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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 254 -- March 25, 1945, Sunday PM Fulda, Germany Marshalling Yards
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 254 -- March 25, 1945, Sunday PM Fulda, Germany Marshalling Yards
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Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 37 Total -- 37 A-26's Modified British System Reference: H-383178 Secondary Target : Idstein or Nidda (N-379800 or G-905024) Summary of Results : Two Superior, four Excellent scores. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.54365,9.68976 (50° 32' 37" N, 9° 41' 23" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wH383178) (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 # 254 -- March 25, 1945, Sunday PM
Fulda, Germany -- Marshalling Yards
| 1 670th 43-22469 F6-A A-26C Maj Ferris, C.H. Lt Royalty, P.G. Lt McNutt, M.C. S/Sgt Rio, D.J. |
2 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Capt Tutt, R.J. Lt Orr, L.A. Sgt Schwartzapel, D. |
3 670th 41-39205 F6-M A-26B Lt Bishop, E.G. S/Sgt Hummer, J.A. Sgt Richards, D.B. |
| 4 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Lt Singletary, R.B. S/Sgt Ricketson, J.J. [Not Airborne Engine cut out on take-off] |
5 670th 41-39564 F6-V A-26B Lt Balch, W.M. Cpl Brennan, J.D. |
6 670th 41-39232 F6-K A-26B Lt O'Brien, J.V. Sgt Wright, H.T. |
| 1 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Capt Stanley, C.S. F/O Blount, J.H., Jr. S/Sgt Collier, C.B. |
2 668th 41-39233 5H-F A-26B Lt Roberts, W.H. S/Sgt Hood, A.R. |
3 668th 43-22495 5H-G A-26C Lt Zeimet, L.R. S/Sgt Geyer, J.F. |
| 4 668th 43-22378 5H-O A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. S/Sgt Gandy, R.S. |
5 668th 41-39259 5H-H A-26B Lt Nathanson, A.S. Sgt Hicks, C.M. |
6 669th 41-39263 2A-G A-26B F/O Gunkel, H.G. Sgt Fidler, W.H. |
| 1 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Capt Evans, H.M. Lt McCartney, T.M. S/Sgt Skeens, C.L. |
2 669th 41-39314 2A-H A-26B Lt Blevins, J.W. Sgt Gentry, F., Jr. |
3 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Phillips, J.P. Sgt Miller, W.A. |
| 4 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt Laseter, W.H. S/Sgt Kochan, S.J. |
5 671st 43-22326 5C-W A-26B Lt Tank, F.R. Sgt Musarra, A.J. |
6 669th 41-39362 2A-Y A-26B Lt Long, R.H. S/Sgt Rivard, C.J. |
| SPARE 670th 43-22315 F6-L A-26B Lt Stankowski, J.F. Sgt Vellinga, J.R. |
| 1 670th 43-22501 F6-W A-26C Lt Brewster, F.S. Lt Dennis, L.W. F/O Conley, F.J. S/Sgt Clark, W.O. |
2 669th 43-22304 2A-T A-26C Lt Turner, D.O., Jr. Lt McGivern, P.J. S/Sgt Reyes, M.R. |
3 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Wallace, J.F. S/Sgt Turpin, S.J. |
| 4 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Lt Turner, E.O. S/Sgt Sienkiewicz, J., Jr. |
5 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt Curtis, J.C. S/Sgt Jackson, W.S. |
6 670th 43-22330 F6-P A-26B F/O Boerner, S.B., Jr. Cpl Showers, M.W. |
| 1 671st 43-22490 5C-X A-26C Lt Lackovich, J.J. Lt Muir, R.C. Cpl Barry, R.M. |
2 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Lt Edstrom, L.W. Sgt Pompa, P.A. |
3 671st 41-39360 5C-L A-26B Lt Withington, D.L., III S/Sgt Huss, C.F. |
| 4 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Capt Sears, A.C. M/Sgt Wells, J.J. |
5 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B Lt Graeber, T.E. S/Sgt Davis, H.R. |
6 671st 41-39328 5C-D A-26B Lt Wright, J.R. Sgt Simon, D.O. |
| 1 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Capt Sommers, H.L. Lt Kupits, J. S/Sgt Reiter, G.E. |
2 669th 43-22351 2A-F A-26B Lt Depner, A.W. Sgt Fair, V.F. |
3 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Anderson, C.M. S/Sgt Deatherage, J.H. Sgt Snider, S.J. [Snider (4th CCU)] |
| 4 669th 41-39338 2A-O A-26B Lt DuBose, M.W. S/Sgt Walters, J.H. W/O Scheuerman, C.B. [Scheuerman (4th CCU)] |
5 669th 43-22381 2A-Q A-26B Lt Housley, C.H. S/Sgt Hodgson, A.T. S/Sgt Kruger, C.J. |
6 669th 43-22383 2A-V A-26B Lt Wills, P.W. S/Sgt Bookach, M. |
| SPARE 671st 41-39297 5C-T A-26B Lt Turman, A.R. Sgt Neal, D.E., Jr. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 254 -- March 25, 1945, Sunday PM
Fulda, Germany -- Marshalling Yards
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
