9th AF Patch

416th Bombardment Group (L)

Mission # 258 -- March 31, 1945, Saturday AM

Wurzburg, Germany

Storage Depot

 

WWII-Medal

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Summary of Operations

Field Order        : 232-827
OpRep #            : 362
Nature of Mission  : Bombing
Mission Status     : Attacked
Bombing Altitude   : 12,500 - 13,800 feet
Take-off Time      : 0906
Time Over Target   : 1029 - 1030
Landing Time       : 1212
Duration (Hrs:Min) : 3:06
 

Place of Take-Off  : A-69 Laon/Athies, France
A/C Dispatched     : 40 Total -- 38 A-26's, 2 B-26's (PFF)
Modified British System Reference: N-539371
Secondary Target   : Ebenhausen Oil Storage Depot
Summary of Results : Unobserved.

Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 49.81413,9.87753 (49° 48' 51" N, 9° 52' 39" E)
(Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wN539371)
(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 258 documents (multipage PDF files)

Mission Folder       Reports Folder       OpRep # 362       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
Note: Flight II This Loading List Assigned to Box II



Loading List 2

Loading List 2, Box II
Note: Flight II This Loading List Assigned to Box I



Route Map

Route Map


Target Topo Map

Primary Target area around MBS Coordinate (NGZ) wN539371
Extracted from GSGS-4416/AMS-M641 Sheet T4 - "Wurzburg" 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,
Wurzburg 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 # 258 -- March 31, 1945, Saturday AM
Wurzburg, Germany -- Storage Depot

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  671st                   
  43-22497  5C-E  A-26C
  Capt Miller, E.L.
  Lt Conner, J.K.
  F/O Wrubelle, W.M.
  S/Sgt Malloy, J.F.
  2  669th                   
  41-39244  2A-I  A-26B
  Lt VanRope, R.W.
  S/Sgt Klingman, W.H.
 
 
  3  669th                   
  43-22354  2A-S  A-26B
  Lt Hackley, R.H.
  S/Sgt Clark, R.A.
 
 
  4  669th                   
  41-39338  2A-O  A-26B
  Lt Allen, J.F., Jr.
  S/Sgt Getgen, L.R.
 
 
  5  669th                   
  41-39271  2A-R  A-26B
  Lt Harper, R.B.
  Sgt Black, R.M.
 
 
  6  669th                   
  41-39362  2A-Y  A-26B
  Lt Dunn, F.G.
  Sgt Pikel, J.M.
 
 

Box I -- Flight II
  1  668th                   
  43-22508  5H-Z  A-26C
  Capt Stanley, C.S.
  F/O Blount, J.H., Jr.
  S/Sgt Collier, C.B.
 
  2  668th                   
  41-39264  5H-I  A-26B
  Lt Roberts, W.H.
  S/Sgt Hood, A.R.
 
 
  3  668th                   
  41-39274  5H-S  A-26B
  Lt Prucha, L.J.
  S/Sgt Singleton, L.E.
 
 
  4  668th                   
  41-39259  5H-H  A-26B
  Lt Colquitt, J.K.
  S/Sgt Felkel, J.W.
 
 
  5  668th                   
  41-39188  5H-R  A-26B
  Lt Nathanson, A.S.
  Sgt Kaminski, C.J.
 
 
  6  668th                   
  41-39352  5H-J  A-26B
  Lt Zeimet, L.R.
  Sgt Ray, R.K.
 
 

Box I -- Flight III
  1  668th                   
  43-22640  5H-N  A-26C
  Capt Evans, H.M.
  Lt McCartney, T.M.
  S/Sgt Lemonds, W.E.
 
  2  668th                   
  41-39305  5H-U  A-26B
  Lt Harris, F.W.
  S/Sgt Fuehrer, W.F.
  [No sortie]
 
 
  3  668th                   
  43-22378  5H-O  A-26B
  Lt Lackner, R.J., Jr.
  Sgt Musarra, A.J.
 
 
  4  668th                   
  41-39233  5H-F  A-26B
  Lt Cannon, L.E.
  S/Sgt Metzler, L.V.
 
 
  5  668th                   
  43-22385  5H-D  A-26B
  Lt Tank, F.R.
  Sgt Spence, J.I.
 
 
  6  668th                   
  41-39325  5H-L  A-26B
  Lt Evarts, A.V.
  Sgt Fagan, C.D.
 
 

Box I
  SPARE  670th               
  41-39564  F6-V  A-26B
  Lt Balch, W.M.
  Cpl Brennan, J.D.
 
 
                                                           


Box II -- Flight I
  1  669th                   
  43-22609  2A-N  A-26C
  Lt Col Napier, J.G.
  Lt Moore, D.L.
  S/Sgt McClain, H.B.
 
  2  669th                   
  41-39263  2A-G  A-26B
  Lt Hayter, E.R.
  S/Sgt Basford, F.P.
 
 
  3  669th                   
  41-39314  2A-H  A-26B
  Lt Martin, E.C.
  Sgt Sumner, W.R., Jr.
 
 
  4  669th                   
  43-22381  2A-Q  A-26B
  Capt Sommers, H.L.
  S/Sgt Heath, K.
 
 
  5  669th                   
  43-22351  2A-F  A-26B
  Lt Smith, B.A.
  Sgt Richards, D.A.
 
 
  6  669th                   
  43-22496  2A-L  A-26C
  Lt Housley, C.H.
  Sgt Block, P.J.
 
 

Box II -- Flight II
  1  671st                   
  43-22490  5C-X  A-26C
  Lt Lackovich, J.J.
  Lt Muir, R.C.
  S/Sgt Connery, T.F.
 
  2  671st                   
  43-22498  5C-R  A-26C
  Lt Fero, D.A.
  F/O Langsam, R.L.
  S/Sgt Skelton, T.W.
 
  3  671st                   
  41-39360  5C-L  A-26B
  Lt Withington, D.L., III
  S/Sgt Huss, C.F.
 
 
  4  671st                   
  41-39239  5C-N  A-26B
  Capt Hixon, S.M.
  S/Sgt Davis, H.R.
 
 
  5  671st                   
  43-22352  5C-J  A-26B
  Capt Sears, A.C.
  M/Sgt Wells, J.J.
 
 
  6  671st                   
  41-39209  5C-M  A-26B
  Lt Wright, J.R.
  S/Sgt Simon, D.O.
 
 

Box II -- Flight III
  1  670th                   
  41-39398  F6-Q  A-26B
  Lt Grunig, D.B.
  Lt Morris, B.C.
  S/Sgt Friday, L.R.
 
  2  670th                   
  43-22315  F6-L  A-26B
  Maj Conant, H.F.
  S/Sgt Burns, D.E.
  Capt Chidley, H.W.
  [Chidley (Weather)]
 
  3  670th                   
  43-22330  F6-P  A-26B
  Lt Musgrove, W.
  Sgt Willever, E.J.
 
 
  4  670th                   
  41-39205  F6-M  A-26B
  Lt Bishop, E.G.
  S/Sgt Rorbakken, R.R.
  S/Sgt Richards, D.B.
 
  5  670th                   
  41-39223  F6-B  A-26B
  F/O Boerner, S.B., Jr.
  Cpl Eddy, K.A.
 
 
  6  670th                   
  41-39315  F6-F  A-26B
  Lt Curtis, J.C.
  Sgt Mulzet, O.F.
 
 

Box II
  SPARE  671st               
  43-22313  5C-B  A-26B
  Lt Graeber, T.E.
  S/Sgt Miller, A.H.
 
 
                                                           



Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 258 -- March 31, 1945, Saturday AM
Wurzburg, Germany -- Storage Depot


"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives

The Wurzburg storage depot was the target in the morning of the 31st. Patchy weather made target identification difficult. The leader of the first box decided to bomb on its PPF plane. The leader of the second box made a visual attack. Bombing by boxes, the results as seen through the clouds appeared to be excellent. Violent explosions and clouds of smoke that billowed high into the sky followed the attack in which 222 x 500-pound incendiary bombs were dropped. There was moderate, accurate flak during the last few seconds of the bomb run. Although four aircraft received battle damage, all planes returned safely. Capt Miller, Lt. Connor and F/O Wrubelle, B&N, led the first box; Lt. Col Napier, Lt. Moore, B-N, led the second box.


"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 242 - 243

Mission #258 - 31 March - AM - Wurzburg Storage Area. Captain Miller with Lt. Conner and F/O Wrubelle, BNs and Lt. Col. Napier and Lt. Moore BN, led the boxes. Lt Fero and F/O Langsan BN, and Lts. Lackovich and Muir led flights. Patchy clouds obscured the target area so PFF pathfinders were used. The leader of the second box made a visual bomb run scoring an excellent hit. Violent explosions and high rising smoke billowing through the clouds were observed. Moderate, accurate flak damaged four planes, but all returned safely with no personal injuries.


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

To end an extremely busy month, two more operational missions were flown on the 31st. The Wurzburg Storage Depot was attacked by the use of PPF equipment by the first box. The second box made a visual run and obtained very good results. Capt. Miller, with Lt. Conner and Flight Officer Wrubelle led the first box. Lt. Col. Napier, and his B/N Lt. Moore led the second box.

Mission # 259 was the last mission flown during the month. The Marienburg Storage Area was bombed. PPF aircraft led the formation on the bombing run. Cloud cover made a visual run impossible. Capt. Sommers with Lt. Kupits flew in the lead position of the second flight of the first box. Lt. Turner with his B/N, Lt. McGivern, was the flight leader of the third flight of the first box. Bombs were seen to hit the target area.


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

Two missions were run on the 31st of March. One was against the Wurzburg Storage Depot and the other against the Marionburg Storage area. Again bad weather made observation of results impossible. A total of fourteen crews took part in these two missions.


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

March 31st, 1945

The "Fighting; Flying, F _ _ _ _ _ _", 416th Bomb Group rounded out its most active month of Operations on March 31st, chalking up mission number 41 and 42 for the month. Ground forces moving toward Wurzburg received a valuable assist from the 416th in the morning as the Invaders struck by PFF at a large storage depot in the city. Crews reported good to excellent results on visual observation. The 500-pound incendiary clusters started large fires in the block of warehouse buildings. Wurzburg is situated on the main line between Frankfurt and Nurnberg. Weak flak was encountered in the target area and four ships received battle damage. All crews returned.

To further deplete the enemy's supplies the 416th Group and five other 9th Bomb Division Groups struck at a storage area in Marienburg, across the Main River from Wurzburg. The vast storage area comprises 21 warehouse type and 20 smaller buildings, a permanent barracks area and a large motor park. American tanks and infantry were reported meeting resistance in this area and crews were told that if the enemy was to counter-attack it probably would be from that point. Box I obtained excellent results on the PFF lead, but the pathfinder aircraft of the second box dropped late. There were no losses, casualties or battle damages.




[March 31, 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 31, 1945
World War II Military Situation Maps Collection
Library of Congress


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