9th AF Patch

416th Bombardment Group (L)

Mission # 150 -- October 2, 1944, Monday AM

Ubach Area "A", Germany

Buildings

 

WWII-Medal

Previous Mission # 149            Mission List            Next Mission # 151

Return to Table of Contents



Summary of Operations

Field Order        : 9-578
OpRep #            : 182
Nature of Mission  : Bombing
Mission Status     : No Attack
Take-off Time      : 0744
Time Over Target   : 0912 - 0947
Landing Time       : 1058
Duration (Hrs:Min) : 3:14

Place of Take-Off  : A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France
A/C Dispatched     : 36 Total -- 28 A-20G's, 8 A-20J's
Target Ref         : SPECIAL BOMBLINE RAILROAD RUNNING GENERALLY NORTH TO SOUTH IMMEDIATELY WEST OF TARGET
Illustration       : AERIAL PHOTO. NO. 2026 UBACH AREA 10 SEP. 1944
Illustration Ref   : 028059, 027064, 026069, 035060, 033064, 034072
Secondary Target   : No Alternate Targets Authorized
Summary of Results : 3 bombing runs, No attack due to cloud cover.

Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.91872,6.07527 (50° 55' 7" N, 6° 4' 31" E)
(Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) vK832590)
(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 150 documents (multipage PDF files)

Mission Folder       Reports Folder       OpRep # 182       Fuel Use

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.




Loading List 1

Loading List 1, Box I


Loading List 2

Loading List 2, Box II


Target Topo Map

Primary Target area around MBS Coordinate (NGZ) vK832590
Extracted from GSGS-4416/AMS-M641 Sheet R1 - "Koln" 1:100:000 Military Topographic Map
(Downloaded from Map Archive of Wojskowy Instytut Geograficzny 1919 - 1939,
GSGS 4416 / AMS M641, 651, 671 Germany, Poland, Middle Danube 1:100,000,
Koln sheet)
(Note: This coordinate and map display represent the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ)

(Annotated Full Map PDF)



Mission Loading Lists Transcription

Mission # 150 -- October 2, 1944, Monday AM
Ubach Area "A", Germany -- Buildings

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  670th                   
  43-22063  F6-A  A-20J
  Maj Dunn, L.F.
  Lt Powell, V.H.
  S/Sgt Stobert, R.F.
  S/Sgt Glynn, F.P.
  2  670th                   
  43-9217  F6-D  A-20G
  Lt Leonard, T.J.
  S/Sgt Evans, O.D.
  S/Sgt Palmer, T.A.
 
  3  670th                   
  43-9380  F6-N  A-20G
  Lt Johnson, E.L.
  S/Sgt Donahue, W.J.
  T/Sgt Goggin, J.F.
 
  4  670th                   
  43-9224  F6-E  A-20G
  Lt Hillerman, J.P.
  S/Sgt Paules, E.F.
  S/Sgt Martinez, L.
 
  5  670th                   
  43-9720  F6-F  A-20G
  Lt Musgrove, W.
  Sgt Seighman, H.O.
  Sgt Licker, M.
 
  6  670th                   
  43-9689  F6-I  A-20G
  Lt Popeney, H.V.
  Sgt Arnett, W.E.
  Sgt Candler, H.C.S.
 

Box I -- Flight II
  1  668th                   
  43-21717  5H-P  A-20J
  Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr.
  Lt Forma, W.
  Sgt Newell, S.P.
  S/Sgt Lagerman, K.G.
  2  668th                   
  43-9444  5H-J  A-20J
  Lt Andersen, C.J., Jr.
  Lt Babbage, W.
  S/Sgt Euga, P.G.
  S/Sgt Schafer, E.L.
  3  668th                   
  43-21760  5H-Z  A-20G
  Lt Kreh, E.B.
  S/Sgt Schenck, D.R.
  S/Sgt Shelton, E.L.
 
  4  668th                   
  43-9907  5H-O  A-20G
  Lt Ebenstein, G.N.
  S/Sgt Love, C.F.
  S/Sgt Adair, F.L.
 
  5  668th                   
  43-10150  5H-N  A-20G
  Lt Wright, J.W.
  Sgt Profita, P.J.
  Sgt Simmonds, J.R.
 
  6  668th                   
  43-10210  5H-Q  A-20G
  Lt Colquitt, J.K.
  S/Sgt Raines, D.E.
  Sgt Cavanagh, A.F.
 

Box I -- Flight III
  1  668th                   
  43-10125  5H-M  A-20J
  Capt Bartmus, G.F.
  Lt Hardy, J.F.
  S/Sgt Orr, J.R.
  S/Sgt Flacks, F.L.
  2  668th                   
  43-9194  5H-C  A-20G
  Lt Lesher, R.D.
  Sgt Heitell, S.L.
  S/Sgt Damico, E.A.
 
  3  668th                   
  43-21480  5H-B  A-20G
  Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr.
  S/Sgt Hill, A.A.
  S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W.
 
  4  668th                   
  43-10176  5H-T  A-20G
  Lt Downing, W.E.
  S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S.
  S/Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr.
 
  5  668th                   
  43-9195  5H-D  A-20G
  Lt Svenson, R.R.
  S/Sgt Fild, P.G.
  S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H.
 
  6  668th                   
  43-21809  5H-A  A-20G
  Lt Parker, P.E.
  Sgt Galloway, A.F.
  Sgt Kochan, S.J.
 

Box I
  SPARE  669th               
  43-10197  2A-F  A-20G
  Lt Robertson, R.B.
  S/Sgt Cheney, M.W.
  Sgt Reiter, G.E.
  [Returned Early as Briefed]
 
                                                           


Box II -- Flight I
  1  670th                   
  43-21467  F6-W  A-20J
  Capt Rudisill, R.S.
  Lt Joost, R.H.
  S/Sgt Riley, R.K.
  Cpl Paladino, D.V.
  2  670th                   
  43-9892  F6-L  A-20G
  Lt McBride, L.R.
  S/Sgt Eutsler, R.J.
  S/Sgt McKee, J.C.
 
  3  670th                   
  43-10187  F6-H  A-20G
  Lt Brown, N.G.
  S/Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr.
  S/Sgt Glynn, P.F.
 
  4  670th                   
  43-9750  F6-M  A-20G
  Lt Ostrander, W.B.
  S/Sgt Wilson, J.E.
  S/Sgt Binney, I.
 
  5  670th                   
  43-9674  F6-R  A-20G
  Lt Sparling, J.R., Jr.
  S/Sgt Leahigh, L.L.
  Sgt Harmon, C.D.
 
  6  670th                   
  43-21810  F6-P  A-20G
  Lt Barausky, P.P.
  Sgt Wilson, B.R.
  S/Sgt Ottaviano, J.O.
 

Box II -- Flight II
  1  669th                   
  43-21469  2A-J  A-20J
  Capt Morton, R.J.
  Lt Moore, D.L.
  S/Sgt Webb, C.L.
  T/Sgt Kelly, W.J.
  2  669th                   
  43-9743  2A-W  A-20G
  Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr.
  S/Sgt Scott, J.O.
  S/Sgt Mallory, D.F.
 
  3  669th                   
  43-9181  2A-A  A-20G
  Lt Land, W.H.
  Sgt Fair, V.F.
  Sgt Donnelly, W.W.
 
  4  669th                   
  43-10155  2A-V  A-20G
  Lt Cornell, R.H., Jr.
  S/Sgt Carter, A.E.
  Pvt Reid, K.A.
 
  5  669th                   
  43-9943  2A-Z  A-20G
  Lt Kehoe, J.W.
  Cpl Arendt, E.A.
  Pvt Richardson, L.L.
 
  6  669th                   
  43-9692  2A-M  A-20G
  Lt Butler, G.S.
  Cpl McClain, H.B.
  Sgt McGaughy, W.S.
 

Box II -- Flight III
  1  671st                   
  43-9645  5C-R  A-20J
  Capt Cole, H.P.
  Lt Basnett, R.J.
  S/Sgt Fandre, B.G.
  S/Sgt Chvatal, F.R.
  2  671st                   
  43-21711  5C-S  A-20J
  Lt Pair, H.F.
  Lt Corum, J.L.
  S/Sgt Marion, H.A.
  S/Sgt Adams, V.P.
  3  671st                   
  43-9719  5C-J  A-20G
  Lt Estes, C.L.
  S/Sgt Orvold, C.R.
  S/Sgt DiMartino, A.E.
 
  4  671st                   
  43-10200  5C-F  A-20G
  Lt Merchant, W.A.
  T/Sgt Tanner, J.R.L.
  S/Sgt Brown, K.P.
 
  5  671st                   
  43-9951  5C-P  A-20G
  Lt Miller, J.H.
  S/Sgt Galender, J.W.
  Sgt Brower, J.S.
 
  6  671st                   
  43-9714  5C-N  A-20G
  Lt VanNoorden, H.M.
  Sgt Thompson, G.H., Jr.
  Cpl Steffey, R.I.
 

Box II
  SPARE  671st               
  43-9363  5C-L  A-20G
  Lt Winn, A.J.P.
  Sgt Stephenson, G.G.
  Cpl Davis, W.G., Jr.
  [Returned Early as Briefed]
 
                                                           



Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 150 -- October 2, 1944, Monday AM
Ubach Area "A", Germany -- Buildings


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

Although only nine missions were flown during October, many Air Medals were received, and Purple Hearts. Orders were also received awarding Distinguished Flying Crosses to nine of our crewmen. They were Major Conant, Captain Jackson, Captain Osborne, Lieutenants Forma, Hand, Hill, Hillerman, Powell, and Rooney.

The first of the nine missions in October, mission #150, was flown on the 2nd. The war had progressed up to the gates of Germany itself. The Siegfried Line was all that stood between the Allies and the Reich. Our role during the month, therefore, would be to concentrate our air effort on the breakthrough and also on the cutting of supply lines to the Line. The target on the 2nd was in direct support of General Rodges' attack on the Line in the Aachen area. It was the town of Ubach. The town which contained nests of enemy strongpoints hidden among its homes was to be demolished. After three runs over the target, it became necessary to turn back. A cloud cover obscured the target. Major Dunn and Captain Rudisill were the box leaders. Bombing during the month was again done by flights.


"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 159

October-November, 1944

The transition training of pilots and Bombardier-Navigators for the shiny aluminum A-26s continued, with all crews anxious to get into them and fly missions. The lack of glass nosed, - Model C - A-26s were not available yet, so as stated, A-20 glass nosed planes would carry the BNs to missions, with the A-26 gun ships behind them in flight formations. Speed was increased and the tripled bomb load of the 26s over the A-20s made these planes the desire of pilots and BNs. However, since the A-20 still had not expanded their range of operation, the type of missions flown had to co-incide with that lead plane's ability.

Mission #150 - 2 October - Urbach area, close to Aachen. After three attempts on bomb runs to hit this target, all planes had to return to base with their bombs still shackled up. Flight leaders included Captain Cole and Lt. Basnett BN, Captain Bartmus and Lt. Hardy BN, and Captain Osborne and Lt. Forma, BN. This had to be an important target since four different Ninth Bombardment Groups were assigned to destroy it, but it didn't happen due to cloud cover. Air crews felt they were not doing what they were capable of doing in helping ground forces advance on German positions, all related to weather.


"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives

The first two missions of the month, of the 2nd and 3rd, were futile. Cloud cover prevented any attack.


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

The second of October saw our planes make three attempts to destroy enemy buildings and pill-boxes at Urbach, Germany, but due to the proximity of Allied Troops and poor visibility, no bombs were dropped.


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

October 2nd, 1944

The 416 were dispatched on the morning of October 2nd to lend aid to the American First Army north of Aschen. The target was buildings in the Ubach area, but the Havocs had to return after making three runs on the target, all in vain as no holes appeared in the cloud covering. No battle damage resulted.




[October 2, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map

Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe
as of approximately 1200 hours, October 2, 1944
World War II Military Situation Maps Collection
Library of Congress


Previous Mission # 149            Mission List            Next Mission # 151

Return to Table of Contents