshalling Yards
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
On the 4th, marshalling yards at Huls were attacked on PPF. There were openings in the clouds, which permitted observations. Crews reported hits in the north choke point and in the middle of the yards. Through these same holes, enemy gunners were able to spot the formation. Weak and inaccurate flak was encountered at the target and on the turn off, but there was no battle damage. Weather became worse as the planes returned. Coming down through the overcast, Lt Hackley's plane went momentarily out of control. His gunner, Sargeant Koons, bailed out although he had not been told to do so. The gunner landed safely near Charleroi. Lt Hackley brought the plane under control and landed it safely at our base. Only one box, led by Capt Stebbins, Lts Calloway and McQuade, B&N, made the attack.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 221
Mission #221 - 4 March - Huls Marshalling Yard. Captain Stebbins and Lts. Calloway and McQuade, BNs led the only box making this mission. Major Price with Lt. Shaft BN flew as window droppers. Other flight leaders were Lts. Anderson and Babbage, BN, plus Lts. Brown and Kerns, BN. The mission was supposed to be with PFF but an opening in the clouds permitted the bombardiers to see what they were aiming at. This opening also gave the antiaircraft gunners something to see and shoot at, with weak inaccurate flak. On the way back to base, the weather thickened up and descent was through clouds. Lt. Hackley of the 669th had his plane go out of control momentarily, and his gunner bailed out without having received instructions to do so. He parachuted in the area of Charleroi. Hackley was able to fight his plane and brought it under control to land safely at base.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
On March 4th, Capt. Stebbins led one box of aircraft in an attack on the Huls Marshalling Yards. Lt. Calloway served as his Bombardier-Navigator. Bombing was done with the aid of PPF equipment. An opening in the clouds permitted observation of the bombing results. Strikes were seen on the North Choke Point and in the center of the yards. While descending through the overcast, on the return trip, Lt. Hackley's airplane went into a tight spiral. Sgt. Koons, who was flying as gunner, bailed out, because he thought the aircraft was out of control. The pilot succeeded in pulling the airplane out of the spiral and returned safely to base. Sgt. Koons landed safely near Charleroi, Belgium.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The Huls Marshalling Yard was bombed with excellent results on 4 March. The formation bombed on pathfinder and went into the target without fighter escort. Weak inaccurate flak was met at the bomb line and continued on into the target.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
March 4th, 1945
Again bombing by Pathfinder the A-69 Invaders hammered the Lesaerbeck Marshalling Yard on March 4th, 1945. Flak was nil and all crews returned. Results were unobserved due to the heavy cloud cover.
|
[March 4, 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 4, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |