416th BG Mission 75

416th Bombardment Group (L)

Mission # 75 -- June 14, 1944, Wednesday AM

Aunay Sur Odon, France

Road Junction

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Summary of Operations

Field Order        : 81-370
OpRep #            : 75
Nature of Mission : Bombing
Mission Status     : Attacked
Bombing Altitude   : 11,500 - 12,500 feet

Take-off Time      : 0556
Time Over Target   : 0726
Landing Time       : 0856
Duration (Hrs:Min) : 3:00

Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England
A/C Dispatched     : 36 Total -- 28 A-20G's, 8 A-20J's
Target Ref         : AUNAY-SUR-ODON
Illustration       : G.S.G.S. 4250 SHEET 7 F/3
Illustration Ref   : 830510
Secondary Target   : Junction of Highway and Railroad south of Coutances (4902W/B/34)
Summary of Results : Boxes 1 and 2 - Excellent. Box 3 - Fair.

Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 49.02093,-0.63052 (49° 1' 15" N, 0° 37' 50" W)
(Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (LZ1) vT830510)
(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 75 documents (multipage PDF files)

Mission Folder Reports Folder OpRep # 75 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, Box I

Loading List 2, Box II

Loading List 3, Box III

Primary Target area around MBS Coordinate (LZ1) vT830510
Extracted from GSGS-4250/AMS-M762 Sheet 7F-3 - "Aunay-Sur-Odon" 1:50:000 Military Topographic Map
(Downloaded from McMaster University Digital Archive - WWII Topographic Maps,
France 1:50k Topographic Maps,
Aunay-Sur-Odon sheet)
(Note: This coordinate and map display represent the Primary Target Location, the Location actually attacked may differ)
(Annotated Full Map PDF)

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 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Maj Clark, R.A. Lt Jones, C.W. Sgt Rodgers, H.C. Sgt VanDuyne, J.E.	2 669th 43-9450 2A-S A-20J Capt Huff, M.J. Lt Kupits, J. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. S/Sgt Fleischman, G.I.	3 669th 43-9390 2A-G A-20G Maj Napier, J.G. S/Sgt Melchoir, F.E. S/Sgt Holloway, R.G.
4 669th 43-9929 2A-C A-20G Lt DeMun, E.E. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O.	5 669th 43-9961 2A-E A-20G Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. S/Sgt LaNave, O.D. S/Sgt Mayhew, A.E. [Mayhew (4th CCU)]	6 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Behlmer, R.L. T/Sgt Kelly, W.J. S/Sgt Ferguson, W.G.

Box I -- Flight II
1 671st 43-21724 5C-A A-20J Lt DeMand, F.W. Lt Hanlon, R.J. S/Sgt Troyer, R.J. S/Sgt Middleton, C.W.	2 671st 43-9219 5C-D A-20G Lt Andrews, H.D., Jr. S/Sgt Cook, G.M. S/Sgt Werley, E.R.	3 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Smith, R.H. S/Sgt Stockham, A.A. Sgt Mahoney, R.J.

Box I -- Flight III
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 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Miller, J.H. Sgt Schrom, R.G. Sgt Galender, J.W.

Box II -- Flight I
1 668th 43-9640 5H-Z A-20J Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Forma, W. S/Sgt Coe, W.H. S/Sgt Kelly, E.E.	2 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.	3 668th 43-10226 5H-E A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr.
4 668th 43-9684 5H-K A-20G Lt Ebenstein, G.N. S/Sgt Perkins, H., Jr. Sgt Newell, S.P.	5 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Svenson, R.R. Sgt Fild, P.G. S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H.	6 668th 43-21764 5H-X A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr.

Box II -- Flight II
1 668th 43-9444 5H-J A-20J Capt Conant, H.F. Lt McBrien, R.T. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. Sgt Hantske, D.	2 668th 43-10210 5H-Q A-20G Lt Miracle, R.V. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C.	3 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Cruze, R.K. S/Sgt Adair, F.L. S/Sgt Love, C.F.

Box II -- Flight III
1 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Bartmus, G.F. S/Sgt Orr, J.R. Sgt Smith, H.W.	2 668th 43-9975 5H-W A-20G Lt Mish, C.C. S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr. Sgt Chustz, R.F.	3 668th 43-9894 5H-R A-20G Lt Poindexter, R.D. T/Sgt Robbins, L.G. S/Sgt Simpson, D.H.

Box II
SPARE 669th 43-9181 2A-A A-20G Lt Clark, H.B. S/Sgt Sabadosh, J.W. Sgt Floyd, C.F. [No Sortie Returned Early As Briefed]

Box III -- Flight I
1 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Capt McNulty, G.M. Lt Bursiel, F.H. S/Sgt White, H.E. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F.	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 43-9689 F6-I A-20G Lt Atkinson, P.G., Jr. S/Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr. S/Sgt Glynn, P.F.
4 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Greene, W.J. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F.	5 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Johnson, E.L. S/Sgt Donahue, W.J. S/Sgt Brayn, M.R.	6 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Lt Nordstrom, A.W. S/Sgt Gossett, J.D. S/Sgt Miller, R.L.

Box III -- Flight II
1 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Wheeler, R.V. S/Sgt Wilds, H.J. Sgt Ashton, L.A.	2 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt Adams, J.D. S/Sgt Zeikus, A.J. S/Sgt Clearman, P.L., Jr.	3 671st 43-9220 5C-E A-20G Lt Perkins, R.D. S/Sgt Sherry, V.N. S/Sgt Linneman, R.H.

Box III -- Flight III
1 671st 43-9925 5C-G A-20G Lt Platter, E.T. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. S/Sgt Czech, J.L.	2 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Herman, A.E. Sgt Garrett, A.D. Sgt Young, J.O.	3 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt Morehouse, R.C. Sgt Zygiel, L.A. Sgt Burgess, A.J.

Box III
SPARE 670th 43-9680 F6-R A-20G Lt Hillerman, J.P. Sgt Martinez, L. Sgt Paules, E.F. [No Sortie Returned Early As Briefed]

Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 75 -- June 14, 1944, Wednesday AM
Aunay Sur Odon, France -- Road Junction

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

Some of our most destructive bombing was done on the 14th. Three boxes led by Major Clark, Lt. Osborne, and Capt. McNulty scored excellent results on the road junction at Annay-sur-Odon. The target was completely demolished. Bombing was from 12,000 feet.

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

Mission #75 - 14 June - AM - Aunay-Sur-Odon Railway Junction. Captain Conant, Lt. Shaefer and Lt. Osborne flew as box leaders and deputies. Lt. DeMand and Lt. Hanlon, BN also participated. Bombing was done in box formations, with excellents being scored.

The most thrilling thing about this mission was experienced by Captain Bailey, Intelligence Officer of the 668th Squadron. He rode in the nose of the plane piloted by Captain Prentiss. Its always exciting for regular flyers to witness ground officers or men experiencing the pleasures of doing missions, especially Intelligence Officers who brief the men after each mission. This makes them understand what the crews may be talking about when they are de-briefed.

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

Major Clark led a formation on the following day that completely demolished the road intersections at Aunay-sur-Idon [Aunay-sur-Odon]. Lt Jones, B-N, was to be congratulated on the job.

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

Nazi communications were again weakened on the 14th when the group bombed the Aunay-sur-Odon railway junction in the morning, and the St Hilaire du Harcouet railway highway bridges in the afternoon, with a total of twenty-five of our crews taking part in the two attacks.

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

The 416th Bomb Group went on two missions on June 14th , the first one taking of at 0600 and the second on at 1830. The formation really scored on the morning mission when all three boxes hit the target, and important road junction. The results were listed as excellent. In the evening the formation split up and went after two targets � Major Willets leading one and Captain Dunn the other. Captain Dunn's box received a rating of good on a railroad bridge, while the other box did not fare as well on a highway bridge. All planes returned safely from both missions.

Morning Mission: Aunay Sur Odon Results: Excellent

Evening Mission: Hillaire De Hercourt Results: Good

[June 14, 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 14, 1944
World War II Military Situation Maps Collection
Library of Congress