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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 256 -- March 28, 1945, Wednesday AM Ebrach, Germany Oil Storage Depot
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 256 -- March 28, 1945, Wednesday AM Ebrach, Germany Oil Storage Depot
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Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 40 Total -- 38 A-26's, 2 B-26's (PFF) Modified British System Reference: O-001420 Secondary Target : Walldurn (N-180115) Summary of Results : Unobserved due to weather. 29 a/c attacked Primary, 4 attacked Casual at N-540220, 2 Wurzberg (N-590370) Casual, 1 Walldurn (N-108115) Secondary. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 49.84461,10.52205 (49° 50' 41" N, 10° 31' 19" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wO001420) (See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information. Note: This coordinate represents the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ) |
| Date | Report |   |
A/C Serial # Type |
Mis- sion # |
Bomb Sq |
Location | Personnel (Status when available) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 1945 Wednesday |
MACR 13520 |
|
43-22495 A-26C |
256 | 668 | Ebrach, Germany | Gunkel, Harry Gerhard (MIA, KIA)
Grzona, LeRoy J. (MIA, KIA) |
= Entries having actual Reports available for review. = Entries having additional Images or Photos.)Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 256 -- March 28, 1945, Wednesday AM
Ebrach, Germany -- Oil Storage Depot
| 1 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Maj Shaefer, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. Lt Reeves, F.A., Jr. S/Sgt Fuehrer, W.F. |
2 669th 43-22304 2A-T A-26C Lt Jordan, C.S. Lt Mulgrew, R.P. S/Sgt Jensen, K.F. |
3 668th 41-39335 5H-W A-26B Lt Wright, J.W. S/Sgt VanGalder, D.W. |
| 4 668th 43-22385 5H-D A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. S/Sgt Gandy, R.S. |
5 668th 41-39325 5H-L A-26B Lt Tank, F.R. Sgt Harmon, F.B. |
6 668th 43-22378 5H-O A-26B Lt Zeimet, L.R. Sgt Sereno, F.L. |
| 1 670th 41-39398 F6-Q A-26B Lt Hall, R.B. F/O Goss, T.L. S/Sgt Jackson, W.S. |
2 670th 43-22330 F6-P A-26B Lt Stankowski, J.F. Sgt Vellinga, J.R. |
3 670th 43-22315 F6-L A-26B Lt Turman, A.R. S/Sgt Harmon, C.D. |
| 4 670th 41-39205 F6-M A-26B Lt Bishop, E.G. S/Sgt Torres, I. S/Sgt Ottaviano, J.O. |
5 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Balch, W.M. Cpl Brennan, J.D. |
6 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt O'Brien, J.V. Sgt Corey, F.E. |
| 1 670th 43-22469 F6-A A-26C Lt Heinke, W.R. Lt Rosenquist, A.E. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. |
2 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Maj Conant, H.F. S/Sgt Hummer, J.A. |
3 670th 41-39564 F6-V A-26B Lt Chitty, W.D., Jr. S/Sgt Burns, D.E. |
| 4 670th 41-39232 F6-N A-26B Lt Downing, W.E. Sgt Neal, D.E., Jr. |
5 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Lt Curtis, J.C. Sgt Mathews, J.M. |
6 670th 41-39212 F6-K A-26B Capt Borman, H.W. Sgt Perujo, R.J. |
| SPARE 668th 41-39274 5H-S A-26B Lt Prucha, L.J. S/Sgt Kochan, S.J. |
| 1 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Capt Evans, H.M. Lt McCartney, T.M. Lt Myrold, H.E. S/Sgt Merritt, O.N., Jr. |
2 671st 43-22498 5C-R A-26C Capt Tutt, R.J. Lt Orr, L.A. Sgt Wood, W.D. |
3 668th 43-22495 5H-G A-26C F/O Gunkel, H.G. Sgt Grzona, L.J. [M.I.A. Last seen on bomb run as formation entered overcast] |
| 4 671st 41-39297 5C-T A-26B Lt Colquitt, J.K. S/Sgt Lemonds, W.E. |
5 668th 41-39188 5H-R A-26B Lt Long, R.H. S/Sgt Pauker, J.L. |
6 668th 41-39233 5H-F A-26B Lt Lackner, R.J., Jr. Sgt Fidler, W.H. |
| 1 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Capt Sommers, H.L. Lt Kupits, J. S/Sgt Heath, K. |
2 669th 43-22381 2A-Q A-26B Lt Martin, E.C. Sgt Sumner, W.R., Jr. |
3 669th 43-22496 2A-L A-26C Lt Depner, A.W. Sgt Fair, V.F. |
| 4 669th 41-39338 2A-O A-26B Lt DuBose, M.W. S/Sgt Griffin, D.L., Jr. |
5 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Wills, P.W. S/Sgt Bookach, M. |
6 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Housley, C.H. Sgt Block, P.J. |
