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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 91 -- July 6, 1944, Thursday AM Epernon, France Railroad Embankment
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 91 -- July 6, 1944, Thursday AM Epernon, France Railroad Embankment
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 36 Total -- 30 A-20G's, 6 A-20J's Tactical Target Dossier: 4801E/B/14 Illustration : 4801E/30 Illustration Ref : 048024, 049026, 051028, 053030, 055033, 058034 Summary of Results : Bombing results by flight ranged from Gross to Fair. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.60914,1.68537 (48° 36' 33" N, 1° 41' 7" 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) |
Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 91 -- July 6, 1944, Thursday AM
Epernon, France -- Railroad Embankment
| 1 671st 43-9645 5C-R A-20J Lt Marzolf, L.A. Lt Basnett, R.J. S/Sgt Wellin, H.E. S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G. |
2 671st 43-9925 5C-G A-20G Lt York, R.W. S/Sgt Czech, J.L. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. |
3 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Morehouse, R.C. S/Sgt Zygiel, L.A. S/Sgt Burgess, A.J. |
| 4 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt Greenley, R.E. S/Sgt Worden, H.C. S/Sgt Rzepka, J.J. |
5 671st 43-9219 5C-D A-20G Lt Andrews, H.D., Jr. S/Sgt Cook, G.M. S/Sgt Werley, E.R. |
6 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Withington, D.L., III Sgt Huss, C.F. Sgt McElhattan, L.D. |
| 1 670th 43-21467 F6-W A-20J Lt Rudisill, R.S. Lt Joost, R.H. S/Sgt Riley, R.K. S/Sgt Bonamo, A.J. |
2 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt Monroe, H.A. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. S/Sgt Risko, S. |
3 670th 43-9200 F6-A A-20G Lt Shea, D.F. S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr. S/Sgt Falk, F.G. |
| 4 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Greene, W.J. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F. |
5 670th 43-9387 F6-H A-20G Lt McBride, L.R. S/Sgt Eutsler, R.J. Sgt Shaw, C.L. |
6 670th 43-9892 F6-L A-20G Lt Leonard, T.J. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. S/Sgt Palmer, T.A. |
| 1 668th 43-9640 5H-Z A-20J Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Forma, W. S/Sgt Kelly, E.E. S/Sgt Coe, W.H. |
2 668th 43-9975 5H-W A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W. S/Sgt Shelton, E.L. [Returned Early Elect. Trouble No Sortie] |
3 668th 43-9745 5H-I A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. Sgt Wright, R.E. Sgt Novak, S.G. |
| 4 668th 43-9379 5H-G A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. S/Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr. |
5 668th 43-9362 5H-L A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L. |
6 668th 43-10210 5H-Q A-20G Lt Miracle, R.V. Sgt Giesy, S.H., Jr. Sgt Cherry, F.E. |
| SPARE 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Nordstrom, A.W. S/Sgt Gossett, J.D. S/Sgt Miller, R.L. |
| 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 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Zubon, M. S/Sgt Russell, W.C. T/Sgt Tanner, J.R.L. |
3 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt Smith, R.H. S/Sgt Mahoney, R.J. S/Sgt Stockham, A.A. |
| 4 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt Wheeler, R.V. S/Sgt Brower, J.S. S/Sgt Wilds, H.J. |
5 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Estes, C.L. S/Sgt Orvold, C.R. Sgt DiMartino, A.E. |
6 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Ames, W.H. Sgt Fessler, H.S. Sgt Brown, R.J. |
| 1 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Capt Huff, M.J. Lt Kupits, J. Sgt Clark, R.A. Sgt Basford, F.P. |
2 669th 43-9189 2A-P A-20G Lt Connor, J.S. S/Sgt VanDuyne, J.E. S/Sgt Rodgers, H.C. |
3 669th 43-9961 2A-E A-20G Lt Blomgren, J.E. Sgt Bookach, M. Sgt Fleming, L.R. [Failed to become Airborne Magneto] |
| 4 669th 43-9840 2A-V A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Wing, J.S. |
5 669th 43-9376 2A-O A-20G Lt Penttila, W.L. Sgt Dugan, J.D., Jr. Sgt Curtis, L.B. |
6 669th 43-10147 2A-K A-20G Lt Elliott, D.W. Sgt Mani, J. Sgt McGuire, J.J. |
| 1 669th 43-21712 2A-H A-20J Lt DeMun, E.E. Lt Smith, W.L. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O. |
2 669th 43-9929 2A-C A-20G Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. S/Sgt Scott, J.O. S/Sgt Mallory, D.F. |
3 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. S/Sgt LaNave, O.D. S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L. |
| 4 669th 43-9390 2A-G A-20G Lt Shainberg, N.V. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. S/Sgt Fleischman, G.I. |
5 669th 43-9673 2A-I A-20G Lt Poundstone, L.E. Sgt Burland, A.J. Sgt Heath, K. |
6 669th 43-9717 2A-N A-20G Lt Hayter, E.R. S/Sgt Melchoir, F.E. S/Sgt Holloway, R.G. |
| SPARE 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Ebenstein, G.N. Sgt Newell, S.P. Sgt Fetko, C., Jr. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 91 -- July 6, 1944, Thursday AM
Epernon, France -- Railroad Embankment
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
For the third day running, on the 6th, our planes went out again. They flew both a morning and an afternoon mission. In the morning the target was the railway embankment at Epernon. Thirty-six planes made the attack and caused considerable damage to the tracks. Lt Marzolf, with Lt Basnett, B-N, and Major Willetts, Lt Royalty, B-N, led the two boxes. Bombing was by flights of six. In the afternoon, points on the railroad from Verneuil to La Loupe were attacked with good to excellent results. They breached the railroad at several points and damaged embankments. Major Price and Lt Osborne led the boxes, although the bombing was flights of sixes.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 106 - 107
Mission #91 - 6 July - AM - Epernon Railroad Embankment.
Lts. Marzolf and Basnett, BN led Box I with Major Willetts and
Lt. Royalty, BN heading up Box II. The formations were back to
three flights to a box, with six ships in a flight. Other flight leaders
were, Lts. Rudisill and Joost, BN, Lts. Osborne and Forma,
BN, Captain Huffand Lt. Kupits, BN, and Lts. Demun and W. L.
Smith, BN. Each of the six flights had a different target assigned
to them, such as bridges and railroad junctions. After dropping,
they were to re-assemble behind Marzolf's flight back to base.
This was a four hour flight, longer than the normal ones, but the
boys came through well enough.
On 6 July, the first Silver Oak Leaf Clusters, signifying
30 missions completed were pinned on Major Meng, Captains
Hulse, Jackson, and Rudisill, Lts. Conte, Ostrander, and
Harrold. Those officers were the first in the 670th squadron to
have flown that many missions. All were part of the original
group formed in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Thirteen of our crews were back in the air the next day, July 6th,
on two separate missions. The morning mission was an attack on the
Opernon Railway embankment, while in the afternoon the planes went
after the La Laoupe Railway line with excellent results.
Major Meng, Capts Hulse, Jackson and Rudisill, and Lts Conte,
Harrold and Ostrander were the first pilots of our organization to
receive the Silver Oak Leaf Clusters to the Air Medal for completing
30 missions, per GO 115, IX Bomber Command, dated the 29th of June
1944, which were received on July 6th.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
June 26th û July 6th , 1944
Typical English weather, complete with clouds, rain and mist, confined the 416th Bomb Group to just five missions during this period. Formations went over France once on the 29th of June, the 30th of June and the 4th of July; and finally twice on July 6th . The two June missions were cake runs, but the ships ran into a little trouble in the last three. On July 4th Captain Jackman of the 670th Squadron made a single engine hop back across the channel. He was carrying a cameraman from the 4th Combat Camera Unit assigned to this Group, and, upon reaching England, Captain Jackman ordered the man to jump, which he did. However, for some reason which will never be known, the chute fail to open until it reached the ground, enough said.
On July 6th fines weather brought two missions. The first one was a railroad embankment south of Beauvais and the flak was hot and heavy. No one was injured, but the 671st received considerable flak damage and three ships had to be turned over to the Service Group. The second mission was run in the evening when two boxes went in to hit bridges and cross roads below the beachhead area û bombing by flights. No flak was encountered on this trip, but a couple of FW,s were spotted. They didn't make an attack as they were being mauled by the fighter escort. All planes returned safely and bombing results ran from poor to another excellent for Lt. Cole and Lt. Beck.
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[July 6, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, July 6, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |