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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 169 -- December 9, 1944, Saturday PM Dilsburg, Germany Defended Village
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 169 -- December 9, 1944, Saturday PM Dilsburg, Germany Defended Village
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Place of Take-Off : A-55 Melun/Villaroche, France A/C Dispatched : 38 Total -- 9 A-20J's & K's, 28 A-26B's, 1 B-26 (PFF) Modified British System Reference: Q-420815 Secondary Target : No Alternate Targets Authorized Summary of Results : No attack - Failure of PFF equipment. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 49.33078,6.93860 (49° 19' 51" N, 6° 56' 19" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wQ420815) (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 # 169 -- December 9, 1944, Saturday PM
Dilsburg, Germany -- Defended Village
| 1 668th 44-081 5H-P A-20K Capt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Forma, W. S/Sgt Brown, D.M. S/Sgt Simmonds, J.R. |
2 671st 44-560 5C-X A-20K Lt Pair, H.F. Lt Corum, J.L. S/Sgt Mahoney, R.J. S/Sgt Marion, H.A. |
3 668th 43-22302 5H-D A-26B Lt Chalmers, J.J. Sgt Fortner, K. Col Aylesworth, T.R. |
| 1 670th 44-173 F6-W A-20K Capt Jackson, C.R. S/Sgt Burns, D.E. Cpl Torres, I. |
2 670th 41-39217 F6-I A-26B Lt Leonard, T.J. Sgt Harmon, C.D. |
3 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt McBride, L.R. S/Sgt Teran, A. |
| 4 670th 41-39235 F6-M A-26B Lt Ostrander, W.B. S/Sgt Leahigh, L.L. |
5 670th 41-39227 F6-F A-26B Lt Sheley, S.H. Sgt Paladino, D.V. [Not Airborne Brake Malfunction] |
6 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Lt Turner, E.O. Sgt Seinkiewicz, J. |
| 1 670th 43-22334 F6-G A-26B Lt Rooney, R.J. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. |
2 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B Lt Heinke, W.R. S/Sgt VanWert, G.R. |
3 670th 43-22315 F6-L A-26B Lt Murphy, T.A. S/Sgt O'Connell, L.W. |
| 4 670th 41-39212 F6-K A-26B Lt Hall, R.B. S/Sgt Burger, L.C. |
5 669th 41-39242 2A-Q A-26B Lt Sewell, J.C. S/Sgt Hummer, J.A. |
6 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Popeney, H.V. S/Sgt Candler, H.C.S. |
| SPARE 669th 43-22344 2A-C A-26B Lt Sorrels, D.W. Sgt Triber, H.I. |
| 1 670th 44-076 F6-Q A-20K Lt Mish, C.C. Lt Shaft, R.E. S/Sgt Chustz, R.F. S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr. |
2 669th 44-178 2A-L A-20K Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. S/Sgt Mallory, D.F. S/Sgt Carter, A.E. |
3 671st 44-185 5C-G A-20K Lt Svenson, R.R. S/Sgt Fild, P.G. S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H. |
| 1 668th 43-9444 5H-J A-20J Capt Prentiss, R.B. Lt Bursiel, F.H. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. S/Sgt Fetko, C., Jr. |
2 669th 44-085 2A-T A-20K Lt Miller, E.L. Lt Conner, J.K. Sgt Malloy, J.F. S/Sgt Pemberton, J.M. |
3 668th 41-39233 5H-F A-26B Lt Kenny, J.P. Sgt Sittarich, J.J. |
| 4 668th 41-39214 5H-B A-26B Lt Wright, J.W. S/Sgt Profita, P.J. |
5 668th 41-39219 5H-E A-26B Lt Jacobsen, O.F. Sgt Gooch, H.I. |
6 668th 43-22317 5H-O A-26B Lt Carver, J.H. Sgt Stewart, A.B. |
| 1 671st 44-089 5C-R A-20K Lt Buskirk, J.A. Lt Hanna, R.C. S/Sgt Corbitt, C.H., Jr. Sgt Schmidt, K.W. |
2 671st 41-39211 5C-K A-26B Lt Eastman, D.M. Sgt Eaton, A.B. |
3 671st 43-22313 5C-B A-26B Lt VanNoorden, H.M. S/Sgt Thompson, G.H., Jr. |
| 4 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Lt Merchant, W.A. S/Sgt Davis, H.R. |
5 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Lt Estes, C.L. S/Sgt Orvold, C.R. |
6 671st 41-39209 5C-M A-26B Lt Cocke, J.B. Cpl Redding, R.D. |
| 1 669th 43-22301 2A-O A-26B Lt DeMun, E.E. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt Donnelly, W.W. |
2 669th 41-39238 2A-M A-26B Lt Smith, J.F., Jr. Sgt Carstens, R.W. |
3 669th 43-22300 2A-P A-26B Lt Clark, H.B. S/Sgt Sabadosh, J.W. |
| 4 669th 41-39241 2A-F A-26B Lt Kehoe, J.W. Cpl Richardson, L.L. |
5 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt VanRope, R.W. Cpl Graham, N.M. |
6 669th 41-39232 2A-A A-26B Lt VanMeter, G.C., Jr. Cpl Kirik, S.J. |
| SPARE 671st 41-39210 5C-J A-26B Lt Milhorn, G.L. Sgt Chest, D. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 169 -- December 9, 1944, Saturday PM
Dilsburg, Germany -- Defended Village
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
That afternoon, the defended village of Dilsburg was the target. The PPF equipment failed so that no attack was made. Cloud cover prevented any visual bombing.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 176
Mission #169 - 9 December - PM - Dilsburg. A heavily defended
village - Take off was at 1400 in what looked like turbulent
clouds. Captain Osborne, on his 65th mission, with Lt. Forma,
BN led Box I. Captain Prentiss and Lt. Burseil led Box II. The
cloud cover required PFF Pathfinders to lead us in, but an undetermined
problem developed and no bombs were dropped. No
enemy action greeted the group. All returned safely, landing after
dark.
Adverse weather prevented missions for the next two
days. However, on 11 December a group of Congressmen and
women of the House Military Affairs Committee visited our
base. Either the bad weather or other more important assignments
awaited them, because they didn't even get out of their
cars, but sped through our compound. Their mission was to
determine problems any of our soldiers were experiencing, and
with the idea of improving conditions. We hope they found ways
to make war better.
More and more of our original crews were being sent
back to the states after completing their 65 missions.
Replacements were coming in just as fast. These new boys were
well trained and really eager to do a good job. Some of the A-26
transition training crews were assigned to the 416th as permanent
members. Lt. Claude Brown and Lt. John Buskirk with BN
Lt. Hanna became attached to the 671st squadron. Lt. Jim Kerns
was assigned as BN to Lt. Brown and they made up a great team,
eventually leading missions.
Three BNs from the 671st squadron were transferred to
the 410th Bomb Group, including Lts. Francis, Mitchell and
Hansen. Captain Wheeler and Lt. Arrington, his BN, were sent up
to the front lines to help evaluate the type of targets each of the
heavy, medium or light bombers could better attack. Wheeler
was given the task of explaining how missions were planned and
executed.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The following day, 9 December, two missions were flown, both using pathfinder technique. The morning mission was an attack on the town of Saarwellin in which seven of our crews participated. Results were unobserved. In the afternoon the defended village of Dilsburg was the target. Pathfinder equipment failure prevented the fulfillment of the mission so no attack was made. Visual bombing could not be tried because of heavy cloud cover over the target area.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
Failure of PFF equipment prevented the 416th from chalking up two successful missions on December 9th, 1944. The morning mission returned at noon and at 1400 the Invaders were taking to the air for the second time that day, again in adverse weather. The formation reached the target area, a defended village called Dilsburg, but the PFF backfired and as visual bombing was impossible the planes brought their bombs back to A-55. Flak was nil, all crews returning safely.
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[December 9, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, December 9, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |