416th BG Mission 240

Field Order        : 211-802
OpRep #            : 349a
Nature of Mission : Bombing
Mission Status     : Attacked
Bombing Altitude   : 11,600 - 11,800 feet

Take-off Time      : 1430
Time Over Target   : 1601 - 1708
Landing Time       : 1825
Duration (Hrs:Min) : 3:55

Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France
A/C Dispatched : 41 Total -- 41 A-26's
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.)

Mission # 240 -- March 18, 1945, Sunday PM
Kreuztal, Germany -- Marshalling Yards

Box I -- Flight I
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.

Box I -- Flight II
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.

Box I -- Flight III
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.

Box I
SPARE 669th 43-22351 2A-F A-26B Lt Willard, J.A. Lt Britt, J.W. S/Sgt Hinker, C.V.

Box I -- Flight WINDOW
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.

Box II -- Flight I
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.

Box II -- Flight II
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.

Box II -- Flight III
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.

Box II
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.