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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 31 -- April 27, 1944, Thursday PM Arras, France Marshalling Yards (S.1686)
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 31 -- April 27, 1944, Thursday PM Arras, France Marshalling Yards (S.1686)
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 36 Total -- 32 A-20G's, 4 A-20J's Target Operational Number: Z 436 Illustration : S 1686/4 Illustration Ref : 044013 Secondary Target : Tourcoing Marshalling Yards (S5785) (Z835) Summary of Results : Box 1 - Very Good Box 2 - Poor Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.28218,2.77276 (50° 16' 56" N, 2° 46' 22" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on Google Maps, Visual match to Strike Photo) (See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information. Note: This coordinate represents the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ) |
Video clip extracted from 4th Combat Camera Unit (4th CCU) silent movie film showing April 27, 1944 416th BG Mission #31, Arras, France Marshalling Yards.
Film was photographed by 4th CCU Cameraman Sgt Robert A. Wolber, flying in A/C 43-10135, Box I, Flight I, Position 2.
This clip was extracted by Wayne Sayles from the complete original film available from U.S. National Archives, "9TH AIR FORCE A-20 STORY", Local Identifier: 18-CS-1510.
Duration (Min:Sec): 1:14
Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 31 -- April 27, 1944, Thursday PM
Arras, France -- Marshalling Yards (S.1686)
| 1 668th 43-9640 5H-Z A-20J Maj Price, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. S/Sgt Simpson, D.H. T/Sgt Robbins, L.G. |
2 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Capt Clark, R.A. Lt Jones, C.W. S/Sgt Nicks, R.W. Sgt Wolber, R.A. [Wolber (4th CCU)] |
3 668th 43-9223 5H-F A-20G Lt Bartmus, G.F. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. |
| 4 668th 43-9379 5H-G A-20G Lt Ebenstein, G.N. S/Sgt Perkins, H., Jr. S/Sgt Bankston, R., Jr. |
5 668th 43-9360 5H-S A-20G Lt Cruze, R.K. S/Sgt Love, C.F. S/Sgt Adair, F.L. |
6 668th 43-9377 5H-W A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. |
| 1 668th 43-9745 5H-I A-20G Lt Shaefer, R.F. S/Sgt Judd, E.R., Jr. S/Sgt Fejes, J.A., Jr. |
2 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Ritchie, S.B., Jr. S/Sgt Newkirk, A.W., Jr. S/Sgt Anderson, E.A. |
3 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Miracle, R.V. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. |
| 4 668th 43-9893 5H-P A-20G Lt Poindexter, R.D. S/Sgt Hall, A.A. S/Sgt Shaw, L.R. |
5 668th 43-9684 5H-K A-20G Lt Kreh, E.B. S/Sgt Kelly, E.E. S/Sgt Coe, W.H. |
6 669th 43-9214 2A-C A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Damico, E.A. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. |
| 1 670th 43-9439 F6-J A-20J Lt McNulty, G.M. Lt Bursiel, F.H. S/Sgt White, H.E. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F. |
2 670th 43-9696 F6-G A-20G Lt Shea, D.F. S/Sgt Stobert, R.F. S/Sgt Glynn, F.P. |
3 670th 43-9387 F6-H A-20G Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
| 4 670th 43-9207 F6-B A-20G Lt Ostrander, W.B. S/Sgt Wilson, J.E. S/Sgt Binney, I. |
5 670th 43-9386 F6-W A-20G Lt McBride, L.R. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. Sgt Palmer, T.A. |
6 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt Monroe, H.A. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. S/Sgt Risko, S. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt Atkinson, P.G., Jr. S/Sgt Glynn, P.F. Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr. |
| 1 671st 43-9914 5C-X A-20J Capt Dunn, L.F. Lt Arrington, H.T. T/Sgt Larronde, F.H. S/Sgt Lempka, H.A. |
2 671st 43-10129 5C-I A-20J Lt Marzolf, L.A. Lt Jedinak, A. S/Sgt Wellin, H.E. S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G. |
3 671st 43-9714 5C-N A-20G Lt Hixon, S.M. S/Sgt Best, H.T. S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R. |
| 4 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt DeMand, F.W. S/Sgt Middleton, C.W. Cpl Troyer, R.J. |
5 671st 43-9225 5C-G A-20G Lt Cowgill, G.W. S/Sgt Foster, H.A. S/Sgt Rust, E.W. |
6 671st 43-9724 5C-W A-20G Lt Cole, H.P. S/Sgt Chvatal, F.R. S/Sgt Fandre, B.G. |
| 1 669th 43-9181 2A-A A-20G Lt Morton, R.J. S/Sgt Coffey, G.L. S/Sgt Citty, F.M. |
2 669th 43-9211 2A-C A-20G Lt Shainberg, N.V. S/Sgt Bresnak, J.D. S/Sgt Cope, G.F. [No Sortie] |
3 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Behlmer, R.L. S/Sgt Kelly, W.J. S/Sgt Ferguson, W.G. |
| 4 669th 43-9376 2A-O A-20G Lt Peck, W.A. S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E. S/Sgt Kelton, H.E. [Not Airborne] |
5 669th 43-9226 2A-E A-20G Lt Connor, J.S. S/Sgt Alden, S.F. S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L. |
6 669th 43-9189 2A-P A-20G Lt DeMun, E.E. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O. |
| 1 670th 43-9200 F6-A A-20G Capt Huff, M.J. S/Sgt Thompson, J.B. S/Sgt Hatch, H.F. |
2 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt MacManus, P.F.E., Jr. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. Capt McClellan, A. |
3 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Wing, J.S. |
| 4 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Lt Sommers, H.L. S/Sgt Nielsen, A.L. S/Sgt Fields, W.E. [Not Airborne] |
5 670th 43-9978 F6-S A-20G Capt Conant, H.F. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Orr, J.R. |
6 670th 43-9689 F6-I A-20G Lt Smith, R.H. S/Sgt Adams, V.P. Sgt Falk, F.G. |
| SPARE 669th 43-9717 2A-N A-20G Lt Rudisill, R.S. S/Sgt Bonamo, A.J. S/Sgt Eutsler, R.J. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 31 -- April 27, 1944, Thursday PM
Arras, France -- Marshalling Yards (S.1686)
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Ending our longest sustained drive against the foe, we flew two missions on the 27th. The Marshalling Yards at Monceau-Sur-Sambre was protected by .7 to .8 cloud cover in the morning which prevented any bombing. In the afternoon, however, our 36 aircraft completely battered the Marshalling Yards at Arras. A roundhouse, the aiming point, was demolished. Major Price with Lt. Hand, B/N, and Captain Dunn with Lt. Arrington B/N, led the two boxes.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 56
Mission #31 - 27 April - PM - Arras Marshalling Yard. Major
Price and Lt. Hand, BN with Captain Dunn and Lt. Arrington,
BN led boxes. This was the first mission with bombs shackled
under the wings. As expected, some speed was lost and maneuverability
was impaired somewhat, but they worked. Lt. Marzolf
and Jedinak participated in blasting the aiming point. The main
engine shed in this large marshalling yard was demolished and
the extra bombs on all planes created a good strike pattern, with
planes in close position. RAF Spitfires escorted our bombers,
and kept enemy attackers away from the formation.
Bad weather grounded all planes, although the group
took off early on 28 April but got recalled before they got too far
due to inclement weather over Europe. Bad weather the next day
kept everybody busy at the base, including more training, no
missions.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Two missions on the 25th of April, one on the 26th, and two on the 27th brought about the attacks on one noball target, a coastal battery at St Pierre du Mont, the Louvain Marshalling yards, the Monceau Sur Sambre marshalling yards and the Arras marshalling yards. Forty-five sorties were accomplished on these missions, concluding a busy but gratifying three days for the squadron.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
The 416th Bomb Group went back to the mashalling yards at Aras again in the afternoon and managed to drop most of the bombs on the target. However, the wing racks showed up faulty and at frequent intervals on the return trip a 500 lb. bomb would fall off. One exploded 200 yards from the control tower at Gossfield, over which the formation flew. No one was believed to have been injured in this slip-up, however, one English house is known to have been bombed off the English countryside.
Landfall was made at Trouqueville at which point the ground defenses threw up a little light flak which did not reach the formation. On the bomb run a four gun emplacement opened up on the formation, but caused no damage. Bombing results were good. The ships left France between Calais and Dunkerque.