9th AF Patch

416th Bombardment Group (L)

Mission # 5 -- March 18, 1944, Saturday PM

Vacqueriette, France

NOBALL (XI/A/83)

 

 WWII-Medal

Previous Mission # 4            Mission List            Next Mission # 6

Return to Table of Contents


Summary of Operations

Field Order        : 241
OpRep #            : No OpRep
Nature of Mission  : Bombing
Mission Status     : Attacked
Bombing Altitude   : 12,000 feet 		Take-off Time      : 1436
Time Over Target   : 1527 - 1531
Landing Time       : 1653
Duration (Hrs:Min) : 2:17
 

Place of Take-Off  : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England
A/C Dispatched     : 34 Total -- 34 A-20's
Target Operational Number: Z 3075
Illustration       : A/83/1
Illustration Ref   : 031026
Summary of Results : Nil. Premature release on second bomb run. 61 bursts observed on and around town of Gouy St. Andre (85-13) approximately 9 miles northwest of target.

Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.32056,2.07222 (50° 19' 14" N, 2° 4' 20" E)
(Latitude/Longitude based on V1 Sites, VACQUERIETTE)
(See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information. Note: This coordinate represents the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ)


Scanned original Mission 5 documents (multipage PDF files)

Mission Folder       Reports Folder       Summary       Fuel Use       Additional Documents

If nothing happens on Click, check to see if the PDF file was automatically saved to your computer. Depending on Internet speed, the display or download may be slow.
These Public Domain, Declassified Mission documents were graciously provided to the 416th BG Archive by the dedicated staff of the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA).
An on-line index of records held by AFHRA up to 2001 is available at Air Force History Index.org.
Most of these PDF files are unaltered originals provided by the AFHRA, a few have been re-organized.
Pages may be out of sequence; files may contain scanned blank pages and/or pages scanned upside-down; some pages may be included in more than one file.
The "Mission Folder" usually contains the majority of documents for a Mission, including Field Orders, Status Reports, Pilot Interrogations, Photos (if available), etc.


Click for additional information on V1 Flying Bomb and Launch Site NOBALL Targets

Loading List 1

Loading List 1, Box I


Loading List 2

Loading List 2, Box II


Route Map

Route Map (Field Order 214, Mission #5)


Returning A-20s

Foreground Aircraft is Serial #43-9699, Fuselage Code 5C-I,
the plane on its' left wing is 5C-H (Serial #43-9707).
Caption on the reverse of this photo:

"Speedy Douglas A-20 Havoc light bombers of the U.S. 9th A.F. are pictured leaving the
coast of France for England after an attack recently on enemy targets in the
low countries. These extremely fast attack bombers, which have been operating
from England for several weeks, carry a powerful bomb load and are good at
self-defense. They can be used against armored cars or larger targets such as
factories and harbors, and can operate anywhere from right in front of Allied
Troops to hundreds of miles forward. They are used extensively by the British and
Russians and the U.S. Army Air Forces have used them for anti-submarine patrol
in the north Atlantic, skip bombing in the Pacific and as light and attack
bombers with Marauder medium bobmers, they will compose the 9th Air Force's
striking fleet which will give direct support to Allied ground forces during
the coming invasion of Europe.

416th Bomb Group. 671 Bombardment Sqd. 9th Air Force"

This photo was featured on the cover of Newsweek Magazine - below

(Downloaded from Fold3.com "WWII US Air Force Photos" collection)


Newsweek Magazine

Newsweek Magazine cover, May 15, 1944


Mission Loading Lists Transcription

Mission # 5 -- March 18, 1944, Saturday PM
Vacqueriette, France -- NOBALL (XI/A/83)

Included are Box, Flight and Position; Bomb Squadron; Aircraft Serial Number, Fuselage Code and Model; and Crew Members
transcribed from individual mission Loading List documents by Chris and Mary Adams and Carl Sgamboti.
Some information, such as Squadron, Serial Number, etc. has been expanded from other documents.

Box I -- Flight I
  1  671st                   
  43-9914  5C-X  A-20J
  Maj Farmer, W.W.
  Lt Pape, M.A.
  S/Sgt LaNave, O.D.
  Capt McClellan, A.		   2  671st                   
  43-9699  5C-I  A-20G
  Lt Hill, L.E.
  S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr.
  S/Sgt Burch, R.W.
  		  3  671st                   
  43-9707  5C-H  A-20G
  Lt Poindexter, R.D.
  Sgt Molver, V.E.
  T/Sgt Robbins, L.G.
 
  4  668th                   
  43-9444  5H-J  A-20J
  Maj Price, R.F.
  Lt Hand, A.R.
  S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W.
  S/Sgt Hill, A.A.		   5  668th                   
  43-9360  5H-S  A-20G
  Lt Ritchie, S.B., Jr.
  S/Sgt Newkirk, A.W., Jr.
  S/Sgt Anderson, E.A.
  		  6  668th                   
  43-9194  5H-C  A-20G
  Lt Miracle, R.V.
  S/Sgt Sieg, B.C.
  S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C.
 

Box I -- Flight II
  1  668th                   
  43-9216  5H-E  A-20G
  Capt Battersby, W.
  Lt Lytle, W.M.
  Sgt Simpson, D.H.
  S/Sgt Bankston, R., Jr.
  [B/N Lytle scratched]		   2  668th                   
  43-9379  5H-G  A-20G
  Lt Meagher, J.F.
  S/Sgt Damico, E.A.
  S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S.
  		  3  668th                   
  43-9223  5H-F  A-20G
  Lt Cruze, R.K.
  S/Sgt Love, C.F.
  S/Sgt Adair, F.L.
 
  4  668th                   
  43-9182  5H-B  A-20G
  Lt Siracusa, L.J.
  S/Sgt Hume, J.N.
  S/Sgt Brown, F.E.
  		  5  668th                   
  43-9745  5H-I  A-20G
  Lt Kleopfel, M.E., Jr.
  S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J.
  S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R.
  		  6  668th                   
  43-9195  5H-D  A-20G
  Lt Atkinson, P.G., Jr.
  S/Sgt Glynn, P.F.
  Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr.
 

Box I -- Flight III
  1  671st                   
  43-9225  5C-G  A-20G
  Capt Prentiss, R.B.
  S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L.
  S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M.
  		  2  671st                   
  43-9218  5C-C  A-20G
  Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr.
  S/Sgt Shaw, L.R.
  S/Sgt Gray, C.M.
  		  3  671st                   
  43-9220  5C-E  A-20G
  Lt Bradford, B.H.
  S/Sgt Judd, E.R., Jr.
  S/Sgt Fejes, J.A., Jr.
 
  4  671st                   
  43-9219  5C-D  A-20G
  Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr.
  S/Sgt Kelly, E.E.
  S/Sgt Coe, W.H.
  		  5  671st                   
  43-9203  5C-A  A-20G
  Maj Roney, K.T.
  S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr.
  Sgt Falk, F.G.
  		                             


Box II -- Flight I
  1  670th                   
  43-9439  F6-J  A-20J
  Maj Campbell, M.W.
  Lt Jones, C.W.
  S/Sgt Alden, S.F.
  S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L.
  [A/C #439 and Crew scratched]		   2  670th                   
  43-9387  F6-H  A-20G
  Lt Gullion, A.W., Jr.
  S/Sgt Coffey, G.L.
  S/Sgt Webb, C.L.
  		  3  670th                   
  43-9696  F6-G  A-20G
  Lt Hewes, H.E., Jr.
  S/Sgt Kasper, J.F.
  S/Sgt Boyer, H.E.
 
  4  670th                   
  43-9227  F6-F  A-20G
  Capt Huff, M.J.
  S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr.
  S/Sgt Fleischman, G.I.
  		  5  670th                   
  43-9224  F6-E  A-20G
  Lt Raines, A.A., Jr.
  S/Sgt Nielsen, J.O.
  S/Sgt Bender, G.J.
  		  6  670th                   
  43-9217  F6-D  A-20G
  Lt Boukamp, T.
  S/Sgt Kelly, W.J.
  S/Sgt Ferguson, W.G.
 

Box II -- Flight II
  1  669th                   
  43-9181  2A-A  A-20G
  Lt Peck, W.A.
  S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E.
  S/Sgt Kelton, H.E.
  		  2  669th                   
  43-9202  2A-B  A-20G
  Lt Shainberg, N.V.
  S/Sgt Bresnak, J.D.
  S/Sgt Cope, G.F.
  		  3  669th                   
  43-9226  2A-E  A-20G
  Lt McDonald, A.A.
  S/Sgt Shields, J.J.
  S/Sgt Epps, E.T.
 
  4  669th                   
  43-9211  2A-C  A-20G
  Lt Sommers, H.L.
  S/Sgt Prindle, C.A.
  S/Sgt Huber, A.J.
  		  5  670th                   
  43-9207  F6-B  A-20G
  Maj Meng, W.J.
  S/Sgt Stobert, R.F.
  S/Sgt Miller, R.L.
  		  6  670th                   
  43-9200  F6-A  A-20G
  Lt Cowgill, G.W.
  S/Sgt Foster, H.A.
  Sgt Rust, E.W.
 

Box II -- Flight III
  1  669th                   
  43-9370  2A-D  A-20G
  Lt Morton, R.J.
  S/Sgt Norton, C.Q.
  S/Sgt Citty, F.M.
  		  2  669th                   
  43-9751  2A-H  A-20G
  Lt Siggs, W.C.
  Sgt Nicks, R.W.
  S/Sgt Radlich, N.
  		  3  669th                   
  43-9673  2A-I  A-20G
  Lt DeMun, E.E.
  S/Sgt Rosenstein, M.
  S/Sgt Carney, H.O.
 
  4  669th                   
  43-9390  2A-G  A-20G
  Lt Marzolf, L.A.
  S/Sgt Wellin, H.E.
  S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G.
  		  5  668th                   
  43-9701  5H-H  A-20G
  Lt Col Ford, T.R.
  Sgt Clearman, P.L., Jr.
  S/Sgt Orr, J.R.
  		                             


Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 5 -- March 18, 1944, Saturday PM
Vacqueriette, France -- NOBALL (XI/A/83)


"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives

After this, the fourth mission for the Group, bad weather again hampered operations. It was not until eleven days later, on the 18th of March, that the planes were able to take off to attack the enemy in France. The target, a military installation known as a Noball, was near the town of Vacquerres. Major Price led the formation. After they had passed the initial point, Major Price opened his bomb bay doors for the run and several bombs dropped out. The other planes thinking this was a signal, dropped their bombs. Flak was encountered, but Lt. Poindexter's ship was the only one to return with any damage.


"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
 Pages 43 - 44

Mission #5 - 18 March - Vacqueriette NoBall site. These NoBalls were launching pads for self-propelled motorized bombs aimed at England. The pads were located on the coast of France, pointed across the channel toward England, with no particular target in mind. While the motor was running, it was not a threat. When the motor quit, it glided down in silence, exploding with tremendous force. Many English Spitfire pilots were able to get alongside the motorized V-l bombs, as they were called, and fly up to the unit, tipping their wing under the wing of the bomb, upsetting it, dropping it into the channel.

This formation was led by Major W. W. Farmer with Lt. M. A. Pape BN. Major Price and Lt. Hand, BN with Captain W. Battersby and Lt. W. Lytle BN led flights. On approaching the target, when Major Price opened his bomb bay doors, his bombs dropped, causing the following planes in his flight to drop their load, all falling short of the target. This might be classified a learning experience to enforce discipline for the proper shackling up of bombs to prevent pre-release with no bombsight being used. Some flak damaged a few planes.


"668th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives

On March 18th, when the Squadron Commander, Major Price, led a box which attacked a No-Ball target at Vacqueriette, rack malfunctions caused the bombs to drop prematurely.


"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives

The 18th brought a mission to attack Vacqueriette Noball, with poor results due to a premature release of bombs. One of our crews took part in this mission.


"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns

The 671st had only two crews participating in a raid over Northern France on March 18, 1944. The target was Vicquerittes, but it was not hit due to a malfunction of the bomb racks. Very little flak was encountered, however, the first battle damage of the Group occurred when a small piece pierced Lt. Poindexter's ship, 707.

All planes returned safely, although one made a single engine landing away from the base

Click for additional information on V1 Flying Bomb and Launch Site NOBALL Targets

Previous Mission # 4            Mission List            Next Mission # 6

Return to Table of Contents