416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 219 -- March 2, 1945, Friday AM Iserlohn, Germany Warehouses
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Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 42 Total -- 40 A-26's, 2 B-26's (PFF) Modified British System Reference: A-999087 Secondary Target : Siegen Marshalling Yards and Railroad Workshops (G-200520) Summary of Results : Unobserved due to cloud cover. Three Window A-26's. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 51.37718,7.73577 (51° 22' 38" N, 7° 44' 9" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) rA999087) (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 # 219 -- March 2, 1945, Friday AM
Iserlohn, Germany -- Warehouses
1 668th 43-22523 5H-N A-26C Capt Evans, H.M. Lt McCartney, T.M. F/O Blount, J.H., Jr. S/Sgt Skeens, C.L. |
2 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Maj Price, R.F. Lt Forma, W. S/Sgt Fetko, C., Jr. Lt Castle, W.D. |
3 668th 41-39325 5H-L A-26B Lt Hale, W.L. S/Sgt Bentzler, D.H. |
4 668th 41-39264 5H-I A-26B Lt Parker, P.E. Cpl Youlios, D., Jr. |
5 668th 43-22495 5H-G A-26C Lt Phillips, J.P. Sgt Miller, A.H. |
6 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B Lt Russell, R.A. Sgt Musarra, A.J. |
1 670th 43-22503 F6-X A-26C Lt Rooney, R.J. Lt Kirk, R.L. S/Sgt Caudell, S.R. |
2 670th 43-22334 F6-G A-26B Lt Sewell, J.C. S/Sgt Hummer, J.A. |
3 670th 41-39205 F6-M A-26B Lt Bishop, E.G. Sgt Hudnutt, L.W. |
4 670th 43-22315 F6-L A-26B Maj Ferris, C.H. S/Sgt Majewski, S.J. Lt Col McAfee, J.B. [McAfee (97th CBW)] |
5 670th 41-39315 F6-F A-26B Lt Turman, A.R. S/Sgt Harmon, C.D. |
6 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B Lt Ford, R. Cpl Thompson, C.J. |
1 670th 43-22501 F6-W A-26C Lt Singletary, R.B. Lt Rosenquist, A.E. S/Sgt Cianciosi, A.A. |
2 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Lt Bower, R.S. Sgt Rhoney, C.B. |
3 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Lt Errotabere, M. Sgt Bowie, E.A. |
4 670th 41-39286 F6-D A-26B Lt Barausky, P.P. Pvt Wilson, B.R. |
5 670th 41-39215 F6-R A-26B Lt Stankowski, J.F. Sgt Kimball, A.H. |
6 670th 43-22330 F6-P A-26B Lt Chitty, W.D., Jr. Sgt Raccio, V.B. |
SPARE 668th 43-22389 5H-X A-26B Lt Cannon, L.E. S/Sgt Robinson, J.W. |
1 668th 43-22481 5H-P A-26C Capt Andersen, C.J., Jr. Lt Babbage, W. Lt Shaft, R.E. S/Sgt Schafer, E.L. |
2 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Capt Pair, H.F. Lt Corum, J.L. S/Sgt Fessler, H.S. |
3 668th 43-22378 5H-O A-26B Lt Annin, W.W. Sgt Kaminski, C.J. |
4 668th 41-39274 5H-S A-26B Lt Prucha, L.J. T/Sgt Wilson, G.C. |
5 668th 41-39335 5H-W A-26B Lt Long, R.H. Sgt McCarthy, C.J. |
6 668th 41-39305 5H-U A-26B Lt Laseter, W.H. Sgt Hicks, C.M. |
1 669th 43-22521 2A-N A-26C Capt Stebbins, B.D. Lt Calloway, A.S. S/Sgt Brown, W.J. |
2 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Anderson, C.M. Sgt Deatherage, J.H. |
3 669th 41-39263 2A-G A-26B Lt Martin, E.C. Sgt Draft, L.B. |
4 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Allen, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Veazey, C.W. |
5 669th 43-22354 2A-S A-26B Lt Hackley, R.H. Sgt Hawk, O.T. |
6 669th 43-22351 2A-F A-26B F/O Swap, F.W. Sgt Santandrea, M. |
1 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Lt Brown, C.J. Lt Kerns, J.E. S/Sgt Sunderland, H.E. |
2 671st 41-39209 5C-M A-26B Lt Spires, J.W. Sgt Davis, L.E. |
3 671st 41-39300 5C-K A-26B Lt VanNoorden, H.M. S/Sgt Thompson, G.H., Jr. |
4 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Capt Sears, A.C. M/Sgt Wells, J.J. |
5 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Capt Hixon, S.M. Sgt Schmidt, K.W. [Returned Early] |
6 671st 41-39297 5C-T A-26B Lt Wright, J.R. Sgt Simon, D.O. |
SPARE 668th 43-22321 5H-T A-26B Lt Carver, J.H. Sgt Graham, N.M. |
1 669th 43-22487 2A-J A-26C Lt Cornell, R.H., Jr. Lt Enman, R.E. S/Sgt Carter, A.E. Sgt Reid, K.A. |
2 668th 43-22385 5H-D A-26B Lt Remiszewski, A. S/Sgt Miguez, J.H. S/Sgt DiOrio, F.M. |
3 668th 41-39213 5H-A A-26B Lt Willard, J.A. Sgt Hinker, C.V. Sgt Sumner, W.R., Jr. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 219 -- March 2, 1945, Friday AM
Iserlohn, Germany -- Warehouses
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Again on the 2nd, PPF was employed to attack warehouses at Iserlohn through 10/10 cloud cover. There was no flak. The two boxes were lead by Capt Evans, Lt McCartney and F/O Blount, B&N, and Captain Anderson, Lts Babbage and Shaft, B&N. The mission marked the finish of our first year of operations.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 220
Mission #219 - 2 March - Iserlohn Transport Depot. This depot contained replacement parts for much field equipment plus their required motors, so frag bombs were loaded on our planes, to follow PFF planes again. Captain Evans with Lt. McCartney and F/O Blount as BNs led Box I. Major Price and Lt. Forma, BN flew as deputy to Box I. Captain Anderson with Lts. Babbage and Shaft, BNs, Lts. Brown and Kerns, BN and Captain Pair with Lt. Corum BN led flights. Bombs were dropped through clouds. This was a welcome second "milk-run" for the group.
"Operational History 668th Bomb Squadron (416th Bomb Group (L)) WWII"
Wayne Williams, et.al.
The mission flown today was very near identical to yesterday’s mission, with exception of target and date. We had twelve crews on the loading list, comprising the lead flights of each box. Price & Forma flew Deputy Lead with five of our crews behind them, while Andersen & Babbage with the other five crews were the lead flight of the second box. On this mission, heading the first box was the team of Evans & McCartney. They composed the thirteenth crew on the list. Take-off was in the late morning, and the planes were loaded with 500 lb. "Frags".
The motor transportation depot at Iserlohn, German was the target assigned to the bombers. Two words, namely – "milk-run" described the mission. The target was reached with no flak enroute, and the bombing was carried out by boxes on PFF lead from the altitudes of 13,00 and 13,500 feet. Due to cloud cover, no photo coverage was possible, and the results remained "undetermined". The formation returned to the base with no losses, damage, or casualties, after a journey of 3:30 duration. This ended Group Mission # 219.
Tomorrow should be a day of celebration, as it announces the end of one year of operations. A year that has been full of both sadness and joy.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
On March 2nd, airplanes of the 669th participated in a PPF operation against the Iserlohn Warehouses.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
On the following day the Iserlohn Motor transport depot was bombed with 500 pound fragmentation bombs using the new type "airburst" fuse which is operated on a radar principle. Twelve 670th crews participated in this attack.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
The 416th Bomb Group completed its first year of Operations on March 2nd 1945, chalking up Mission No. 219. The target was the Motor Transport Depot at Iserlohn, 10 miles southeast of Dortmund. This depot is a main source for spare parts and motors. Pathfinder technique was used against the cloud-covered target, but it was reported that great damage was done. Flak was nil and all crews returned in tact.
It was on the night of March 2nd 1944 that the Group was alerted for its first mission. Ground crews worked furiously to make ready the ships for this new experience. The formation of A-20s took off at 0830, but got no farther than the English Channel when the fighters failed to rendezvous. The crews got their first sight of the coast of France, which they were to seen many times in the coming months.
[March 2, 1945], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, March 2, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |