No_Report

Summary

Aircraft Serial Number (Type): 43-22302 (Douglas A-26B-16-DT Invader)

9th AF; 416th Bomb Gp; 668th Bomb Sq

Mission # 176; Box: I; Flight: 2; Position: 4; A/C Fuselage Code: 5H-D

Reason: Enemy anti-aircraft

Damage: Crash Landing, Washed out

Point Of Departure: A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France

Location: A-60

*Personnel*
Duty	Name	Rank	S/N	Status
Pilot	Greene, William James	1Lt	O-026092	WIA
Bombardier/Navigator	Britt, Jesse W.	2Lt	O-1995932	WIA
Airplane Mechanic - Gunner	Heath, Kalen	S/Sgt		Not Injured

Description:
The formation was badly hit by flak, with 14 planes suffering category "A" damage, 8 category "AC" damage, and one category "B" damage. This last mentioned plane, piloted by Lt William J. Greene, on his 65th mission, was hit in the right engine on the bomb run. He stayed with the formation, dropping his bombs on the target. By superior flying, despite injuries to his face caused by shattered glass from a broken windshield, he brought the plane back to one of our bases for a successful crash-landing. The plane was washed out. His observer, Lt J.L. Britt, was also wounded in the face by glass.
(416th BG History 1944)

General Orders No. 1, 1 January 1945, Purple Heart is awarded to: 669th Bombardment Squadron (L), William J. Greene, O-26092, First Lieutenant, Air Corps, United States Army. For wounds received in action against an enemy of the United States on 25 December 1944, while serving as Pilot on an A-20 airplane on a combat operational mission over enemy occupied territory. Entered military service from Langley Field, Pa.

General Orders No. 1, 1 January 1945, Purple Heart is awarded to: 669th Bombardment Squadron (L), Jessie W. Britt, O-1995932, Second Lieutenant, Air Corps, United States Army. For wounds received in action against an enemy of the United States on 25 December 1944, while serving as Bombardier-Navigator on an A-20 airplane on a combat operational mission over enemy occupied territory. Entered military service from Lepanto, Ark.
(416th BG Purple Heart Awards (PDF))

See Mission # 176 for additional details