A-26-ETO-CE Mission # 5

416th Bombardment Group (L)

A-26 ETO Combat Evaluation

Evaluation Mission # 5 -- September 12, 1944

Scheld, Germany

Fortifications

12 September 1944

Fortifications at Scheld were bombed by our A-26 aircraft. 1000 lb. bombs were dropped with good to excellent results.
(September 1944 553rd Bomb Squadron History)

Two of the aircraft during the September 12th Mission collided as they were starting to taxi from their hardstands to form up in line for take off. 1st Lt Lee J. Sutton, Jr., with Bombardier 1st Lt Adolphus S. Callaway and Gunnner S/Sgt Delbert C. Gilliam, assigned to fly the #2 position on this mission in A/C 41-39190, was entering the perimeter track behind the lead aircraft. To Sutton's left, 2nd Lt Dan O. Turner, Jr with Gunner S/Sgt Manuel R. Reyes in A/C 41-39185 also started out from his hardstand onto the perimeter track. Turners windshield had moisture on it which Turner was unable to clean off, and Turner was taxiing into the sun, this combination made visibility difficult, so Turner did not see Sutton's aircraft and collided with it.
Turner did not take off for this mission and Sutton had to abort after take off.
See AAR-45-9-12-529

On most documents, individual Aircraft are indentifed by a 3-digit "A/C Number" or just "A/C". This number is actually the last 3 digits of the A/C Serial Number. Both Identifiers are included on the A-26 ETO Combat Evaluation Aircraft page.

Crews, Flight time and Aircraft Number

Pilots, Aircraft Number and Call Letters (C/L) Loading List

Aircraft Number and Bomb Load

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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.

Flt	Pos	A/C Number	A/C Serial Number	C/L	Pilot	B/N 1	B/N 2	Gunner 1	Other
1	1	199	41-39199	D	Kelly, J.R. Col	Hanna, R.C. 1st Lt	Raper, E.E. 1st Lt	Rio, D.J. S/Sgt
1	2	194	41-39194	C	Strand, J.H. 1st Lt	Stebbins, B.D. 1st Lt		Smiley, H.M. S/Sgt
1	3	187	41-39187	O	Brown, C.J. 1st Lt			Sunderland, H.E. S/Sgt
1	4	191	41-39191	G	Brewster, F.S. 1st Lt	Dennis, L.W. 1st Lt		Clark, W.O. S/Sgt
1	5	190	41-39190	A	Sutton, L.J. 1st Lt
1	6	185	41-39185	H	Turner, D.O. 2nd Lt
2	1	200	41-39200	L	Middlebrooks, M.T. 1st Lt	Reeves, C.O. 2nd Lt	Anton, W.P. 1st Lt	Williams, M.H. S/Sgt	Ferris, C.H. Maj
2	2	206	41-39206	R	Robb, M.L. 2nd Lt			Presson, M.A. Sgt
2	3	189	41-39189	N	Rocholl, W.H. 1st Lt			George, W.H. S/Sgt
2	4	196	41-39196	J	Buskirk, J.A. 1st Lt			Corbitt, C.H. S/Sgt
2	5	198	41-39198	F	Jordan, C.S. 2nd Lt			Jensen, K.F. S/Sgt
2	6	132	41-39132	P	Heinke, W.R. 1st Lt			VanWert, G.R. S/Sgt
Extra	Extra	197	41-39197	M