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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 237 -- March 17, 1945, Saturday AM Altenkirchen, Germany Road Junction
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 237 -- March 17, 1945, Saturday AM Altenkirchen, Germany Road Junction
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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-934319 Secondary Target : Westerburg Summary of Results : Unobserved due to cloud cover. Three Window A-26's. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.68655,7.64376 (50° 41' 12" N, 7° 38' 38" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wF934319) (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 # 237 -- March 17, 1945, Saturday AM
Altenkirchen, Germany -- Road Junction
| 1 670th 43-22501 F6-W A-26C Lt Rooney, R.J. Lt Kirk, R.L. Lt Moore, D.L. Sgt Kamischke, R.J. |
2 669th 43-22487 2A-J A-26C Lt Blomgren, J.E. Lt Johnson, G.G. S/Sgt Fleming, L.R. |
3 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Lt Chitty, W.D., Jr. Sgt Riggs, P.H. |
| 4 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt Barausky, P.P. S/Sgt Hall, M. |
5 670th 41-39205 F6-M A-26B Capt Borman, H.W. Pfc Finnell, D.O. |
6 670th 43-22320 F6-S A-26B Lt O'Brien, J.V. Sgt Wright, H.T. |
| 1 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Capt Stanley, C.S. F/O Blount, J.H., Jr. S/Sgt Collier, C.B. |
2 668th 41-39305 5H-U A-26B Lt Harris, F.W. S/Sgt Fuehrer, W.F. S/Sgt Williford, C.W. |
3 669th 43-22354 2A-S A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. S/Sgt Gandy, R.S. |
| 4 668th 43-22389 5H-X A-26B Lt Cannon, L.E. S/Sgt Brzezinski, E.P. |
5 668th 41-39274 5H-S A-26B Lt Nathanson, A.S. Sgt Kaminski, C.J. |
6 668th 43-22495 5H-G A-26C Lt Phillips, J.P. Sgt Miller, W.A. |
| 1 668th 43-22523 5H-N A-26C Capt Evans, H.M. Lt McCartney, T.M. Lt Freed, D.R. S/Sgt Merritt, O.N., Jr. Maj Lewis, E.R. [Lewis (95th Div)] |
2 668th 41-39259 5H-H A-26B Lt Colquitt, J.K. S/Sgt Mohr, C.M. |
3 668th 43-22321 5H-T A-26B Lt Kenny, J.P. S/Sgt Metzler, L.V. |
| 4 668th 41-39213 5H-A A-26B Lt McCready, T.D. S/Sgt Lemonds, W.E. |
5 668th 41-39325 5H-L A-26B Lt Drum, E.B. S/Sgt Euga, P.G. |
6 668th 41-39264 5H-I A-26B Lt Lackner, R.J., Jr. Sgt Musarra, A.J. |
| SPARE 668th 41-39233 5H-F A-26B Lt Turman, A.R. S/Sgt Leahigh, L.L. |
| 1 670th 43-22528 F6-T A-26C Maj Ferris, C.H. Lt Royalty, P.G. Lt Koch, O.R. S/Sgt Majewski, S.J. |
2 671st 43-22490 5C-X A-26C Lt Lackovich, J.J. Lt Muir, R.C. S/Sgt Connery, T.F. |
3 671st 41-39237 5C-D A-26B Lt Musgrove, W. S/Sgt Licker, M. |
| 4 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Errotabere, M. Sgt Lynch, P.R. |
5 670th 41-39215 F6-R A-26B Lt Stankowski, J.F. Sgt Vellinga, J.R. |
6 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B Lt Wallace, J.F. Sgt Krantz, J.G. Sgt Richards, D.B. |
| 1 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Lt Cornell, R.H., Jr. Lt Enman, R.E. Sgt Reid, K.A. |
2 669th 43-22381 2A-Q A-26B F/O Swap, F.W. Sgt Meliniotis, N. |
3 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Allen, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Veazey, C.W. |
| 4 669th 43-22304 2A-T A-26C Lt Jordan, C.S. Lt Mulgrew, R.P. S/Sgt Jensen, K.F. |
5 669th 41-39263 2A-G A-26B Lt Haskell, R.W. Sgt Martin, G.A. |
6 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Dunn, F.G. Sgt Pikel, J.M. |
| 1 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Capt Pair, H.F. Lt Corum, J.L. S/Sgt Fessler, H.S. Capt Chidley, H.W. [Chidley (Weather)] |
2 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Capt Sutton, L.J., Jr. Lt Reed, J.V. S/Sgt Gilliam, D.C. |
3 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B Lt Fero, D.A. S/Sgt Rojas, A.A. |
| 4 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Lt Henderson, F.W. S/Sgt Johnson, R.J. |
5 671st 43-22352 5C-J A-26B Lt Jokinen, W.R. Sgt McNellis, D.E. |
6 671st 43-22419 5C-Z A-26B Lt Wright, J.R. Sgt Simon, D.O. |
| SPARE 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Lt Turner, E.O. S/Sgt Sienkiewicz, J., Jr. |
| 1 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Lt Jacobsen, O.F. F/O Harvest, R.W. Lt Martin, R.L. S/Sgt Gooch, H.I. S/Sgt Roberts, J.H. |
2 670th 43-22334 F6-G A-26B Lt Depner, A.W. S/Sgt Gillespie, R.H. S/Sgt Fair, V.F. |
3 668th 41-39361 5H-M A-26B Lt Kreh, E.B. Sgt Stewart, A.B. S/Sgt Graham, N.M. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 237 -- March 17, 1945, Saturday AM
Altenkirchen, Germany -- Road Junction
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
A day of rest followed this mission, but on the next day, the 17th, the attack was continued with even more vigor. Two more missions were flown. The first target was a road junction at Altenkirchen. An almost solid cloud cover hung over the target and there was no flak. PPF equipment failed so Gee equipment was used. Results were unobserved. Lt Rooney, Lts Kirk and Moore, B&N, and Major Ferris, Lts Royalty and Koch, B&N, led our boxes.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 227
Mission #237 - 17 March - Alten Kirchen Road Junction. Lts.
Rooney with Lts. Kirk and Moore, BNs led Box I. Major Ferris
and Lts. Royalty and Koon, BNs on Box II. A solid cloud moved
in over the target, PFF was used. No enemy action was experienced.
On March 17 Major General Anderson from Ninth
Bomber Command sent this message to the 416th Bomb Group.
Please inform all crews that examination of
approximately 25 Reconnaissance sorties flown on
14 and 15 March reveals that the large number of
PFF missions flown by the 9th Bomb Division (M)
during February and March were extremely effective.
Approximately 90 percent of targets attacked
were hit. Damage ranged from moderate to severe.
Patterns on the ground reveal that a majority of formations
were excellent and that groups did an excellent
job of bombing on PFF lead. This is extremely
gratifying to me and a source of great credit to all
concerned in view of the adverse weather conditions
under which most of these missions were flown and
difficulties encountered with PFF signals. I realize
the adverse effect of bombing blind with no knowledge
of how much you are hurting the enemy. I hope
the knowledge that on these blind missions you hurt
him plenty will be the same shot in the arm that the
sight of a bridge you have put in the water is.
Anyway, the results are grand and I'm proud of you
all.
There are four men from the front lines living with the
group now, to learn what mission flying is all about. They feel
the experience is spectacular.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
No mission was flown on the 16th of the month, but on the morning of the 17th, the Altenkirken Road Junction was the target for the attack. Almost complete cloud cover necessitated the use of blind bombing technique. Lt. Blomgren, with Lt. Johnson, flew in the deputy formation leader's position. The second flight of the second box was lead by Lts. Cornell and Enman.
The Bad Homburg Marshalling Yards were the targets for attack in the afternoon of the same day. Cloud cover caused the formation to scatter, with the result that Montabear was bombed instead of the primary target. Lt. Col. Napier led the second flight of box I, while Capt. Miller was in the lead position of the third flight of the same box.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Two attacks were made on 17th March, one on the Altenkirchen Communication Center and one on the Bad Homburg Marshalling yards. Both of these missions were led by pathfinder aircraft and results were unobserved. Twelve of our crews were on the first mission and eight on the second.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
March 17th, 1945
Dense clouds covered up the battlefronts on March 17th and the 416th went back to their Pathfinder bombing, hammering the Altenkirchen Communication Center in the morning and the Bad Homburg Marshalling Yard in the afternoon. Both targets are located in the Ruhr. In each instance the formations dropped on the Pathfinders' Gee equipment. Bad weather snafued the afternoon mission however. The formation was late on the bomb run and the ground station signaled the PFF to hold its bombs. The group scattered so the first flight went to the briefed secondary and dropped with the PFF ship. The second and third flights of this box proceeded to another briefed secondary and dropped on Gee there. Meanwhile the second box seeing the Pathfinder fail to bomb proceeded to Wailburg. Two flights and two ships of the third flight dropped on Gee at that target, while the other four airplanes became entirely lost and dropped at four different targets. There were no losses, casualties or battle damage.
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[March 17, 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 17, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |