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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 76 -- June 14, 1944, Wednesday PM St. Hilaire Du Harcouet, France Railroad and Highway Bridges
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 76 -- June 14, 1944, Wednesday PM St. Hilaire Du Harcouet, France Railroad and Highway Bridges
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 36 Total -- 31 A-20G's, 5 A-20J's Tactical Target Dossier: 4802W/B/23 1 BOX, 4802W/D/6 1 BOX Illustration : 4802W/15 Secondary Target : Domfront (4801W/D/5) Summary of Results : Box 1 - Poor. Box 2 - Good. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.58160,-1.09180 (48° 34' 54" N, 1° 5' 30" W) (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) |
Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 76 -- June 14, 1944, Wednesday PM
St. Hilaire Du Harcouet, France -- Railroad and Highway Bridges
| 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 668th 43-21719 5H-V A-20J Lt Col Farmer, W.W. Lt Pape, M.A. Sgt Hantske, D. Sgt Newell, S.P. |
3 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Durante, A.R. S/Sgt Best, H.T. S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R. |
| 4 671st 43-9925 5C-G A-20G Lt Platter, E.T. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. S/Sgt Czech, J.L. |
5 671st 43-9393 5C-K A-20G Lt York, R.W. Sgt Ashton, L.A. S/Sgt Wolber, R.A. [Wolber (4th CCU)] |
6 671st 43-9714 5C-N A-20G Lt Merchant, W.A. S/Sgt Harp, C.J. S/Sgt Brown, K.P. |
| 1 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt Ostrander, W.B. S/Sgt Wilson, J.E. S/Sgt Binney, I. |
2 670th 43-10157 F6-P A-20G Lt Shea, D.F. S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr. S/Sgt Falk, F.G. |
3 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Johnson, E.L. S/Sgt Donahue, W.J. S/Sgt Brayn, M.R. |
| 4 670th 43-9978 F6-S A-20G Lt Rooney, R.J. S/Sgt McCleary, H.M. S/Sgt DiNapoli, S.F. |
5 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt Nordstrom, A.W. S/Sgt Gossett, J.D. S/Sgt Miller, R.L. |
6 670th 43-9892 F6-L A-20G Lt Brown, N.G. Sgt Zaklikiewicz, S.R. S/Sgt Bonamo, A.J. |
| 1 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt Monroe, H.A. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. S/Sgt Risko, S. |
2 670th 43-9680 F6-R A-20G Lt Hillerman, J.P. Sgt Martinez, L. Sgt Paules, E.F. |
3 670th 43-9387 F6-H A-20G Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
| 4 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Greene, W.J. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F. |
5 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Hall, R.B. Sgt Burger, L.C. Sgt Blackford, D.S. |
6 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Lt Atkinson, P.G., Jr. S/Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr. S/Sgt Glynn, P.F. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Henderson, F.W. S/Sgt Griswold, R.M. Sgt Coulombe, P.E. [Returned Early as Briefed No Sortie] |
| 1 671st 43-21711 5C-S A-20J Capt Dunn, L.F. Lt Arrington, H.T. S/Sgt Marion, H.A. S/Sgt Adams, V.P. |
2 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Capt Jackson, C.R. Lt Maltby, A.H. S/Sgt Maziasz, C.W. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. |
3 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Herman, A.E. Sgt Garrett, A.D. Sgt Young, J.O. |
| 4 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt Perkins, R.D. S/Sgt Sherry, V.N. S/Sgt Linneman, R.H. |
5 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt Miller, J.H. Sgt Schrom, R.G. Sgt Galender, J.W. |
6 671st 43-9220 5C-E A-20G Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. Sgt DeBower, D.H. Sgt Jones, R.J. |
| 1 668th 43-9444 5H-J A-20J Capt Prentiss, R.B. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. Capt Bailey, R.G. |
2 668th 43-9935 5H-F A-20G Lt Cruze, R.K. S/Sgt Adair, F.L. S/Sgt Love, C.F. [Not Airborne] |
3 668th 43-9764 5H-X A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr. |
| 4 668th 43-10226 5H-E A-20G Lt Meagher, J.F. S/Sgt Hill, A.A. S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W. |
5 668th 43-9194 5H-C A-20G Lt Mish, C.C. S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr. Sgt Chustz, R.F. [No Sortie] |
6 668th 43-9975 5H-W A-20G Lt Svenson, R.R. Sgt Fild, P.G. S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H. |
| 1 669th 43-9717 2A-N A-20G Lt Peck, W.A. S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E. S/Sgt Kelton, H.E. |
2 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Siggs, W.C. S/Sgt Radlich, N. S/Sgt LaNave, O.D. |
3 669th 43-9181 2A-A A-20G Lt Shainberg, N.V. Sgt Scott, J.O. S/Sgt Mallory, D.F. |
| 4 669th 43-9840 2A-V A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Carney, H.O. |
5 669th 43-9943 2A-F A-20G Lt Smith, J.F., Jr. Sgt Vafiadis, C. Sgt Hoffman, R.C. |
6 669th 43-10147 2A-K A-20G Lt Hayter, E.R. S/Sgt Melchoir, F.E. S/Sgt Holloway, R.G. |
| SPARE 669th 43-9214 2A-C A-20G Lt Morehouse, R.C. Sgt Zygiel, L.A. Sgt Burgess, A.J. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 76 -- June 14, 1944, Wednesday PM
St. Hilaire Du Harcouet, France -- Railroad and Highway Bridges
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
In the afternoon of that same day, 36 aircraft took off to bomb railroad and highway bridges at St. Hilaire. Bombing from 12,000 feet, neither box led by Maj. Willetts or Capt. Dunn, hit the M.P.I's. However, worthwhile results were received when a highway was blocked in the center of the town and a bridge and a highway were hit, probably destroying the bridge.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 97
Mission #76 - 14 June - PM - St. Hilaire du Harcourt Railroad Junction. Major Willetts and Lt. Royalty, BN and Captain Dunn with Lt. Arrington, BN led boxes. Each box was assigned a different target. The second box scored well on a railroad bridge while the first box did not rate well on a highway bridge. The group took off at 1800, having been held up by inclement and clearing weather on a regular cycle. It doesn't happen very often with the excellence ground crews, mechanics, and crew chiefs look after their planes, but maybe it was the weather to cause Lt. Cruze to have trouble getting off the ground, with throttles not cooperating as they should. Lt. Mish took his position in the flight, but had problems 45 minutes after take off, with an overheating engine. The cowl flaps froze, eliminating their operation. Rather than continue for the three hour flight with hot engines, he turned back, which was the safe thing to do, leaving only four ships in this flight. Lt. Colonel Farmer and Lt. Pape as BN participated on this mission. All aircraft returned unharmed.
"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 û 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
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[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 |