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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 240 -- March 18, 1945, Sunday PM Kreuztal, Germany Marshalling Yards
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 240 -- March 18, 1945, Sunday PM Kreuztal, Germany Marshalling Yards
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Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 43 Total -- 41 A-26's, 2 B-26's (PFF) Modified British System Reference: G-183617 Secondary Target : Suitable Alternate Authorized Summary of Results : 3 ships dropped Window, Bombing results Unobserved due to 10/10s clouds. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.95430,7.99777 (50° 57' 15" N, 7° 59' 52" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wG183617) (See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information.) |
Route Map
Loading List 1,
Box I
With Three Additional Window Mission Aircraft
Loading List 2, Box II
Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 240 -- March 18, 1945, Sunday PM
Kreuztal, Germany -- Marshalling Yards
| 1 669th 43-22304 2A-T A-26C Lt Col Napier, J.G. Lt Moore, D.L. Lt Mulgrew, R.P. Sgt Arendt, E.A. |
2 670th 43-22501 F6-W A-26C Lt Grunig, D.B. Lt Morris, B.C. S/Sgt Friday, L.R. |
3 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Anderson, C.M. Sgt Gilbert, C. |
| 4 669th 43-22496 2A-L A-26C Capt Sommers, H.L. S/Sgt McGaughy, W.S. |
5 669th 41-39362 2A-Y A-26B Lt Smith, B.A. Sgt Wilson, R.P. |
6 669th 41-39263 2A-G A-26B Lt Haskell, R.W. Sgt Lea, E.W. |
| 1 671st 43-22490 5C-X A-26C Lt Brown, C.J. Lt Kerns, J.E. S/Sgt Sunderland, H.E. |
2 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Capt Tutt, R.J. Lt Orr, L.A. Sgt Schwartzapel, D. |
3 671st 43-22419 5C-Z A-26B Lt Withington, D.L. S/Sgt McElhattan, L.D. |
| 4 671st 43-22326 5C-W A-26B Capt Nielsen, L.C. Pvt Elliott, E.R. |
5 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Capt Hixon, S.M. S/Sgt Hinson, A.H. |
6 671st 43-22313 5C-B A-26B Lt Hlivko, A.E. Sgt Graub, R.E. |
| 1 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Lt Buskirk, J.A. Lt Hanna, R.C. S/Sgt Fessler, H.S. |
2 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B Lt Milhorn, G.L. S/Sgt Davis, H.R. |
3 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Lt Mooney, S. Sgt Buckley, W.C. |
| 4 671st 41-39332 5C-P A-26B Lt Gary, J.C. Sgt Stypenski, V.S. |
5 669th 41-39314 2A-H A-26B Capt Moore, Z.R. S/Sgt Johnson, R.J. S/Sgt Kruger, C.J. |
6 668th 41-39325 5H-L A-26B Lt Wright, J.R. Sgt Simon, D.O. |
| SPARE 669th 43-22351 2A-F A-26B Lt Willard, J.A. Lt Britt, J.W. S/Sgt Hinker, C.V. |
| 1 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Capt Sutton, L.J. Lt Reed, J.V. Sgt Goldberg, L. Sgt Miller, A.H. |
2 671st 41-39297 5C-T A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. S/Sgt Gandy, R.S. S/Sgt Roberts, J.H. |
3 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Lt Wright, J.W. S/Sgt VanGalder, D.W. S/Sgt Robinson, J.W. |
| 1 669th 43-22487 2A-J A-26C Capt Miller, E.L. Lt Conner, J.K. F/O Wrubelle, W.M. S/Sgt Floyd, C.F. |
2 670th 43-22503 F6-X A-26C Lt Jacobsen, O.F. F/O Harvest, R.W. Lt Martin, R.L. Sgt Pettinicchi, A. |
3 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt VanRope, R.W. Sgt West, N.D. |
| 4 670th 43-22507 F6-Q A-26C Capt DuFault, W.F. F/O Cardinale, O.A. S/Sgt Vorce, K.E. |
5 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Smith, D.E. S/Sgt Kirik, S.J. |
6 669th 41-39393 2A-M A-26B F/O Swap, F.W. Sgt Santandrea, M. |
| 1 670th 43-22469 F6-A A-26C Lt Hall, R.B. F/O Goss, T.L. S/Sgt Jackson, W.S. |
2 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Bower, R.S. Sgt Riggs, P.H. |
3 670th 43-22330 F6-P A-26B Lt Musgrove, W. S/Sgt Seighman, H.O. |
| 4 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Lt Warren, J.R. S/Sgt Turpin, S.J. |
5 670th 43-22334 F6-G A-26B F/O Boerner, S.B. S/Sgt Basile, A.C. |
6 668th 41-39274 5H-S A-26B Lt Chitty, W.D. S/Sgt Leahigh, L.L. |
| 1 668th 43-22523 5H-N A-26C Capt Stanley, C.S. F/O Blount, J.H. S/Sgt Collier, C.B. Col Aylesworth, T.R. |
2 668th 43-22389 5H-X A-26B Lt Cannon, L.E. S/Sgt Brzezinski, E.P. |
3 668th 41-39305 5H-U A-26B Lt Roberts, W.H. S/Sgt Hood, A.R. |
| 4 668th 43-22495 5H-G A-26C Lt McCready, T.D. S/Sgt Lemonds, W.E. |
5 668th 43-22385 5H-D A-26B Lt Drum, E.B. Sgt Schwartzkopf, J.R. |
6 668th 41-39264 5H-I A-26B Lt Zeimet, L.R. Sgt Sereno, F.L. |
| SPARE 669th 41-39338 2A-O A-26B Lt DuBose, M.W. S/Sgt Griffin, D.L. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 240 -- March 18, 1945, Sunday PM
Kreuztal, Germany -- Marshalling Yards
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Appalled yes, but none the less determined, two boxes led by PPF planes took off that afternoon to attack the Krentzel marshalling yards. The second box attacked the target on PPF without incident. The PPF plane of the first box pulled away on the bomb run without attacking. Gee equipment and Channel "B" in the lead plane of the first box was not operating, so he told the leader of the second flight to take over, Lt C.J. Brown. Lt Brown's Gee equipment was jammed too. He called "Bullseye" and asked to be vectored to the target. After flying headings for an hour, Lt Brown's Gee equipment began to work and he went in to bomb the target on Gee. This box encountered weak, inaccurate flak at the bomb line out. Cloud cover, ranging from 9 to 10/10, extended over enemy territory. The boxes were led by Lt Col Napier, Lts Miller and Mulgrew, B&N, and Captain Miller, Lts Connor and Wrubbelle, B&N.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 232 - 233
Mission #240 - 18 March - PM - Kreutztel Marshalling Yard. Lt. Col. Napier with Lts. Miller and Hulgrew BNs and Captain Miller with Lts. Conners and Wrubbelle, BN led the two boxes. The 671st squadron furnished four flight leader teams for this mission, including: Captain Tutt and Lt. Orr, BN, - Captain Sutton and Lt. Reed, BN, - Lts. Buskirk and Hanna, BN, - Lts. Brown and Kerns, BN. The lead PFF plane did not drop, calling for the second flight BN team to take over. The Gee equipment of the second team, Lts. Brown-Kerns Gee equipment did not function so they failed to drop. Brown called "Bullseye" for a vector to the target and after flying for about an hour got back to the target and bombed on GEE which started to work again. Weak inaccurate flak met them on the bombline. The second box dropped on PFF with no problem, but results were not determined.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Misfortune reached out to the 669th once more on the 18th of the month. In making an attack on the Worms Communications Center, the aircraft piloted by Lt. Cornell was hit by heavy anti-aircraft artillery fire. The aircraft was seen to be descending, under control, with the right engine afire. The right wing was seen to break off, and the aircraft was believed to have crashed near Johennesburg. Beside Lt. Cornell, Lt. Enman and S/Sgt. Carter were reported missing in action. Capt. Stebbins and Lt. Calloway led the second flight of the second box in the attack. Excellent results were obtained despite the intensive enemy defenses. Lt. Col. Napier, with Lts. Moore and Mulgrew, led the formation on the afternoon mission of the same day. Capt. Miller flew in the lead position of box II. He had Lt. Conner and Flight Officer Wrubelle flying with him to bomb and navigate. The target was the Kreutzel Marshalling Yard. Blind bombing technique had to be employed because of the cloud cover.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
In the afternoon of 18 March the Kreutztal Marshalling Yards were attacked. The formation went in without fighter cover but met no enemy opposition except weak inaccurate flak.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
March 18th, 1945
The 416th Bomb Group encountered another "Bloody Sunday" on March 18th with the loss of four ships and crews over the target area...the Worms Communication Center. The A-26s were dispatched in the morning with a Pathfinder lead, but the skies were clear over the target and bombing was done visually as the flak gunners threw up everything but the kitchen sink. The Group made their second run of the day in the afternoon against the Kreutzal Marshalling Yard, bombing this time by Pathfinder with the protection of a cloud cover.
The 671st Bomb Squadron suffered on the morning mission when Lt. William R. Jokinen and his gunner, S/Sgt.Edward J. Creeden, were shot down over the target. No chutes were seen and the ship was followed to the ground where it exploded. This was Lt. Jokinen's 17th mission and Creeden's 10th . The pair joined the Squadron on October 1st, 1944. Captain Cornell, Lt. Vars and Lt. Kinney and their crews were also lost.
Attacking in anticipation of a possible enemy withdrawal from the "Saarbrucken squeeze" of the U.S. Third and Seventh Armies, the 416th and five other Ninth Bomb Division Groups hit at Worms on the west bank of the Rhine River. Despite the treacherous flak, the 416th turned in a good job of bombing. Box I received a good with bombs dropping in the center of the town. Bombs of the first flight in the second box hit in the marshalling yard and on an overpass. Due to evasive action no photos were available on the second flight, but visual observation reports state excellent results.
The bomb pattern for the final flight could not be picked up on the strike photos. Besides the four ships shot down, 23 planes were battle damaged.
In the afternoon the 416th shifted its attack to the Cologne sector where the clouds were thick and heavy and the flak nil. The Invaders, led by Pathfinder, dropped on the Kreustal Marshalling Yard located at a junction of two main lines leading north from the Giessen-Cologne rail line. Traffic at this rail center had increased greatly in recent weeks. Results were unobserved.
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[March 18, 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 18, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |