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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 147 -- September 28, 1944, Thursday AM Foret De Parroy, France Troop Concentration
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 147 -- September 28, 1944, Thursday AM Foret De Parroy, France Troop Concentration
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Place of Take-Off : A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France A/C Dispatched : 36 Total -- 27 A-20G's, 9 A-20J's Target Ref : Foret De Parroy Illustration : G.S.G.S. 4249 SHEET 15-G Illustration Ref : 145042, 171020 Secondary Target : No Alternate Targets Authorized Summary of Results : Unobserved for Flight 1 - remaining flights did not bomb due to weather. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.63207,6.57639 (48° 37' 55" N, 6° 34' 35" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wQ145042) (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 # 147 -- September 28, 1944, Thursday AM
Foret De Parroy, France -- Troop Concentration
| 1 671st 43-22065 5C-E A-20J Maj Willetts, D.L. Lt Royalty, P.G. S/Sgt Brower, J.S. S/Sgt Lempka, H.A. |
2 671st 43-9645 5C-R A-20J Lt Pair, H.F. Lt Corum, J.L. S/Sgt Marion, H.A. S/Sgt Adams, V.P. |
3 671st 43-9956 5C-Z A-20G Lt Henderson, F.W. S/Sgt Griswold, R.M. S/Sgt Coulombe, P.E. |
| 4 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt York, R.W. S/Sgt Ashton, L.A. S/Sgt Wilds, H.J. |
5 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Remiszewski, A. Cpl DiOrio, F.M. Sgt Miguez, J.H. |
6 671st 43-10200 5C-F A-20G Lt Winn, A.J.P. Cpl Davis, W.G., Jr. Sgt Stephenson, G.G. |
| 1 669th 43-9442 2A-D A-20J Lt Peck, W.A. Lt Madenfort, J. S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E. S/Sgt Kelton, H.E. |
2 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Lt Miller, E.L. Lt Conner, J.K. Sgt Malloy, J.F. S/Sgt Pemberton, J.M. |
3 669th 43-9181 2A-A A-20G Lt Land, W.H. S/Sgt Abriola, D.R. Sgt Fair, V.F. |
| 4 669th 43-10197 2A-F A-20G Lt Connor, J.S. S/Sgt Rodgers, H.C. S/Sgt VanDuyne, J.E. |
5 669th 43-9943 2A-Z A-20G Lt Sorrels, D.W. Cpl Malara, V.A. Cpl Triber, H.I. |
6 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Clark, H.B. S/Sgt Sabadosh, J.W. S/Sgt Floyd, C.F. |
| 1 669th 43-22024 2A-E A-20J Lt DeMun, E.E. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O. |
2 669th 43-9202 2A-B A-20G Lt Robertson, R.B. S/Sgt Cheney, M.W. S/Sgt Reiter, G.E. |
3 669th 43-10155 2A-V A-20G Lt Blomgren, J.E. Sgt Fleming, L.R. S/Sgt Bookach, M. |
| 4 669th 43-21961 2A-P A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Wing, J.S. |
5 669th 43-9692 2A-M A-20G Lt Cornell, R.H., Jr. Pvt Reid, K.A. S/Sgt Carter, A.E. |
6 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. S/Sgt Scott, J.O. S/Sgt Mallory, D.F. |
| SPARE 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt Murphy, T.A. Sgt Ricketson, J.J. Sgt O'Connell, L.W. [Returned Early as Briefed] |
| 1 671st 43-21711 5C-S A-20J Capt Marzolf, L.A. Lt Beck, J.T. S/Sgt Wellin, H.E. S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G. |
2 671st 43-9719 5C-J A-20G Lt Estes, C.L. S/Sgt Orvold, C.R. S/Sgt DiMartino, A.E. |
3 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. S/Sgt DeBower, D.H. S/Sgt Jones, R.J. |
| 4 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Morehouse, R.C. S/Sgt Zygiel, L.A. S/Sgt Burgess, A.J. |
5 671st 43-9925 5C-G A-20G Lt Eastman, D.M. Cpl Johnson, R.J. Cpl Eaton, A.B. |
6 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt Miller, J.H. S/Sgt Schrom, R.G. S/Sgt Galender, J.W. |
| 1 668th 43-21719 5H-V A-20J Lt Bartmus, G.F. Lt Hardy, J.F. S/Sgt Orr, J.R. S/Sgt Flacks, F.L. |
2 668th 43-10125 5H-M A-20J Lt Miracle, R.V. F/O McCartney, T.M. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. |
3 668th 43-21717 5H-P A-20J Lt Andersen, C.J., Jr. Lt Babbage, W. S/Sgt Euga, P.G. Sgt Schafer, E.L. |
| 4 668th 43-10226 5H-E A-20G Capt Prentiss, R.B. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. |
5 668th 43-21760 5H-Z A-20G Lt Stanley, C.S. Sgt Holterfield, C.C. Sgt Collier, C.B. |
6 668th 43-9894 5H-R A-20G Lt Colquitt, J.K. S/Sgt Raines, D.E. Sgt Cavanagh, A.F. |
| 1 670th 43-21467 F6-W A-20J Lt Monroe, H.A. Lt Kirk, R.L. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. S/Sgt Risko, S. |
2 670th 43-21810 F6-P A-20G Lt Brown, N.G. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F. Sgt Siracusa, J.F. |
3 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Johnson, E.L. S/Sgt Donahue, W.J. T/Sgt Goggin, J.F. |
| 4 670th 43-9720 F6-F A-20G Lt Hall, R.B. S/Sgt Blackford, D.S. S/Sgt Burger, L.C. |
5 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt Leonard, T.J. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. S/Sgt Palmer, T.A. |
6 670th 43-9905 F6-K A-20G Lt Sparling, J.R., Jr. Sgt Harmon, C.D. Sgt Leahigh, L.L. |
| SPARE 668th 43-21480 5H-B A-20G Lt Evans, H.M. Sgt Skeens, C.L. Sgt Merritt, O.N., Jr. [Returned Early as Briefed] |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 147 -- September 28, 1944, Thursday AM
Foret De Parroy, France -- Troop Concentration
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
A day later the same defended positions in the Foret de Parroy were attacked. Even though they made three bomb runs, only one of the six flights managed to pick up the target through the 8/10 clouds. Crews reported good results by that one flight. Major Willetts and Captain Marzolf were the box leaders.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 154
Mission #147 - 28 September - Foret de Parroy, near Nancy.
Major Willetts and Lt. Royalty BN led Box I. Lts. Pair and
Corum BN, Captain Marzolf and Lt. Beck BN, Captain Bartmus
and Lt. Hardy BN led flights. Today, incidentally, Bartmus was
made Captain, Congrats! Only one flight was able to drop their
bombs, since clouds moved in hiding the target from the bombsights
of other BNs. The bombing had to be carefully maneuvered
since our Allied ground troops were in the vicinity of this
area, and we could not risk dropping our bombs near them, so the
BNs held their loads.
It was a thrill for crews to take off from an airfield on the
continent to reach the front lines.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Again the next day the weather interfered with the success of our mission. We were sent to attack panzer and supply installations in the Foret De Parroy, where proximity of American Third Army Troops necessitated extra care in bombing. Due to thick cloud cover and the danger of our own troops, the bombers returned without dropping their bombs.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
September 28th, 1944
Major Willetts lead the 416th to the Foret de Parroy, 15 miles southeast of Nancy, where German Panzer concentrations, tanks, and supplies were reported, on the morning of September 28. The weather had not improved much since the day before, and only on flight, the Major's was able to bomb. There was no photo coverage due to clouds, but good results were reported by visual observation.
Because of the close proximity of American 3rd Army Units to the target, the utmost care had to be exercised to avoid endangering our own troops. Only slight opposition from enemy anti-aircraft guns was encountered in the target area. All ships returned safely.
"671tst Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Speed was necessary to keep pace with the other units and the demands of headquarters. Shortly after the planes arrived a mission in support of the Third Army was set up. Once again cloudy weather which seems quite common this time of the year in France was the cause of another scrub. The first mission from Melun Airfield or A-55 was an attack on the Foret De Parroy near Metz on 27 September 1944. Six crews from the 671st Bomb Squadron (L) were in this formation. Major Willetts led the Group formation, including thirteen 671st Bomb Squadron (L) crews against the same target the next day.
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[September 28, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, September 28, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |