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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 34 -- May 1, 1944, Monday AM Charleroi/Montignies, France Marshalling Yards (S.765)
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 34 -- May 1, 1944, Monday AM Charleroi/Montignies, France Marshalling Yards (S.765)
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 37 Total -- 31 A-20G's, 6 A-20J's Target Operational Number: ZB 115D Illustration : NEG. 2011 DATED 28-12-42 Illustration Ref : 030046 Secondary Target : St. Ghislain Marshalling Yards (S5229) (ZB909) Summary of Results : Box 1 - Good Box 2 - Poor, bombs landed on buildings and fields approximately 3800 feet east of target. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.40490,4.43872 (50° 24' 18" N, 4° 26' 19" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on Google Maps, Selected RR near Town center - Charleroi/Montignies,France) (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 # 34 -- May 1, 1944, Monday AM
Charleroi/Montignies, France -- Marshalling Yards (S.765)
| 1 671st 43-9914 5C-X A-20J Maj Willetts, D.L. Lt Royalty, P.G. T/Sgt Larronde, F.H. S/Sgt Lempka, H.A. |
2 671st 43-10129 5C-I A-20J Lt Marzolf, L.A. Lt Basnett, R.J. S/Sgt Wellin, H.E. S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G. |
3 671st 43-9225 5C-G A-20G Lt Platter, E.T. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. S/Sgt Czech, J.L. |
| 4 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt Stockwell, R.E. S/Sgt Foster, H.A. S/Sgt Rust, E.W. |
5 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Zubon, M. T/Sgt Tanner, J.R.L. S/Sgt Russell, W.C. |
6 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Wheeler, R.V. S/Sgt Brower, J.S. S/Sgt Corrin, E.W. |
| 1 668th 43-9640 5H-Z A-20J Lt Siracusa, L.J. Lt McBrien, R.T. S/Sgt Hume, J.N. S/Sgt Brown, F.E. |
2 668th 43-9223 5H-F A-20G Lt Meagher, J.F. S/Sgt Bankston, R., Jr. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. |
3 668th 43-9377 5H-W A-20G Capt Conant, H.F. S/Sgt Orr, J.R. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. |
| 4 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt Bradford, B.H. S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W. S/Sgt Hill, A.A. |
5 668th 43-9379 5H-G A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. [Not Airborne] |
6 668th 43-9182 5H-B A-20G Lt Kreh, E.B. S/Sgt Love, C.F. S/Sgt Adair, F.L. |
| 1 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Lt Shaefer, R.F. Lt Lytle, W.M. S/Sgt Judd, E.R., Jr. S/Sgt Fejes, J.A., Jr. |
2 668th 43-9963 5H-N A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. |
3 668th 43-9893 5H-P A-20G Lt Bartmus, G.F. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. |
| 4 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Ritchie, S.B., Jr. S/Sgt Newkirk, A.W., Jr. S/Sgt Anderson, E.A. |
5 668th 43-9684 5H-K A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. |
6 670th 43-9689 F6-I A-20G Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr. S/Sgt Molver, V.E. S/Sgt Gray, C.M. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9220 5C-E A-20G Lt Cole, H.P. S/Sgt Chvatal, F.R. S/Sgt Fandre, B.G. [Standby A/C: 596, 493] |
| 1 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Capt Clark, R.A. Lt Jones, C.W. T/Sgt Kelly, W.J. S/Sgt Ferguson, W.G. |
2 669th 43-9450 2A-S A-20J Lt Sommers, H.L. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt Thompson, J.B. S/Sgt Hatch, H.F. |
3 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Behlmer, R.L. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. S/Sgt Adams, V.P. |
| 4 669th 43-9717 2A-N A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Wing, J.S. |
5 669th 43-9376 2A-O A-20G Lt Land, W.H. S/Sgt Alden, S.F. S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L. |
6 669th 43-9189 2A-P A-20G Lt Gullion, A.W., Jr. S/Sgt Webb, C.L. S/Sgt Coffey, G.L. |
| 1 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Morton, R.J. S/Sgt Simpson, D.H. T/Sgt Robbins, L.G. |
2 669th 43-9679 2A-R A-20G Lt Street, M.S. S/Sgt Prindle, C.A. S/Sgt Citty, F.M. |
3 669th 43-9211 2A-C A-20G Lt DeMun, E.E. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O. |
| 4 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Siggs, W.C. S/Sgt Radlich, N. Sgt Nicks, R.W. |
5 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Connor, J.S. S/Sgt Nielsen, A.L. S/Sgt Fields, W.E. |
6 669th 43-9673 2A-I A-20G Lt Hewes, H.E., Jr. S/Sgt Kasper, J.F. S/Sgt Boyer, H.E. |
| 1 670th 43-9439 F6-J A-20J Lt Rudisill, R.S. Lt Forma, W. S/Sgt Riley, R.K. S/Sgt Eutsler, R.J. |
2 670th 43-9680 F6-R A-20G Lt Hillerman, J.P. S/Sgt Gossett, J.D. S/Sgt Miller, R.L. |
3 670th 43-9696 F6-G A-20G Lt Col Ford, T.R. S/Sgt Donahue, W.J. S/Sgt Brayn, M.R. [A/C #696, G substituted for #701, H] |
| 4 670th 43-9207 F6-B A-20G Lt Harrold, F.J., Jr. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. Sgt Maziasz, C.W. |
5 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Maj Meng, W.J. S/Sgt Stobert, R.F. S/Sgt Glynn, F.P. |
6 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt McBride, L.R. Pvt McKee, J.C. S/Sgt Risko, S. |
| SPARE 670th 43-9387 F6-H A-20G Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 34 -- May 1, 1944, Monday AM
Charleroi/Montignies, France -- Marshalling Yards (S.765)
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
On the first day of the month, Major Willetts, with Lt Royalty, his Bombardier-Navigator, and Captain Clark, with Lt Jones his Bombardier-Navigator, led 37 aircraft against the Charleroi/Montignies Marshalling Yards in Belgium. No flak was encountered and the bombing results were good.
That same afternoon, Major Campbell, with Lt Palin, B-N, and Captain Battersby, with Lt Lytle, B-N, led 37 planes across Belgium again. This time they attacked, with good results, the Marshalling Yards at Blanc Misseron. Four planes suffered battle damage.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 67
Mission #34 - 1 May - AM Charleroi Montignies Marshalling Yard. This target had been scheduled twice before but never reached due to recall once and a cloud cover preventing bombing the second time. Things looked good for this one. Major Willetts and Lt. Royalty, BN with Captain Clark and Lt. Jones leading boxes, took off with 37 planes to reach this target. It was a long flight, but no planes ran out of gas. Flak was light and no fighters threatened us with Spitfires providing our protective screen. It was always so comforting to see those "little friends" to be circling around us about 2000 feet up. Lts. Marzolf and Basnett, BN led flights. Bombing results were classified as good. All returned safely.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
Target: Chaleroi Marshalling Yards at Montignies.
This formation, led by Major Willets took off on a milk run over enemy territory. This target offered good bombing results with a minimum of flak. Although the trip was quite long, none of the planes ran short of gas. The Group was to hit this same target previously but the mission was scrubbed once and obscured by clouds a second time. All planes returned safe with nary a flak hole. Bombing results were good.
"671tst Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
By May 1st the 671st Squadron, already a veteran combat unit, was fully prepared to carry out its part in the air Battle of Europe. During this month the greatest aerial offensive in history was launched against the Continent. As a part of this offensive the Squadron took part in 29 missions before June 1st, attacking Airdromes, Marshalling Yards, and No-ball Installations. It was apparent by the end of May that D-Day was not too far in the future. For almost 10 consecutive days the squadron flew two missions a day against targets concentrated in the Normandy and Pas De Calais sectors. Soon the results of this terrific bombardment began to show their effects on the transportation facilities of the enemy and shortly after the Invasion started, the Field Commander paid special tribute to all those who took part in the air offensive.