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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 281 -- April 24, 1945, Tuesday PM Landau, Germany Airfield
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 281 -- April 24, 1945, Tuesday PM Landau, Germany Airfield
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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: WU-642257 Secondary Target : No Alternate Targets Authorized Summary of Results : No attack due to Shoran Equipment Failure. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.72362,12.69433 (48° 43' 25" N, 12° 41' 40" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wU642257) (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 # 281 -- April 24, 1945, Tuesday PM
Landau, Germany -- Airfield
| 1 669th 43-22609 2A-N A-26C Maj Shaefer, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. Lt Conner, J.K. S/Sgt Burland, A.J. |
2 669th 41-39362 2A-Y A-26B F/O Swap, F.W. Sgt Santandrea, M. |
3 669th 41-39393 2A-M A-26B Capt Shapard, J.M. S/Sgt McGuire, J.J. |
| 4 669th 43-22304 2A-T A-26C Lt Anderson, C.M. Lt Dant, N.B. S/Sgt Deatherage, J.H. |
5 669th 43-22383 2A-V A-26B Lt Housley, C.H. Lt Britt, J.W. Sgt Block, P.J. |
6 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Harper, R.B. Sgt Black, R.M. |
| 1 671st 43-22498 5C-R A-26C Capt Pair, H.F. Lt Corum, J.L. S/Sgt Swank, O.E. |
2 671st 43-22352 5C-J A-26B Lt Mooney, S. Sgt Schumacher, R.C. |
3 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B Lt Graeber, T.E. S/Sgt Miller, A.H. |
| 4 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt Fero, D.A. S/Sgt Skelton, T.W. Lt Sampson, T.W. [Sampson (Intel)] |
5 670th 41-39286 F6-D A-26B Lt Hlivko, A.E. Sgt Farmer, L.J. |
6 670th 41-39205 F6-M A-26B Lt Price, D.L. S/Sgt Barber, F.E. |
| 1 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Capt Sutton, L.J., Jr. Lt Reed, J.V. S/Sgt Gilliam, D.C. |
2 671st 41-39297 5C-T A-26B Lt Winn, A.J.P. S/Sgt Stephenson, G.G. |
3 670th 41-39564 F6-V A-26B Lt Cocke, J.B. S/Sgt Redding, R.D. Capt Randles, L.P. |
| 4 671st 43-22313 5C-B A-26B Lt Remiszewski, A. S/Sgt Miguez, J.H. Sgt Mirabella, P.A. [Mirabella (4th CCU)] |
5 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Lt Wallman, M. Sgt Hardin, M.F. |
6 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Lt Simpson, R.L. S/Sgt Pompa, P.A. |
| SPARE 668th 43-22385 5H-D A-26B Lt Curtis, J.C. Sgt Mulzet, O.F. |
CAMERA 668th 43-22484 5H-C A-26C Lt Ames, W.H. S/Sgt Richards, D.B. W/O Scheuerman, C.B. Sgt Snider, S.J. [Returned Early One engine out Scheuerman, Snider (4th CCU)] |
| 1 669th 43-22487 2A-J A-26C Lt Blomgren, J.E. Lt Johnson, G.G. S/Sgt Fleming, L.R. |
2 669th 41-39338 2A-O A-26B Lt Martin, E.C. S/Sgt Draft, L.B. |
3 670th 43-22334 F6-G A-26B Lt Dunn, F.G. Sgt Stein, L.C. |
| 4 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Allen, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Veazey, C.W. |
5 669th 41-39229 2A-B A-26B Lt Depner, A.W. S/Sgt Reiter, G.E. |
6 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Poundstone, L.E. Sgt Sumner, W.R., Jr. |
| 1 670th 43-22528 F6-T A-26C Lt Errotabere, M. Lt Wilbur, M.F. S/Sgt Lynch, P.R. |
2 670th 43-22315 F6-L A-26B Lt Ford, R. Sgt Murro, D.J. |
3 668th 41-39233 5H-F A-26B Lt Musgrove, W. S/Sgt Seighman, H.O. |
| 4 670th 43-22320 F6-S A-26B Lt Heinke, W.R. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. |
5 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Maj Conant, H.F. S/Sgt Sgroi, A.P. |
6 670th 41-39232 F6-N A-26B Lt Henson, A.G. Sgt Homler, R.K. |
| 1 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Lt Jacobsen, O.F. F/O Harvest, R.W. S/Sgt Gooch, H.I. |
2 668th 41-39352 5H-J A-26B Lt Roberts, W.H. S/Sgt Bentzler, D.H. |
3 668th 43-22321 5H-T A-26B Lt Carver, J.H. S/Sgt Stewart, A.B. Maj Blackhurst, L.R. [Blackhurst, L.R. (1st AF)] |
| 4 668th 43-22389 5H-X A-26B Lt Phillips, J.P. S/Sgt Fuehrer, W.F. |
5 668th 41-39259 5H-H A-26B Lt Nathanson, A.S. S/Sgt Hicks, C.M. |
6 668th 41-39188 5H-R A-26B Lt Parkhurst, G.J. Sgt Newman, F. |
| SPARE 668th 41-39274 5H-S A-26B Lt Long, R.H. S/Sgt McCarthy, C.J. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 281 -- April 24, 1945, Tuesday PM
Landau, Germany -- Airfield
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Bad weather began to roll in which kept the planes on the ground until the 24th, when the target was a jet fighter field at Landau, near Straubing. Our two boxes were led by two Shoran-equipped aircraft. An equipment failure prevented the Shoran planes from making an attack even after two runs. Our own Gee equipment was inoperative so that the attack was abandoned. A 9/10 cloud cover prevented any visual bombing. This was the first time Shoran, a new method of blind bombing, was employed by the Group. Shoran equipment installed in A-26 Invaders was to replace the older Pathfinder equipment installed in B-26 Marauders.
Major Shaefer (Lts Hand and Connor, B&N) and Lt Blomgren (Lt Johnson, B-N), led the two boxes.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 257
Mission #281 - 24 April - Landau Airdrome. A new blind bombing technique was introduced here today to replace or improve on the PFF equipment used by B-26s in the past. Grinches got into the equipment and after two bomb runs, the formation returned with their bombs. The 9/10th cloud cover called for something other than visual bombing. Since the Sharon didn't function, the usual PFF was tried and that didn't work either. Our own GEE equipment was inoperative, so it too was abandoned. Major Shaefer with Lts. Hand and Conner, BN led Box I with Lt. Blomgren and Lt. Johnson on Box II. Flight leaders included Lt. Errotabere and Lt. Wilbur, BN, Captain Pair and Corum BN, Captain Sutton and Lt. Reed, BN and Lts. Fero and Sampson.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
An attempt was made to use "Shoran" equipment for the first time on the 24th of the month. However, jamming by German radio prevented the equipment from being used. The attack had to be abandoned, and the aircraft returned to the base with their full bomb loads. An airfield for German jet fighters, located at Landau was to have been attacked. Major Shaefer, with Lts. Hand and Conner, led the entire formation. The Second Box was led by Lts. Blomgren and Johnson.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
PFF equipment failure and weather conditions prevented bombing on mission No. 281 to the Landau Airfield on the 24th of April 1945. 7 of our crews were on this mission and this flight was led by Lt. Errotabere and Lt. Wilbur.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
April 24th, 1945
The 416th's first attempt at bombing with A-26 Pathfinders did not meet with successful results as the Invaders failed to bomb on the Landau Airfield 60 miles northeast of Munnich, on April 24th 1945. The 409th Bomb Group furnished the Pathfinder aircraft. Their equipment failed and the ships abandoned the formation. The Gee was weak and visual bombing was impossible due to weather. The group did not receive any battle damage.
The term Shoran applies now to the Pathfinder Invaders. It stands for "short range air navigation".
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[April 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, April 24, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |