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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 32 -- April 30, 1944, Sunday AM Bonnieres, France NOBALL (XI/A/85)
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 32 -- April 30, 1944, Sunday AM Bonnieres, France NOBALL (XI/A/85)
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 39 Total -- 30 A-20G's, 7 A-20J's, 2 A-20J's (410 BG) Target Operational Number: Z 3096 Illustration : A/85/5 Illustration Ref : 030035 Summary of Results : Box 1 - Poor Box 2 - Dropped bombs 1/4 to 1/2 mile to the right of target Box 3 - Good Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.24722,2.26528 (50° 14' 50" N, 2° 15' 55" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on V1 Sites, BONNIERES LB55) (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 # 32 -- April 30, 1944, Sunday AM
Bonnieres, France -- NOBALL (XI/A/85)
| 1 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Maj Campbell, M.W. Lt Palin, W.H. S/Sgt Prindle, C.A. S/Sgt Citty, F.M. |
2 669th 43-9450 2A-S A-20J Capt Clark, R.A. Lt Jones, C.W. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. S/Sgt LaNave, O.D. |
3 410th BG 43-10143 A-20J Lt Col Hughey Capt Dunn Sgt Cody Sgt Chandler [(410th BG A/C and Crew)] |
| 4 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Siggs, W.C. Sgt Radlich, N. S/Sgt Nicks, R.W. |
5 669th 43-9226 2A-E A-20G Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. T/Sgt Kelly, W.J. S/Sgt Ferguson, W.G. |
6 669th 43-9189 2A-P A-20G Lt Gullion, A.W., Jr. S/Sgt Coffey, G.L. S/Sgt Webb, C.L. |
| 1 669th 43-9717 2A-N A-20G Lt Morton, R.J. S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E. S/Sgt Kelton, H.E. |
2 669th 43-9673 2A-I A-20G Lt Dontas, P. S/Sgt Nielsen, A.L. S/Sgt Fields, W.E. |
3 669th 43-9376 2A-O A-20G Lt Hewes, H.E., Jr. S/Sgt Kasper, J.F. S/Sgt Boyer, H.E. |
| 1 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt DeMand, F.W. S/Sgt Middleton, C.W. Sgt Troyer, R.J. |
2 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Durante, A.R. S/Sgt Best, H.T. S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R. |
3 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt Greenley, R.E. S/Sgt Worden, H.C. S/Sgt Rzepka, J.J. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Merchant, W.A. S/Sgt Harp, C.J. S/Sgt Brown, K.P. |
| 1 668th 43-9640 5H-Z A-20J Capt Battersby, W. Lt Lytle, W.M. S/Sgt Love, C.F. S/Sgt Adair, F.L. |
2 670th 43-9439 F6-J A-20J Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Maltby, A.H. S/Sgt Kelly, E.E. S/Sgt Coe, W.H. |
3 410th BG 43-9913 A-20J Maj Parrot Lt Jones S/Sgt Noren Sgt Pitts [(410th BG A/C and Crew)] |
| 4 668th 43-9182 5H-B A-20G Lt Bradford, B.H. S/Sgt Hill, A.A. S/Sgt Simpson, D.H. |
5 668th 43-9684 5H-K A-20G Lt Kleopfel, M.E., Jr. S/Sgt Damico, E.A. T/Sgt Robbins, L.G. |
6 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Ritchie, S.B., Jr. S/Sgt Newkirk, A.W., Jr. S/Sgt Perkins, H., Jr. |
| 1 668th 43-9745 5H-I A-20G Lt Siracusa, L.J. S/Sgt Hume, J.N. S/Sgt Brown, F.E. |
2 668th 43-9379 5H-G A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. |
3 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Capt Prentiss, R.B. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. |
| 1 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Lt McNulty, G.M. Lt Bursiel, F.H. S/Sgt White, H.E. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F. |
2 670th 43-9387 F6-H A-20G Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
3 670th 43-9892 F6-L A-20G Lt Gruetzemacher, R.O. S/Sgt Stobert, R.F. S/Sgt Glynn, F.P. |
| SPARE 670th 43-9680 F6-R A-20G Lt Hillerman, J.P. S/Sgt Gossett, J.D. S/Sgt Miller, R.L. |
| 1 671st 43-10129 5C-I A-20J Maj Price, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. Sgt Shaw, L.R. Capt McClellan, A. |
2 671st 43-9914 5C-X A-20J Lt Platter, E.T. Lt Basnett, R.J. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. Sgt Czech, J.L. |
3 668th 43-9963 5H-N A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. |
| 4 670th 43-9207 F6-B A-20G Lt Harrold, F.J., Jr. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. Sgt Maziasz, C.W. |
5 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt Leonard, T.J. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. Sgt Palmer, T.A. |
6 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt McBride, L.R. Sgt Colbert, W.F. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. |
| 1 669th 43-9211 2A-C A-20G Lt DeMun, E.E. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O. |
2 669th 43-9181 2A-A A-20G Lt Land, W.H. S/Sgt Alden, S.F. S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L. |
3 669th 43-9679 2A-R A-20G Lt Connor, J.S. S/Sgt Bresnak, J.D. S/Sgt Cope, G.F. |
