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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 49 -- May 19, 1944, Friday PM Benerville, France Coastal Battery
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 49 -- May 19, 1944, Friday PM Benerville, France Coastal Battery
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 38 Total -- 33 A-20G's, 5 A-20J's Tactical Target Dossier: 4900/J/184 Illustration : 4900/65 Illustration Ref : 037028 Summary of Results : Box 1 - Did not attack. Bomb release in lead ship shorted due to water in control box. On second run deputy leader's bombsite was out. Box 2 - Fair - pattern extending left of target. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 49.34070,0.04016 (49° 20' 27" N, 0° 2' 25" 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) |
| Date | Report |   |
A/C Serial # Type |
Mis- sion # |
Bomb Sq |
Location | Personnel (Status when available) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 1944 Friday |
AAR 44-5-19-525 |
|
43-9696 A-20G |
49 | 670 | Near Biggen Hill, Kent [England] | Crispino, Joseph Charles (WIA, RTD)
Conopask, Royden Edward (Fatal) Walsh, Thomas Ira Jr. (Fatal) |
= Entries having actual Reports available for review. = Entries having additional Images or Photos.)Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 49 -- May 19, 1944, Friday PM
Benerville, France -- Coastal Battery
| 1 668th 43-10125 5H-M A-20J Maj Price, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. S/Sgt Anderson, E.A. Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr. |
2 668th 43-9444 5H-J A-20J Capt Conant, H.F. Lt McBrien, R.T. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. |
3 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Poindexter, R.D. S/Sgt Robbins, L.G. S/Sgt Simpson, D.H. |
| 4 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Bartmus, G.F. S/Sgt Orr, J.R. S/Sgt Flacks, F.L. |
5 668th 43-10194 5H-A A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. |
6 668th 43-9379 5H-G A-20G Lt Cruze, R.K. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. |
| 1 671st 43-9225 5C-G A-20G Lt Platter, E.T. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. S/Sgt Czech, J.L. |
2 671st 43-9219 5C-D A-20G Lt Adams, J.D. S/Sgt Clearman, P.L., Jr. Sgt Zeikus, A.J. |
3 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Smith, R.H. S/Sgt Stockham, A.A. Sgt Mahoney, R.J. |
| 4 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Cole, H.P. S/Sgt Chvatal, F.R. S/Sgt Fandre, B.G. |
5 671st 43-9714 5C-N A-20G Lt Wipperman, R.A. S/Sgt Ahrens, H.S. Sgt Mazza, L.C. |
6 669th 43-9211 2A-C A-20G Lt Henderson, F.W. Sgt Griswold, R.M. Sgt Coulombe, P.E. |
| 1 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt DeMand, F.W. S/Sgt Middleton, C.W. Sgt Troyer, R.J. |
2 671st 43-10165 5C-H A-20G Lt Andrews, H.D., Jr. S/Sgt Cook, G.M. S/Sgt Werley, E.R. |
3 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Durante, A.R. S/Sgt Best, H.T. S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R. |
| 4 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt Greenley, R.E. S/Sgt Worden, H.C. S/Sgt Rzepka, J.J. |
5 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Merchant, W.A. S/Sgt Harp, C.J. S/Sgt Brown, K.P. |
6 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt York, R.W. S/Sgt Marion, H.A. S/Sgt Adams, V.P. |
| SPARE 668th 43-9216 5H-E A-20G Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr. S/Sgt Molver, V.E. S/Sgt Gray, C.M. |
| 1 669th 43-9442 2A-D A-20J Capt Clark, R.A. Lt Jones, C.W. S/Sgt Coffey, G.L. S/Sgt Cope, G.F. |
2 671st 43-9645 5C-R A-20J Lt Col Farmer, W.W. Lt Pape, M.A. S/Sgt Nielsen, A.L. Capt McClellan, A. |
3 669th 43-9376 2A-O A-20G Lt Connor, J.S. Sgt Rodgers, H.C. Sgt VanDuyne, J.E. |
| 4 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Behlmer, R.L. T/Sgt Kelly, W.J. S/Sgt Thompson, J.B. |
5 669th 43-9189 2A-P A-20G Lt Street, M.S. S/Sgt Prindle, C.A. S/Sgt Epps, E.T. |
6 669th 43-9983 2A-J A-20G Lt Hewes, H.E., Jr. S/Sgt Kasper, J.F. S/Sgt Boyer, H.E. |
| 1 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Capt Jackson, C.R. Lt Maltby, A.H. S/Sgt White, H.E. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F. |
2 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Lt Leonard, T.J. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. S/Sgt Palmer, T.A. |
3 670th 43-9978 F6-S A-20G Lt Rooney, R.J. S/Sgt McCleary, H.M. S/Sgt DiNapoli, S.F. |
| 4 670th 43-9696 F6-G A-20G Lt Crispino, J.C. S/Sgt Walsh, T.I., Jr. S/Sgt Conopask, R.E. |
5 670th 43-9689 F6-I A-20G Lt McBride, L.R. Cpl McKee, J.C. Sgt Paules, E.F. |
6 670th 43-9892 F6-L A-20G Capt Moore, Z.R. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. Sgt Burns, D.E. |
| 1 670th 43-9200 F6-A A-20G Lt Rudisill, R.S. S/Sgt Riley, R.K. S/Sgt Bonamo, A.J. |
2 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt Hillerman, J.P. S/Sgt Eutsler, R.J. Sgt Martinez, L. |
3 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Brown, N.G. S/Sgt Brayn, M.R. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. [No Sortie] |
| 4 668th 43-9963 5H-N A-20G Lt Harrold, F.J., Jr. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. Sgt Maziasz, C.W. |
5 668th 43-9935 5H-F A-20G Lt Sewell, J.C. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F. Sgt Daniel, W.J., Sr. |
6 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt Monroe, H.A. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. Sgt Zaklikiewicz, S.R. |
| SPARE 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Shainberg, N.V. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 49 -- May 19, 1944, Friday PM
Benerville, France -- Coastal Battery
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Three days of bad weather again kept the planes on the ground. It was late in the afternoon on the 19th when the next mission took off. Thirty-eight planes were sent out to knock out the coastal defense battery at Benerville. Clouds prevented the first box from picking up the target. Captain Clark, with Lt Jones, B-N, in the second box, was able to get a glance at it. The bombs were released with fair results. Major Price, with Lt Hand, B-N, led the first box. On the return trip home, flying through a thick overcast, Lt Joseph Crispino's plane spun out of control. He oerdered his two gunners, S/Sgt Thomas I. Walsh and S/Sgt Royden E. Conopask to bail out. Then he jumped himself. The two gunners never did get out and were killed when the plane crashed. Lt Crispino parachuted to earth with a leg fractured when his body was thrown against the plane's tail assembly. He was transferred to an Evacuation Hospital to convalesce. The remains of the two gunners have been interred at the Cambridge American Military Cemetery, Cambridge.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 77
Mission #49 - 19 May - Beauville Fille Coastal Guns. Major Price and Lt. Hand led Box I with Captain Conant and Lt. McBrien, BN as deputy. Captain Clark and Lt. Jones, BN, led Box II. Late in the afternoon, 38 planes took off for this flight. Cloud cover prevented the first box from dropping their bombs, but the second box got a glimpse of the target and dropped, with fair results. Coming back, the formation flew into a thick overcast, and Lt. Crispino from the 670th squadron's plane suddenly went into a spin. Crispino called for his gunners to bail out, but they didn't, but he did. The two gunners, veterans from the activation of the squadron, went down with the ship and perished. Crispino was injured in his parachute descent and was hospitalized.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Major Price, now with the 668th Bomb Sq (L), led a formation against an important coastal defense battery at Benerville on the 19th. Weather interferred with his bombing so that he could make no attack. Lt. Jones, flying with Capt. Clark in the lead ship of the second box, managed to get a fleeting glance at the target through a tiny break in the clouds. He released his bombs and caused untold damage to the delicate installations.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Sadness descended upon the organization on May 19th, when, after 369 sorties without loss, the squadron was deprived of two of its best known and best liked members. S/Sgt Royden E. Conopask, of Bristol, Connecticut; and S/Sgt Thomas I. Walsh, of Chicago, Illinois, two veteran gunners, were killed in action returning from a raid on the Bennerville coastal defense batteries. The ship, piloted by Lt Crispino, went into a spin at 5,000 feet over Biggenhill, England. Lt Crispino was able to bail out and parachute to safety. He was injured in the descent and hospitalized. However, S/Sgts Conopask and Walsh were unable to get out of the aircraft, and met death with its crash. The loss of these two men was keenly felt by the organization. They had been among the first gunners assigned to the squadron after its activation.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
Fighting a thick haze and large cloud formation, the 416th failed in its attempt to knockout and enemy coastal gun target on the afternoon of May 19th , 1944. The 670th lost a ship and two gunners, but the pilot managed to bail out. The ship went into a spin when Lt. Crispino flew into cumulo-nimbus clouds and continued to fly formation instead of switching to instruments.