That afternoon, one of our most successful missions was flown. Two boxes of 37 aircraft attacked the very important and heavily trafficked marshalling yard at Fulda, a key point for the transfer of supplies and equipment to German troops facing General Patton's bridgehead. Two Superiors and four Excellents were scored. Violent explosions indicated that the yards contained ammunition or fuel. One hundred and twenty-five freight cars were destroyed or damaged; 47 hits were scored on the tracks; eight hits on the railroad overpass probably destroying it; there were ten hits on railroad workshops, 23 on other buildings, and 15 on roads, cutting them. Major Ferris, Lts. Royalty and McNutt, B&N, and Lt. Brewster, with Lt. Dennis and F/O Conley, B&N, led this successful mission.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 241
Mission #254 - 25 March - PM - Fulda Marshalling Yard. Two boxes of 37 aircraft attacked this very important and heavily trafficked marshalling yard, a key point for the transfer of supplies and equipment to German troops facing General Patton's bridgehead. Major Ferris with Lts. Royalty and McNutt BNs and Lt. Brewster with Lt. Dennis and F/O Conley led the boxes. Violent explosions indicated that the yards contained ammunition or fuel. One hundred and twenty five freight cars were destroyed or damaged, 47 hits were counted on the tracks, eight hits on the railroad overpass, destroying it, plus there were ten hits on railroad workshops. 23 on other buildings and 15 on roads, cutting them. All these hits attest to the bomb scoring of two superiors and four excellents.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
An attack, on the Road Junction at Altenkirken, was made on the morning of March 25th. The formation was led by Capt. Miller, with Lts. Conner and Johnson as Bombardier and Navigator. The second box was under the leadership of Capt. Stebbins and Lt. Calloway. Excellent bombing results were obtained.
Capt. Sommers and Lt. Kupits led the third flight of the second box on the afternoon mission of the same day. They attained excellent results when bombing the Fulda Marshalling Yards. These yards were a key supply point for German troops facing Lt. General Patton's bridgehead. Third Army troops were advancing very rapidly.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The second mission of the day was an attack on the Fulda Marshalling Yard in Germany, in which eleven 670th crews participated. This target was a very important and heavily trafficked marshalling yards. It was a key point for the transfer of supplies and equipment to German troops facing General Patton's bridgehead. Excellent to superior results were achieved. Violent explosions on the target indicated fuel and ammunition trains were hit. Enemy fighters were reported but did not attack. The two boxes were led by Major Ferris and Lt Brewster. 74 tons of 1,000 pound bombs were dropped. Lt Royalty finished his tour of combat duty on this mission and did a superior job of bombing.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
March 25th, 1945
General AndersonĘs forces shifted the attack to the central sector of the Western Front in a new aerial offensive with the main weight directed against marshalling yards on the main lines out of Frankfurt and communication centers east of the Ramagen bridgehead. For the fifth straight day the 416th Bomb Group chalked up two missions.
Forty-eight aircraft were dispatched in the morning against Altenkirchen east of Ramagen. The bombers met varying degrees of flak in and around the target and 22 of the ships received battle damage. One ship made a crash landing near Trier, but the crew reported safe. Results ranged from undetermined to excellent. Photos were not available on a number of flights because of evasive action off the target. Crews reported the bombs hitting in the town however.
Crystal-clear skies over the Fulda Marshalling Yard enabled the 416th bombardiers to score two superiors and four excellents as the bombers covered the yard with thousand pound eggs. Lt. Lackovich and Lt. Muir chalked up one of the two superiors. The bombs from their flight blanketed the railroad tracks with the center of the burst just 100 feet from the DMPI. Twenty goods wagons were damaged or destroyed and an overpass was hit.
All in all, the six flights just about wiped out the yard and its contents. There were no loses, casualties or battle damage.
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[March 25, 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 25, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |