 |
416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 71 -- June 8, 1944, Thursday AM Vitre, France Highway and Railroad Junction
|
 |
Previous Mission # 70 Mission List Next Mission # 72 Return to Table of Contents
|
416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 71 -- June 8, 1944, Thursday AM Vitre, France Highway and Railroad Junction
|
|
Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 42 Total -- 35 A-20G's, 7 A-20J's Tactical Target Dossier: 4802W/C/9 Illustration : 4802W/59 Illustration Ref : 101071 Summary of Results : Aircraft failed to attack due to weather. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.12274,-1.21200 (48° 7' 22" N, 1° 12' 43" W) (Latitude/Longitude based on Google Maps, Selected Town center - Vitre, France) (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 # 71 -- June 8, 1944, Thursday AM
Vitre, France -- Highway and Railroad Junction
| 1 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Maj Meng, W.J. Lt Powell, V.H. S/Sgt Stobert, R.F. S/Sgt Glynn, F.P. |
2 670th 43-21467 F6-W A-20J Capt Hulse, D.A., Jr. Lt Conte, R.F., Sr. S/Sgt Allred, F.D. S/Sgt Stephens, D.W. |
3 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Lt Atkinson, P.G., Jr. S/Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr. S/Sgt Glynn, P.F. |
| 4 670th 43-9207 F6-B A-20G Lt Harrold, F.J., Jr. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. Sgt Maziasz, C.W. |
5 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt Brown, N.G. S/Sgt Wilson, J.E. S/Sgt Binney, I. |
6 670th 43-10157 F6-P A-20G Lt Shea, D.F. S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr. S/Sgt Falk, F.G. |
| 1 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Ebenstein, G.N. Sgt Newell, S.P. Sgt Perkins, H., Jr. |
2 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr. S/Sgt Kemper, L.B. [Kemper (4th CCU)] |
3 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr. S/Sgt Hill, A.A. S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W. |
| 4 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt Leonard, T.J. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. S/Sgt Palmer, T.A. |
| 1 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Bartmus, G.F. S/Sgt Orr, J.R. S/Sgt Smith, H.W. |
2 668th 43-9894 5H-R A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J. |
3 668th 43-10210 5H-Q A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L. |
| 4 668th 43-10194 5H-A A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr. Sgt Burch, R.W. |
| 1 671st 43-9645 5C-R A-20J Capt McNulty, G.M. Lt Bursiel, F.H. S/Sgt White, H.E. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F. |
2 671st 43-21711 5C-S A-20J Lt Marzolf, L.A. Lt Basnett, R.J. S/Sgt Wellin, H.E. S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G. |
3 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
| 4 670th 43-9978 F6-S A-20G Lt Rooney, R.J. S/Sgt McCleary, H.M. S/Sgt DiNapoli, S.F. |
5 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Sommers, D.T. Sgt Johnson, J.L. Sgt Zaklikiewicz, S.R. |
6 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Sewell, J.C. Sgt Burns, D.E. Sgt Daniel, W.J., Sr. [Returned Early No sortie] |
| 1 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Wheeler, R.V. S/Sgt Brower, J.S. S/Sgt Corrin, E.W. |
2 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt York, R.W. S/Sgt Wilds, H.J. Sgt Ashton, L.A. |
3 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Merchant, W.A. S/Sgt Harp, C.J. S/Sgt Brown, K.P. |
| 4 669th 43-9202 2A-B A-20G Lt Shainberg, N.V. Sgt Rice, R.W. Sgt Young, C.E. |
| 1 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt Greenley, R.E. S/Sgt Worden, H.C. S/Sgt Rzepka, J.J. |
2 671st 43-9714 5C-N A-20G Lt Henderson, F.W. Sgt Griswold, R.M. Sgt Coulombe, P.E. |
3 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Durante, A.R. S/Sgt Best, H.T. S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R. |
| 4 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. Sgt DeBower, D.H. Sgt Jones, R.J. |
| 1 669th 43-9450 2A-S A-20J Capt Huff, M.J. Lt Kupits, J. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. Sgt Carney, H.O. |
2 668th 43-9640 5H-Z A-20J Lt Shaefer, R.F. Lt Burg, J.J. S/Sgt Judd, E.R., Jr. S/Sgt Fejes, J.A., Jr. |
3 669th 43-9189 2A-P A-20G Lt Dontas, P. S/Sgt Nielsen, A.L. S/Sgt Fields, W.E. |
| 4 669th 43-9390 2A-G A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Radlich, N. |
5 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. Sgt Scott, J.O. S/Sgt Mallory, D.F. |
6 669th 43-10147 2A-K A-20G Lt Hayter, E.R. Sgt Melchoir, F.E. S/Sgt Holloway, R.G. |
| 1 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Lt Morton, R.J. Lt Madenfort, J. S/Sgt LaNave, O.D. S/Sgt Citty, F.M. |
2 669th 43-9961 2A-E A-20G Lt Smith, J.F., Jr. Sgt Vafiadis, C. Sgt Hoffman, R.C. |
3 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Clark, H.B. Sgt Sabadosh, J.W. Sgt Floyd, C.F. |
| 4 669th 43-9717 2A-N A-20G Lt Street, M.S. S/Sgt Prindle, C.A. S/Sgt Epps, E.T. |
| 1 669th 43-9929 2A-C A-20G Lt MacManus, P.F.E., Jr. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. S/Sgt Fleischman, G.I. |
2 669th 43-9181 2A-A A-20G Lt Land, W.H. S/Sgt Alden, S.F. S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L. |
3 669th 43-9943 2A-F A-20G Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. Sgt Rodgers, H.C. Sgt VanDuyne, J.E. |
| 4 670th 43-9680 F6-R A-20G Lt Miracle, R.V. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. [Not airborne] |
| SPARE 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Herman, A.E. Sgt Young, J.O. Sgt Garrett, A.D. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 71 -- June 8, 1944, Thursday AM
Vitre, France -- Highway and Railroad Junction
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Continuing to concentrate on roads and rail communications, a mission took off on the 8th to bomb a highway and rail junction at Vitre. The weather was unusually bad, making it impossible to bomb even at low-level so that no attack was made.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 95
Mission #71 - 8 June - Vitre RR Bridge. Major Meng and Lt.
Powell, BN led Box I with Captain Hulse and Lt. Conte, BN as
deputy. The formation took off in what was reasonably fair
weather, got up to 11,000 feet until they approached the south
side of the channel, when a heavy cloud bank met them. The formation
went down to practically ground level, where they ran
into fog, requiring them to break up for safety. They all managed
to return to base. Later that afternoon, another group took off but
were recalled after being air borne a half hour.
On 9 June, word came down that enemy troops were
dropping paratroops in England, intent to attack airbases. All
personnel were issued ammunition for their guns, and intense
patrols were established. Gas masks, steel helmets were worn
constantly. This alert lasted for two days, when everything
returned to normal.
On 10 June, the 97th Bomb Wing General Backus visited
our group to compliment us on the excellent bombing missions
the group completed.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Rainy weather again interfered with the mission on June 8th, in which we had 11 crews. The spell of bad weather continued for the next two days, allowing no missions to take off.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
These in the third day since landings were made on the Normandy coast of France. It looks like the beachhead will hold as troops and supplies have been pouring in almost unceasingly since D-Day.
Again an early morning mission got the crews out of bed and into the air. The weather had been bad the two previous days, and it looked as if the Group was going to get a break when the ships climbed up to 11,000 feet over England, but they found a low ceiling awaiting them just the other side of the Channel and had to drop down on the deck over enemy territory. While on the deck the formation ran into a ground fog and split up as there was no other alternative. Unable to drop the bombs, the ships finally rejoined and returned to base safely.
In the evening the ships started out once more, but were recalled due to more bad weather, which was rapidly moving in at the coast. By the time the last ship landed the visibility was down to almost one-half mile anywhere from the ground to 500 feet.
|
[June 8, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, June 8, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |