9th AF Patch

416th Bombardment Group (L)

Mission # 235 -- March 14, 1945, Wednesday PM

Nieder-Marsberg, Germany

Railroad Bridge

 

 WWII-Medal

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Summary of Operations

Field Order        : 204-791
OpRep #            : 345
Nature of Mission  : Bombing
Mission Status     : Attacked
Bombing Altitude   : 11,000 - 12,000 feet 		Take-off Time      : 1316
Time Over Target   : 1521 - 1532
Landing Time       : 1706
Duration (Hrs:Min) : 3:50
 

Place of Take-Off  : A-69 Laon/Athies, France
A/C Dispatched     : 29 Total -- 28 A-26's, 1 B-26 (PFF)
Modified British System Reference: B-783196
Secondary Target   : Dillenburg Marshalling Yards or Bad Schwalbach (G-396365 or M-240720)
Summary of Results : NAO-EXC (AMPI) - NAO - EXC (AMPI). 3 Window a/c, 19 attacked Primary target, 6 attacked Casual bridge between Gierhagen and primary target.

Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 51.46990,8.86433 (51° 28' 12" N, 8° 51' 52" E)
(Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) rB783196)
(See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information. Note: This coordinate represents the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ)


Scanned original Mission 235 documents (multipage PDF files)

Mission Folder       Reports Folder       OpRep # 345       Fuel Use

If nothing happens on Click, check to see if the PDF file was automatically saved to your computer. Depending on Internet speed, the display or download may be slow.
These Public Domain, Declassified Mission documents were graciously provided to the 416th BG Archive by the dedicated staff of the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA).
An on-line index of records held by AFHRA up to 2001 is available at Air Force History Index.org.
Most of these PDF files are unaltered originals provided by the AFHRA, a few have been re-organized.
Pages may be out of sequence; files may contain scanned blank pages and/or pages scanned upside-down; some pages may be included in more than one file.
The "Mission Folder" usually contains the majority of documents for a Mission, including Field Orders, Status Reports, Pilot Interrogations, Photos (if available), etc.



Loading List 1

Loading List 1, Box I
with Three Additional Window Mission Aircraft


Loading List 2

Loading List 2, Box II


Route Map

Route Map


Target Topo Map

Primary Target area around MBS Coordinate (NGZ) rB783196
Extracted from GSGS-4416/AMS-M641 Sheet Q3 - "Paderborn" 1:100:000 Military Topographic Map
(Downloaded from Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection - Army Map Service Topographic Map Series,
Central Europe, Series M641, 1:100,000, U.S. Army Map Service, 1943-,
Paderborn sheet)
(Note: This coordinate and map display represent the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ)
(Annotated Full Map PDF)

Mission Loading Lists Transcription

Mission # 235 -- March 14, 1945, Wednesday PM
Nieder-Marsberg, Germany -- Railroad Bridge

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.

Box I -- Flight I
  1  668th                   
  43-22523  5H-N  A-26C
  Capt Evans, H.M.
  Lt McCartney, T.M.
  Lt Shaft, R.E.
  S/Sgt Skeens, C.L.
  Col Aylesworth, T.R.		   2  669th                   
  43-22487  2A-J  A-26C
  Lt Blomgren, J.E.
  Lt Johnson, G.G.
  S/Sgt Bookach, M.
  		  3  668th                   
  41-39361  5H-M  A-26B
  Lt Kenny, J.P.
  Sgt Sittarich, J.J.
  Maj Lewis, E.R.
  [Lewis (II Armored Div)]
 
  4  668th                   
  41-39213  5H-A  A-26B
  Lt Cannon, L.E.
  S/Sgt Brzezinski, E.P.
  S/Sgt Anderson, H.W.
  [Anderson (II Armored Div)]
  		  5  668th                   
  41-39259  5H-H  A-26B
  Lt Tank, F.R.
  Sgt Harmon, F.B.
 
  		  6  668th                   
  43-22385  5H-D  A-26B
  Lt Parkhurst, G.J.
  Cpl Young, J.B.
 
 

Box I -- Flight II
  1  669th                   
  43-22521  2A-N  A-26C
  Capt Stebbins, B.D.
  Lt Calloway, A.S.
  Lt Reeves, F.A., Jr.
  S/Sgt Brown, W.J.		   2  669th                   
  43-22351  2A-F  A-26B
  Lt Willard, J.A.
  Sgt Hinker, C.V.
 
  		  3  669th                   
  41-39271  2A-R  A-26B
  Lt Anderson, C.M.
  Sgt Gilbert, C.
 
 
  4  669th                   
  43-22354  2A-S  A-26B
  Lt DuBose, M.W.
  S/Sgt Griffin, D.L., Jr.
  S/Sgt Ottaviano, J.O.
  		  5  669th                   
  43-22353  2A-V  A-26B
  Lt Depner, A.W.
  Sgt Gillespie, R.H.
 
  		  6  669th                   
  41-39314  2A-H  A-26B
  Lt Smith, D.E.
  S/Sgt Kirik, S.J.
  Capt Eastlake, D.E.
  [Retd Early Oil Leak Eastlake (II Armored Div)]
 

Box I
  SPARE  668th               
  41-39274  5H-S  A-26B
  Lt Long, R.H.
  Sgt McCarthy, C.J.
 
  		                                                           

Box I -- Flight WINDOW
  1  670th                   
  43-22469  F6-A  A-26C
  Lt Popeney, H.V.
  Lt Fry, C.F.
  S/Sgt Arnett, W.E.
  Sgt Langley, T.R.
  Lt Cappel, S.C.
  [Cappel (Infantry)]		   2  668th                   
  41-39264  5H-I  A-26B
  Lt Miller, J.H.
  S/Sgt Huss, C.F.
  Sgt Helt, A.
  		  3  670th                   
  43-22334  F6-G  A-26B
  Lt Graeber, T.E.
  Sgt Miller, A.H.
  Sgt Fidler, W.H.
 


Box II -- Flight I
  1  670th                   
  43-22528  F6-T  A-26C
  Lt Rooney, R.J.
  Lt Kirk, R.L.
  Lt McNutt, M.C.
  S/Sgt Caudell, S.R.		   2  670th                   
  43-22507  F6-Q  A-26C
  Lt Heinke, W.R.
  Lt Rosenquist, A.E.
  S/Sgt VanWert, G.R.
  		  3  670th                   
  41-39215  F6-R  A-26B
  Capt Gruetzemacher, R.O.
  S/Sgt Majewski, S.J.
 
 
  4  670th                   
  41-39416  F6-O  A-26B
  Lt Barausky, P.P.
  Pvt Wilson, B.R.
 
  		  5  670th                   
  41-39223  F6-B  A-26B
  Lt Stankowski, J.F.
  Sgt Mulzet, O.F.
 
  		  6  670th                   
  43-22307  F6-N  A-26B
  Lt Turman, A.R.
  S/Sgt Leahigh, L.L.
 
 

Box II -- Flight II
  1  671st                   
  43-22498  5C-R  A-26C
  Capt Pair, H.F.
  Lt Corum, J.L.
  S/Sgt Fessler, H.S.
  		  2  671st                   
  43-22497  5C-E  A-26C
  Capt Tutt, R.J.
  Lt Germana, A.G.
  Sgt Wood, W.D.
  		  3  671st                   
  43-22356  5C-C  A-26B
  Lt Edstrom, L.W.
  Sgt Gurkin, C.W., Jr.
  Capt Lundberg, G.B.
  [Lundberg (Infantry)]
 
  4  671st                   
  43-22313  5C-B  A-26B
  Capt Hixon, S.M.
  S/Sgt Hinson, A.H.
 
  		  5  671st                   
  43-22352  5C-J  A-26B
  Lt Cocke, J.B.
  Sgt Redding, R.D.
  Sgt Miller, H.K.
  		  6  671st                   
  41-39209  5C-M  A-26B
  Capt Moore, Z.R.
  Sgt Goldberg, L.
  Pfc Stagman, R.R.
  [Stagman (Infantry)]
 

Box II
  SPARE  670th               
  41-39224  F6-E  A-26B
  Lt Ford, R.
  Sgt Thompson, C.J.
 
  		                                                           


Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 235 -- March 14, 1945, Wednesday PM
Nieder-Marsberg, Germany -- Railroad Bridge


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

Continuing this aerial offensive to isolate the Ruhr Valley, a railroad bridge at Nieder-Marsburg was the target on the 14th. Heavy haze in the target area and similarity of terrain made the bridge difficult to identify. One flight blanketed the approach to the bridge while others fell across roads and buildings south of the bridge. One flight misidentified the target and bombed another railroad bridge, 3 1/2 miles southwest of the target. Their bombs blanketed one of the approaches to the bridge. Capt Evans, Lts McCartney and Shaft, B&N, led the first box; Lt Rooney, Lts Kirk and McNutt, B&N, the second.


"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
 Page 226

Mission #235 - 14 March - Neider-Marsburg Railway Bridge. Captain Evans with Lts. McCanney and Shaft, BNs and Lts. Rooney with Kirk and McNutt, BNs were up front on the boxes. Other flights were led by Captain Pair and Lt. Corum, BN, and Captain Tutt with Lt. Germana, BN. This is the first mission in a very long time that did not require PFF leadership. Visual bombing, even though a heavy haze resulted in an excellent pattern destroying the bridge and its approaches. One flight misidentified the target and bombed another bridge instead of the primary, with good results. No flak met the group, all returning to base unharmed.


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

The Wieder-Marsburg [Nieder-Marsberg] R.R. Bridge was attacked, by the use of visual bombing equipment. A ground haze obscured the area. Another bridge, approximately 3 1/2 miles from the primary target was attacked by Capt. Stebbins and Lt. Calloway and their flight. This flight scored excellent results in the attack.


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

Excellent results were achieved on 14 March when the Nieder Marsburg railway bridge was bombed through heavy haze. Eight of our crews took part.


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

March 14th, 1945

After almost a month or more of Pathfinder-led missions the 416th went out to bomb visually on March 14th, 1945. The target was the double span Rail Bridge at Nieder Marsburg, 60 miles east of Dortmund over the Rohr River. A heavy haze cut down the effectiveness of the bombing, but of the four flights sent out, two received excellents. Capt. Pair and Lt. Corum chalked up on of those excellents. Their bombs fell in an excellent pattern across the railroad. Flak was not encountered and all the ships and crews returned safely.



[March 14, 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 14, 1945
World War II Military Situation Maps Collection
Library of Congress

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