| 1 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Marzolf, L.A. S/Sgt Wellin, H.E. S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G. |
2 671st 43-9956 5C-Z A-20G Lt Adams, J.D. Sgt Clearman, P.L., Jr. Sgt Zeikus, A.J. |
3 671st 43-9714 5C-N A-20G Lt Cowgill, G.W. S/Sgt Foster, H.A. S/Sgt Rust, E.W. |
| SPARE 668th 43-9377 5H-W A-20G Lt Bartmus, G.F. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 32 -- April 30, 1944, Sunday AM
Bonnieres, France -- NOBALL (XI/A/85)
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Missions no. 32 and 33 were flown on the last day of the month. In the morning three boxes led by Major Campbell, Captain Battersby, and Major Price scored good results against NOBALL Target at Bonnieres. The 39 aircraft dispatched dropped 1515 x 500 G.P. bombs. Finishing the month in a blaze of glory, excellent results were achieved in the late afternoon attack on the Busigny Marshalling Yards. Major Meng with Lt. Powell, B/N, and Captain Dunn with Lt. Arrington, B/N, led the two boxes which dropped 38 tons of bombs along 400 yards of the main target area. Lt. Renth was forced to land on an auxillary field along the coast after a hair-raising trip across France at low-level on one engine. Hitting an obstruction on the landing strip the Plane was damaged beyond repair. Lt. Renth and his gunners, S/Sgt. LaNave and S/Sgt. Epps escaped any personal injury. A congratulatory telegram was received from General Anderson on the Busigny mission.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 56 - 57
Mission #32 - 30 April - Bonnieres NoBall. Major Price with
Lt. Hand BN, Captain Battersby with Lt. Lytle, BN, and Major
Campbell with Lt. Palin each led a box for a total of 39 planes,
dropping bombs with good results. Lt. Platter and Lt. Basnett participated
on this mission. No opposition met the formation. This
was a three box mission, but bombing results were not too favorable.
April Ending 1944
Lowell Geffinger's 670th Squadron history reports that on April
27th, large scale chemical warfare exercises were held, to prepare
everyone for the possibility of a mustard gas attack.
Chemical warfare training was held during the entire month of
April, but the large scale exercise really used mustard gas, from
which everyone seemed well protected and trained. Weekly lectures
by the chemical warfare section had been given to squadron
personnel in addition to literature and practical maneuvers. Also,
a station defense school was set up early in April for all personnel,
which included a week's course given to each man. Ground
officers were trained and lectured on map reading, and tours
were held.
The April 30th mission was another experiment, with
three boxes of 12 planes going over a target with the thought that
three bomb aimers would give a better probability of coverage of
the target area. It did not seem to go well on this particular mission,
with only one of the three boxes hitting the target.
Lt. George Cowgill, flying with the 671st squadron had a
thrill to talk about. Evidently flak was pretty accurate, since one
88 mm shell entered the bottom of his plane and went right
through the top of the plane, exploding well above him with no
other visible damage or intemrption to his flying. A rather
unusual bit of luck here, but any type of luck on the good side is
worth wishing for. Not many of the planes received damage.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Two missions were flown again on the 30th of April to conclude the squadron's combat month. The first of these missions, which was an attack on the Bonnieres noball site, had seven of our crews taking part. The second, an attack on the Busigny marshalling yards, brought excellent results and was perhaps the best bombing mission the group had to date. This mission was led by Major Meng, with Lt Powell as Bombardier. Twelve of our crews took part in the attack.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
The last day of an intensive month of operations was marked by another "double" for the 416th Bomb Group. In the morning the target was an old "No-Ball" ù Bonnieres. A new procedure was attempted, in that three twelve-ship boxes were used rather than two eighteen's. The worth of this measure can't, as yet, be evaluated. It does seem to give a certain flexibility to the formation, but the results were not good. Only one of the boxes hit the target.
Lt. Cowgill, flying his last and tenth mission for this Squadron (he has been transferred)used up a good share of his luck when a shell (probably an 88) entered the bottom of his fuselage, and passed out the top without going off. Hang on to that horseshoe George, and good luck! Only a few ships received battle damage, with no injury to personnel.