Loading List 1, Box I




Loading List 2, Box II
One Camera Aircraft Also Assigned To This Mission




Route Map




Primary Target area around MBS Coordinate (NGZ) wJ573338
Extracted from GSGS-4416/AMS-M641 Sheet S6 - "Hof" 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,
Hof sheet)
(Note: This coordinate and map display represent the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ)
(Annotated Full Map PDF)



Bomb Run Photo
(Lt. Robert S. Bower Combat Journal)

   

Box II -- Flight III (668th Bomb Squadron)
Positions 1, 2, 3 (right image): 5H-Y, 5H-F, 5H-W
Positions 4, 5, 6 (left image): 5H-T, 5H-X, 5H-S

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 # 265 -- April 9, 1945, Monday PM
Saalfeld, Germany -- Marshalling Yards

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

Two boxes took off in the afternoon on another longrange attack on the Saalfeld marshalling yards. The enormous yards were to be attacked by two other Groups of our wing. The yards were again covered with smoke by the time our attack began. Five of the six flights scored excellent to superior results, however, eliminating any possibility of the yards being used in the near future. The bombs blanketed wagons, trucks, and servicing facilities. The engine roundhouse was more than 1/3 destroyed and six engines probably destroyed. Craters were visible in the central section of the sidings where at least 48 engines were derailed and damaged. Besides, 65 goods wagons were destroyed, 35 factory buildings damaged or destroyed, at least 50 hits on the tracks, and 28 on the roads. The other flight, trying to synchronize into the drifting smoke, hit off the edge of the yards. The box leaders were Capt Miller (Lt Connor and F/O Wrubelle, B&N) and Lt Blomgren with Lt Johnson B-N. Lt D.L. Price returned early from the mission. When his gunners'turret would not operate, he called the box leader, but he was unsuccessful. He wobbled his wings and then hit an air pocket. The heavy jolt broke the bomb shackles. His gunner, Sgt J.F. Reicher, reported that the bombs were rolling around in the bomb bay. Although supposedly safe, the arming vane of one of the bombs had begun to revolve. He dropped three bombs in an open field near our base; two of them exploded. The fourth did not fall out. Sgt Reicher crawled in the bomb bay and kicked it out. It was this bomb that had the spinning arming vane. Lt Price then returned safely to base.

"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 249 - 250

Mission #265 - 9 April - PM - Saalfield Marshalling Yard. Two boxes took off in the afternoon on another long range attack on this huge yard. Two other groups were assigned to go in before the 416th. When our boys got there, smoke and haze were present. Two superiors and three excellent ratings were scored by our boys, eliminating the possibility of the yards being used again. The bombs blanketed wagons, trucks, and servicing facilities. The engine roundhouse was 1/3 destroyed and six engines probably destroyed. At least 50 hits on the tracks and 28 on the roads were counted. The box leaders were Captain Miller with Lt. Conner and F/O Wrubelle BN, and Lt. Blomgren with Lt. Johnson BN. Leading flights were Lt. Lackovich and Lt. Muir BN, Captain Tutt and Lt. Orr BN, - Captain Sears and F/O Przwyitowski BN and Lt. Remiszewski and F/O Lehneis. Lt. D. L. Price of the 671 squadron returned early from the mission since his gunner's turret was jammed and unusable. Price tried to contact the box leader, telling him he had to leave, but was unable to raise him on the radio. Price wobbled his wings and then hit an air pocket which jolted his bombs out of their shackles. His gunner, Sgt. J. F. Reicher reported the bombs were rolling around on the closed bay door. The arming vane on one bomb started to turn, getting ready to arm the bomb. Price opened the bomb bay doors and three bombs rolled out on to an open field. The one bomb with the turning arming vane was still left in the plane. Sgt. Reisher crawled in to the open bomb bay and kicked out the arming bomb, undoubtedly saving himself his pilot and the plane from total destruction.

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

The Saalfeld Marshalling Yards were bombed on the afternoon mission of the same day. Visual bombing methods were employed, and excellent results were known to have resulted. Capt. Miller, with Lt. Conner and F/O Wrubelle, led the entire formation in making the attack. Lt. Blomgren, and his B/N Lt. Johnson, led the Second Box of the Formation.

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

Two missions were again flown on 9 April. The morning mission in which 13 aircraft of this squadron flew was to Amberg-Kammersbruck Ordnance Depot. Smoke from previous bombing covered target and prevented observation of results. The afternoon mission was an attack on Saalfield Marshalling Yard with 6 of this squadron's crews on the mission. Excellent to Superior results were obtained. On this day one of the Bombardier-Navigators that came with this group overseas Lt. Alfred H. Maltby, left for the 70th Reinforcement Depot and the beginning of his trip back to the States.

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

April 9th, 1945

Turning in expert bombing results on two targets, the 416th Bomb Group rained tons of Incendiaries and 1000 pound GPs on the Amberg-Kummersbruck Ordnance Depot and the Saalfeld Marshalling Yard in the morning and evening of April 9th, 1945.

In the morning the 416th was the fourth Group to drop the firebombs on the Ordnance Depot. Smoke covered the entire area, but the Invaders' bombs hit in the center of the target with excellent results. Parts of the huge depot, which were not already on fire, were promptly set ablaze by the wave of 416th A-26s.The depot is (or was) located 36 miles east of Nurnberg.

The target was bombed to destroy small arms that could be used to supply Nazi guerilla gangs expected to resist in southern Germany. Flak was not encountered and all crews returned in tact.

Two superiors and three excellents were scored out of a possible six in the afternoon when the A-69ers struck at the Saalfeld Marshalling Yard, 26 miles southeast of Erfurt in the late afternoon. The junction of main lines, the yard included 60 sidings. Buildings were set afire, rail lines were cut and railway cars were destroyed and damaged. Lt. Lackovich and Lt. Muir chalked up an excellent on this target with their bombs falling in the center of the yard and Capt. Tutt and Lt. Orr scored a superior, with the center of their bomb bursts just 250 feet from the desired main point of impact. Again flak was nil and all crews returned safely.

[April 9, 1945], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, April 9, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress

Previous Mission # 264            Mission List            Next Mission # 266

Return to Table of Contents