| 1 671st 43-22490 5C-X A-26C Lt Lackovich, J.J. Lt Muir, R.C. S/Sgt Connery, T.F. |
2 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Lt Fero, D.A. F/O Langsam, R.L. S/Sgt Skelton, T.W. |
3 671st 41-39360 5C-L A-26B Lt Withington, D.L., III S/Sgt McElhattan, L.D. |
| 4 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Capt Hixon, S.M. S/Sgt Hinson, A.H. |
5 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Lt Edstrom, L.W. Sgt Pompa, P.A. |
6 671st 43-22352 5C-J A-26B Lt Wright, J.R. Sgt Ruskiewich, J.J. |
| SPARE 668th 41-39264 5H-I A-26B Lt Blevins, J.W. Sgt Gentry, F., Jr. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 256 -- March 28, 1945, Wednesday AM
Ebrach, Germany -- Oil Storage Depot
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
The fine weather began to cloud up and on the 27th, no mission took off. However, on the 28th, one mission was run even though the weather was extremely bad. Thirty-eight planes attempted to bomb the oil storage depot at Ebrach. Trying to get through the overcast, the formation split up. Two PPF planes were leading the two boxes. Twenty-nine planes dropped on the PPF plane. Gee fixes indicated poor results with the bombs hitting far east of the target. Four planes attacked a railroad and autobahn crossing on Gee equipment when they became separated from the formation. Two planes bombed near Wurzburg. One plane dropped near Waalchern; one, over enemy territory, but the location was not determined. One plane, with a crew of F/O H.G. Gunkel and Sergeant L.J. Grzona, disappeared from the formation and is unaccounted for. The crew is listed as MIA. It was last seen going through the overcast at the start of the bomb run. Major Shaefer, Lts. Hand and Reeves, B&N, and Capt. Evans, with Lts. McCartney and Myrold, B&N, led the two boxes.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 242
Mission #256 - 28 March - Ebrach Fuel Depot. Complete cloud cover caused 38 planes to become separated climbing through the overcast. PFF planes led the boxes. Twenty-nine planes bombed on PFF signal, with bombs falling east of the target. Four planes attacked a railroad and an autobahn crossing. Two planes dropped their bombs near Wurzburg. F/O H. G. Gunkel and gunner Sgt. L. J. Grzpna went down, unaccounted for. Their plane was last seen going down through the overcast at the start of the bomb run. They are listed as MIA. Major Shaefer, Lts. Hand and Reeves, BNs with Captain Evans and Lts McCartney and Myrold BNs led boxes. Captain Tutt, Lt. Orr BN, and Lt. Fero and F/O Langsan BN led flights. There were no battle damages to the formation.
"668th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
On 28 March, Flight Officer Harry G. Gunkel and his gunner Sgt LeRoy J. Grzona became lost from the formation while returning from a combat mission through heavy clouds, and were not again seen. Both men were reported Mission in Action.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Bad weather on the 28th of the month required that PPF aircraft be used to lead on the bomb run. The assigned target was an oil storage depot at Erbach [Ebrach]. The flight led by Capt. Sommers and Lt. Kupits became separated, in the overcast, from the rest of the formation. This flight bombed a railroad and "autobahn" crossing with the use of "gee" equipment.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
An oil storage depot at Erbach [Ebrach], Germany, was hit on the 28th of March. The results of this mission were unobserved due to bad weather. Twelve of our crews took part.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
Oil storage depots ahead of the American offensive were hit by Ninth Bomb Division on March 28 1945. The 416th dropped their one hundred-pound bombs on the depot at Ebrach with unobserved results. The mission was run by Pathfinder, through rough weather. F/O Gunkel of the 668th Squadron spun in coming out of the overcast and is missing. Box I bombed on ETA and Box II on Gee. There was no flak or battle damage.
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[March 28, 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 28, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |