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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 72 -- June 11, 1944, Sunday AM Falaise C-2, France Road Junction
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 72 -- June 11, 1944, Sunday AM Falaise C-2, France Road Junction
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 39 Total -- 33 A-20G's, 6 A-20J's Tactical Target Dossier: 4801W/Q/3 Illustration : 4801W/46 Illustration Ref : C2 Summary of Results : Formation failed to bomb due to weather. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.89507,-0.19228 (48° 53' 42" N, 0° 11' 32" W) (Latitude/Longitude based on Google Maps, Selected Town center - Falaise, 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 # 72 -- June 11, 1944, Sunday AM
Falaise C-2, France -- Road Junction
| 1 671st 43-9914 5C-X A-20J Maj Willetts, D.L. Lt Royalty, P.G. T/Sgt Larronde, F.H. S/Sgt Lempka, H.A. |
2 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Capt Huff, M.J. Lt Kupits, J. Sgt Melchoir, F.E. S/Sgt Holloway, R.G. |
3 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Durante, A.R. S/Sgt Best, H.T. S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R. |
| 4 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt Adams, J.D. S/Sgt Zeikus, A.J. S/Sgt Clearman, P.L., Jr. |
5 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt Greenley, R.E. S/Sgt Worden, H.C. S/Sgt Rzepka, J.J. |
6 671st 43-9714 5C-N A-20G Lt Henderson, F.W. Sgt Griswold, R.M. Sgt Coulombe, P.E. |
| 1 669th 43-9390 2A-G A-20G Lt MacManus, P.F.E., Jr. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. S/Sgt Fleischman, G.I. |
2 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Dontas, P. S/Sgt Nielsen, A.L. Lt Lindsay, G.E. [Lindsay (4th CCU)] |
3 669th 43-9929 2A-C A-20G Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. Sgt Scott, J.O. S/Sgt Mallory, D.F. |
| 1 669th 43-9840 2A-V A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Radlich, N. |
2 669th 43-9961 2A-E A-20G Lt Smith, J.F., Jr. Sgt Vafiadis, C. Sgt Hoffman, R.C. |
3 669th 43-9943 2A-F A-20G Lt Hayter, E.R. Sgt Rice, R.W. Sgt Young, C.E. |
| SPARE 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt Brown, N.G. Cpl McKee, J.C. Sgt Burns, D.E. [Returned Early As Briefed] |
| 1 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. |
2 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Maj Napier, J.G. Lt Smith, W.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
3 671st 43-10165 5C-H A-20G Lt Zubon, M. T/Sgt Tanner, J.R.L. S/Sgt Russell, W.C. |
| 4 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Wheeler, R.V. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. S/Sgt Czech, J.L. |
5 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Herman, A.E. Sgt Young, J.O. Sgt Garrett, A.D. |
6 671st 43-9220 5C-E A-20G Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. Sgt Jones, R.J. Sgt DeBower, D.H. |
| 1 668th 43-10210 5H-Q A-20G Capt Prentiss, R.B. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. |
2 668th 43-9975 5H-W A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr. |
3 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L. |
| 1 668th 43-9745 5H-I A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J. |
2 668th 43-9684 5H-K A-20G Lt Kreh, E.B. Sgt Kelton, H.E. S/Sgt Schenck, D.R. |
3 668th 43-9894 5H-R A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9219 5C-D A-20G Lt Miller, J.H. Sgt Schrom, R.G. S/Sgt Galender, J.W. [Returned Early As Briefed] |
| 1 670th 43-9452 F6-Q A-20J Capt Hulse, D.A., Jr. Lt Conte, R.F., Sr. S/Sgt Allred, F.D. S/Sgt Stephens, D.W. |
2 670th 43-21467 F6-W A-20J Lt Rudisill, R.S. Lt Joost, R.H. S/Sgt Riley, R.K. S/Sgt Bonamo, A.J. |
3 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Lt Nordstrom, A.W. S/Sgt Gossett, J.D. S/Sgt Miller, R.L. |
| 4 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt Ostrander, W.B. S/Sgt Wilson, J.E. S/Sgt Binney, I. |
5 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Sommers, D.T. Sgt Zaklikiewicz, S.R. Sgt Johnson, J.L. |
6 670th 43-9207 F6-B A-20G Lt Atkinson, P.G., Jr. S/Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr. S/Sgt Glynn, P.F. |
| 1 668th 43-21750 5H-S A-20J Lt Shaefer, R.F. Lt Burg, J.J. S/Sgt Fejes, J.A., Jr. S/Sgt Judd, E.R., Jr. |
2 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Ritchie, S.B., Jr. S/Sgt Anderson, E.A. Sgt Smith, H.W. |
3 668th 43-10226 5H-E A-20G Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W. |
| 1 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Ebenstein, G.N. Sgt Newell, S.P. S/Sgt Perkins, H., Jr. |
2 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Svenson, R.R. Sgt Fild, P.G. S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H. |
3 668th 43-10194 5H-A A-20G Lt Mish, C.C. S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr. Sgt Chustz, R.F. |
| SPARE 670th 43-9978 F6-S A-20G Lt Rooney, R.J. S/Sgt McCleary, H.M. S/Sgt DiNapoli, S.F. [Returned Early As Briefed] |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 72 -- June 11, 1944, Sunday AM
Falaise C-2, France -- Road Junction
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Two days of bad weather kept the planes on the ground until the 11th. Even then bad weather prevented the planes from attacking the target, a road junction at Falaise.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 95
Mission #72 - 11 June - Falaise Railroad Junction. The allied ground forces were making remarkably good headway following the invasion. Aircrews were beside themselves because they could not help as much as they possibly could. Major Willetts and Lt. Royalty BN led Box I. Captain Hulse and Lt. Conte, BN led a Box. Lts. Marzolf and Basnett, BN and Lts. Rudisill and Joost, BN participated. Clouds covered the target area, so no bombs were dropped. P-47s circled the formation, light flak came up but no damage was experienced.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
We resumed our combat operations on June 11th. Although only six of our crews were used on the mission of this day, it proved a newsmaking one. Lt Atkinson's plane developed engine trouble over the channel. Before the channel was crossed the right engine was smoking, causing Lt Atkinson to pull further out of formation and drop behind. However, he followed the formation in to the target. A heavy overcast caused the leader to make one pass over the target and then take his group back to the coast without dropping the bombs. Lt Atkinson kept losing altitude on the way back, and finally dropping to 5,000 feet he decided to come home alone. The crew dropped their bombs, flak suits and ammunition in the channel to lighten the load, and Lt Atkinson was prepared to give the bail out signal. He had contacted the Air-Sea rescue, and about that time American P-38's and English Spitfires picked him up and escorted him to their base in Shoreham, England, where they landed safely. The engine trouble was caused by a loss of all the oil through a leak.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
Poor weather hampered the 416ths' intentions of aiding the ground forces on the Normandy beachhead on June 9, 10,and 11, but the Allies continued to push ahead on all sectors, and now are 12 miles inland.
The Group did not take to the air at all on June 9th due to bad weather. On June 10th the 416th Bomb Group went out twice, once in the morning and again in the evening, but both missions were recalled. In the morning the ships had no more assembled the then were called in. In the evening the formation led by Major Willetts took off in adverse weather and went over the channel, only to be recalled within a few miles of the French coast. Visibility over the channel and the French coast was unlimited, but it was closing in over the base rapidly and the planes were called back so that they might land before it got to bad. As it was visibility was down to » mile.
On June 11th the formations flew over the target, but were unable to drop their bombs due to low hanging clouds and rain.
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[June 11, 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 11, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |