Loading List 1, Box I
(Intel Copy)




Loading List 1, Box I
(Operations Copy)
(Same Information As Above, But Includes Annotations)




Route Map




Primary Target area around MBS Coordinate (NGZ) wG735527
Extracted from GSGS-4416/AMS-M641 Sheet R3 - "Marburg" 1:100:000 Military Topographic Map
(Downloaded from Map Archive of Wojskowy Instytut Geograficzny 1919 - 1939,
GSGS 4416 / AMS M641, 651, 671 Germany, Poland, Middle Danube 1:100,000,
Marburg sheet)
(Note: This coordinate and map display represent the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ)
(Annotated Full Map PDF)

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.

Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 252 -- March 24, 1945, Saturday PM
Colbe, Germany -- Railroad Bridge

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

As our planes returned to the field, overhead, C-47 Dakotas and gliders were heading eastward to participate in the mass offensive, after rallying over Laon. Our crews reported even more C-47's and gliders in the target area as they made their attack. At that time, there was report of any landing of our troops on the east bank of the Rhine. Within two hours, the world heard the news that the Rhine had been crossed both in the north by our airborne troops and in the south by General Patton's Third Army.

The second mission of the day took off while our troops were pushing across the Rhine to attack a railroad bridge north of the town of Colbe. The bombs of at least one flight were centered on the bridge. The others fell close by. The east side of the bridge was severely damaged and the bridge was now unserviceable. Some of the bombs landed in the woods and caused violent explosions; the railroad tracks and roads were cut. Only one box, led by Major Shaefer, Lts. Hand and Reeves, B&N, made the attack.

"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 240

Mission #252 - 24 March - PM - Colbe Railroad Bridge. Major Shaefer with Lts. Hand and Reeves, BNs leading the only box of 24 planes. Bombing just ahead of our forces, but to keep the enemy from using the bridge. The bombing scored an excellent, one superior one good and one unsatisfactory. One flight landed its load right on the center of the bridge. Railroad tracks and roads were damaged. Lt. Lackovich and Lt. Muir led a flight.

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

In a dawn attack on the 24th, which was coordinated with the "big push" of the ground forces, our aircraft attacked flak positions east of the Town of Bocholt. Lt. Jordan, with Lt. Mulgrew, were assigned to attack a flak position a short distance from the primary target. They achieved excellent results with their bombing. Lts. Blomgren and Johnson were in the leading aircraft of the second flight of the first box, while Lts. Turner and McGivern led the third flight of the same box. Capt. Sommers, with Lt. Vollmayer, led the "window" flight.

On the afternoon of the 24th, while the Allied Ground Forces were surging across the Rhine River, an attack was make [made] on the Colbe R.R. Bridge. Flight Officer Cardinale's bombing was rated gross. He did not pick out the aiming point until late in the bomb run, and was not synchronized at the release point. Capt. Dufault was the pilot of the aircraft. Other flights attained excellent results and left the bridge in an unserviceable condition.

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

A long awaited push by the ground forces started on 24 March and the group took off in a dawn attack to cooperate in the move. This attack was on flak positions at the Ihling Kamps area in Germany.

Excellent bombing results were achieved with the 260 lb fragmentation bombs. Flak resistance was intense but inaccurate. As our airplanes returned to the base the sky was filled with C-47's towing gliders, which were heading eastward to participate in the mass offensive. That afternoon our planes went out again to attack the Colbe Rail Bridge. Six of our crews took part with good to superior results.

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

March 24th, 1945

The 416th made it eight missions in two days as the Ninth Bomb Division continued to drop tons of explosives on the battered area north of the Ruhr. The climaxing blow was made in the morning as eleven groups dropped frags on flak positions near Bocholt, north of the Ruhr at a point just two miles east of the German-Holland border. Each group had a different gun sight. As a whole, results were undetermined, although some crews reported direct hits on the guns. No flak was encountered and all crews returned safely.

In the afternoon the 416th shifted the offensive east and south of the Ruhr Valley, smashing at the Colbe Railroad Bridge, 20 miles north of Giessen. After dispatching a maximum effort mission in the morning just four flights were sent out in the afternoon. An excellent, superior, and a good were scored against on unsatisfactory. Lt. Lackovich and Lt. Muir were credited with a good on their bombing.

Bombing of this bridge and two other nearby spans is part of a continuing program to keep the entire Ruhr Valley isolated from the rest of Germany. There were no losses, casualties or battle damage.

Lt. William H. Ames finished both of his gunners up on the morning mission. He let them both reach 50 and then took one up front and the other in the turret for Number 51. They are S/Sgt. Robert J.Brown and S/Sgt. Herman S. Fessler, who joined the 671st with Lt. Ames back in June 1944.

[March 24, 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 24, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress

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