416th BG Mission 73

416th Bombardment Group (L)

Mission # 73 -- June 12, 1944, Monday PM

Epernon, France

Railroad Embankment

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Summary of Operations

Field Order        : 78-365
OpRep #            : 73
Nature of Mission : Bombing
Mission Status     : Attacked
Bombing Altitude   : 11,500 - 12,500 feet

Take-off Time      : 1843
Time Over Target   : 2018
Landing Time       : 2204
Duration (Hrs:Min) : 3:21

Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England
A/C Dispatched     : 38 Total -- 32 A-20G's, 6 A-20J's
Tactical Target Dossier: 4801E/B/14
Illustration       : 4801E/30/B
Illustration Ref   : 048024
Secondary Target   : Evreux (Z441) (4901E/C/24)
Summary of Results : Box 1 - Pattern extending north of briefed MPI. Box 2 - Pattern short of briefed MPI. Box 3 - Excellent.

Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.61076,1.68757 (48° 36' 39" N, 1° 41' 15" E)
(Latitude/Longitude based on Google Maps, Visual match to Strike Photo)
(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 73 documents (multipage PDF files)

Mission Folder Reports Folder OpRep # 73 Fuel Use

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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, Box I

Loading List 2, Box II

Loading List 3, Box III

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 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Maj Price, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. Sgt Shelton, E.L. S/Sgt Schenck, D.R.	2 670th 43-9452 F6-Q A-20J Capt McNulty, G.M. Lt Bursiel, F.H. S/Sgt White, H.E. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F.	3 671st 43-9220 5C-E A-20G Lt Col Ford, T.R. S/Sgt DiNapoli, S.F. S/Sgt McCleary, H.M.
4 668th 43-9745 5H-I A-20G Lt Poindexter, R.D. T/Sgt Robbins, L.G. S/Sgt Simpson, D.H. [Returned Early No Sortie]	5 668th 43-10226 5H-E A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr.	6 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Bartmus, G.F. S/Sgt Orr, J.R. Sgt Smith, H.W.

Box I -- Flight II
1 668th 43-9894 5H-R A-20G Capt Conant, H.F. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J.	2 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr. Pfc Allen, B.K. [Allen (4th CCU)]	3 668th 43-10194 5H-A A-20G Lt Mish, C.C. S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr. Sgt Chustz, R.F.

Box I -- Flight III
1 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Lt Harrold, F.J., Jr. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. Sgt Maziasz, C.W.	2 670th 43-9680 F6-R A-20G Lt Hillerman, J.P. Sgt Martinez, L. Sgt Paules, E.F.	3 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt Sewell, J.C. Sgt Zaklikiewicz, S.R. Sgt Johnson, J.L.

Box II -- Flight I
1 668th 43-9640 5H-Z A-20J Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Forma, W. S/Sgt Kelly, E.E. S/Sgt Coe, W.H.	2 669th 43-9450 2A-S A-20J Lt Sommers, H.L. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt VanDuyne, J.E. S/Sgt Rodgers, H.C.	3 668th 43-9684 5H-K A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L.
4 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Ebenstein, G.N. S/Sgt Perkins, H., Jr. Sgt Newell, S.P.	5 668th 43-9975 5H-W A-20G Lt Cruze, R.K. S/Sgt Adair, F.L. S/Sgt Love, C.F.	6 668th 43-10210 5H-Q A-20G Lt Miracle, R.V. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C.

Box II -- Flight II
1 669th 43-9943 2A-F A-20G Lt Peck, W.A. S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E. S/Sgt Kelton, H.E.	2 669th 43-9929 2A-C A-20G Lt DeMun, E.E. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O.	3 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Siggs, W.C. Sgt Melchoir, F.E. Sgt Holloway, R.G.

Box II -- Flight III
1 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Behlmer, R.L. S/Sgt Kelly, W.J. S/Sgt Ferguson, W.G.	2 669th 43-10147 2A-K A-20G Lt Shainberg, N.V. S/Sgt Webb, C.L. S/Sgt Citty, F.M.	3 669th 43-9181 2A-A A-20G Lt Land, W.H. S/Sgt Alden, S.F. S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L.

Box II
SPARE 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Andrews, H.D., Jr. S/Sgt Cook, G.M. S/Sgt Werley, E.R. [Returned Early No Sortie]

Box III -- Flight I
1 671st 43-9914 5C-X A-20J Capt Dunn, L.F. Lt Arrington, H.T. S/Sgt Marion, H.A. S/Sgt Adams, V.P.	2 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Capt Huff, M.J. Lt Kupits, J. S/Sgt Prindle, C.A. S/Sgt Epps, E.T.	3 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Merchant, W.A. S/Sgt Harp, C.J. S/Sgt Brown, K.P.
4 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt DeMand, F.W. S/Sgt Troyer, R.J. S/Sgt Middleton, C.W.	5 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt Morehouse, R.C. Sgt Zygiel, L.A. Sgt Burgess, A.J.	6 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt York, R.W. S/Sgt Wilds, H.J. Sgt Ashton, L.A.

Box III -- Flight II
1 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Greene, W.J. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F.	2 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B.	3 670th 43-9892 F6-L A-20G Lt Hall, R.B. Sgt Blackford, D.S. Sgt Burger, L.C.

Box III -- Flight III
1 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt Monroe, H.A. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. S/Sgt Risko, S.	2 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt Leonard, T.J. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. S/Sgt Palmer, T.A.	3 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Johnson, E.L. S/Sgt Donahue, W.J. S/Sgt Brayn, M.R.

Box III
SPARE 671st 43-10165 5C-H A-20G Lt Platter, E.T. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. S/Sgt Czech, J.L.

Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 73 -- June 12, 1944, Monday PM
Epernon, France -- Railroad Embankment

"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives

It was not until D plus 6 that the weather cleared enough to permit bombing from 12,000 feet. Unfortunately the bombsights in the lead planes of the first two boxes were not synchronized for deflection. As a result, the bombs missed the target, a railroad embankment at Epernon. The third box led by Capt. Dunn, Lt. Arrington, B-N, dropped squarely on the target, damaging the embankment and probably cutting the tracks. The first two boxes were led by Maj. Price and Lt. Osborne.

"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 96

Mission #73 - 12 June - Epernon Railroad Embankment. Three boxes took off for this target, with the first box led by Major Price and Lt. Hand, BN, Lts. Osborne and Forma, BN, and Captain Dunn and Arrington, BN leading the other two boxes. The sleek P-51s provided escort and only light flak met the group. The first two boxes ran into some difficulty with their bombing results rated as "Gross." The third box with Arrington bombing, covered the target and earned an excellent rating. No damage to any planes.

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

Ten sorties were flown on the 12th during an attack on the Opernon [Epernon] railway embankment.

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

Target: C'Peron Results: Excellent

Three boxes went out in the evening of June 12th to hit a railroad just southwest of Paris. The first two boxes failed to do any damage, but Captain Dunn and Lt. Arrington, leading the third box, saved the day by dropping directly on the target. Little flak was encountered and all returned in tact.

[June 12, 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 12, 1944
World War II Military Situation Maps Collection
Library of Congress