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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 89 -- July 4, 1944, Tuesday PM La Moriniere, France Defended Points (9/J/654)
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 89 -- July 4, 1944, Tuesday PM La Moriniere, France Defended Points (9/J/654)
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 36 Total -- 27 A-20G's, 5 A-20J's, 4 B-26's (PFF) Modified British System Reference: T-133677 Illustration : 4902W/23/B Illustration Ref : 026058 Summary of Results : Unobserved. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 49.14227,-1.59415 (49° 8' 32" N, 1° 35' 39" W) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (LZ1) vT133677) (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 # 89 -- July 4, 1944, Tuesday PM
La Moriniere, France -- Defended Points (9/J/654)
| 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 668th 43-21717 5H-P A-20J Capt McNulty, G.M. Lt Bursiel, F.H. Sgt Newell, S.P. S/Sgt Wolber, R.A. [Wolber (4th CCU)] |
3 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Col Farmer, W.W. S/Sgt Cherry, F.E. Sgt Elliott, F.W. |
| 4 668th 43-9745 5H-I A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. S/Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr. |
| 1 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Greene, W.J. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F. |
2 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G Lt Nordstrom, A.W. S/Sgt Gossett, J.D. S/Sgt Miller, R.L. |
3 670th 43-9680 F6-R A-20G Lt Grunig, D.B. Sgt Dias, M.E. Sgt Nowosielski, H.J., Jr. |
| 4 670th 43-9387 F6-H A-20G Lt McGlohn, C.L. S/Sgt Moran, J.W. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
| 1 670th 43-9224 F6-E A-20G Lt Monroe, H.A. S/Sgt Kidd, W.L. S/Sgt Risko, S. |
2 670th 43-9200 F6-A A-20G Lt Shea, D.F. S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr. S/Sgt Falk, F.G. |
3 670th 43-9892 F6-L A-20G Lt Gruetzemacher, R.O. Sgt Shaw, C.L. S/Sgt Addleman, R.F. |
| 4 670th 43-9689 F6-I A-20G Lt Atkinson, P.G., Jr. S/Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr. S/Sgt Glynn, P.F. |
| 1 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Harrold, F.J., Jr. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. S/Sgt Maziasz, C.W. |
2 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Johnson, E.L. S/Sgt Donahue, W.J. Sgt Hall, M. |
3 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt Sommers, D.T. Sgt Johnson, J.L. Sgt Zaklikiewicz, S.R. |
| 4 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt McBride, L.R. S/Sgt McKee, J.C. S/Sgt Eutsler, R.J. |
| SPARE 670th 43-9978 F6-S A-20G Lt Hall, R.B. Sgt Burger, L.C. S/Sgt Blackford, D.S. [Returned Early as Briefed No Sortie] |
| 1 668th 43-9444 5H-J A-20J Maj Price, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. S/Sgt Fild, P.G. S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H. |
2 668th 43-21719 5H-V A-20J Capt Prentiss, R.B. Lt McBrien, R.T. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. |
3 668th 43-9362 5H-L A-20G Lt Hill, L.E. S/Sgt Burch, R.W. S/Sgt Yost, C.H., Jr. |
| 4 668th 43-10210 5H-Q A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Daugherty, L.M. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L. |
| 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 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt York, R.W. S/Sgt Ashton, L.A. S/Sgt Wilds, H.J. |
3 671st 43-9714 5C-N A-20G Lt Henderson, F.W. S/Sgt Griswold, R.M. S/Sgt Coulombe, P.E. |
| 4 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Smith, R.H. S/Sgt Stockham, A.A. S/Sgt Mahoney, R.J. |
| 1 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Wheeler, R.V. S/Sgt Brower, J.S. S/Sgt Brown, K.P. |
2 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. S/Sgt DeBower, D.H. S/Sgt Jones, R.J. |
3 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Miller, J.H. S/Sgt Schrom, R.G. S/Sgt Galender, J.W. |
| 4 671st 43-10165 5C-H A-20G Lt Zubon, M. T/Sgt Tanner, J.R.L. S/Sgt Russell, W.C. |
| 1 668th 43-9975 5H-W A-20G Lt Cruze, R.K. S/Sgt Shelton, E.L. S/Sgt Schenck, D.R. |
2 668th 43-9379 5H-G A-20G Lt Clausen, T. Sgt Fetko, C., Jr. Sgt Brown, D.M. |
3 668th 43-21764 5H-X A-20G Lt Welsh, A.J. Sgt Wright, R.E. Sgt Novak, S.G. |
| 4 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Kenny, J.P. Sgt Spadoni, J.K. Sgt Noteriani, F. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9219 5C-D A-20G Lt Estes, C.L. S/Sgt Orvold, C.R. Sgt DiMartino, A.E. [Returned Early as Briefed No Sortie] |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 89 -- July 4, 1944, Tuesday PM
La Moriniere, France -- Defended Points (9/J/654)
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
Here is a resume [missing] missions that were flown by our Group in July. While every gun on the ground fired a salvo at the enemy, every bomber available dropped a bomb on him from above. It was a fine Fourth of July celebration. It was on that day too, that we flew our first mission in July, No. 89. Thirty six of our planes took off to bomb a defended area at La Moriniere. Expecting 10/10 cloud cover over the target, PFF was used. The bombing results were unobserved. Lt Osborne, with Lt Forma, B-N, and Major Price, with Lt Hand, B-N, led the two boxes.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 105
July 1944 Missions
July started with rain - rain and so much so on 3 July that
flooding of barracks and other buildings occurred. Even training
missions didn't take place. The only exciting thing - exciting?? -
the buzz bombs are becoming more frequent, and more important,
closer. But, as the saying goes, as long as we can hear that
unusual motor going, you're safe. When that noise stops, the
glide path and the resultant boom when it hits, is frightening
enough. It is estimated the explosives in the buzz bomb is equivalent
to a ton of TNT. It sure makes a big hole, and having seen
the destruction on buildings in London, when we were there on
48 hour passes, really makes an impression.
There's one thing that was always impressive, is the fortitude
and resolve of the English people to have lived through the
many years of German Bombers devastating their homes, office
buildings, and anything you can name, without complaining.
Sure, they wonder when it will all come to an end, but in the
meantime, they did their utmost to help their cause, abide by
their air raid alerts, and sleeping in the subways, night after
night, whole families of them, just living with something they
could do very little about, but make the best of what they could
endure.
Mission #89 - 4 July - La Morintiere Defended Area. Leading
Box I were Lts. Osborne and Forma, BN with Major Price and
Lt. Hand heading up the second box. Captain Prentiss and Lt.
McBrien, BN, Captain McNulty with Lt. Burseil, BN flew as
deputies to the boxes. Lts. DeMand and Hanlon, BN flew as
flight leaders. Cloud cover over the target required B-26 PFF
Pathfinders to signal the bomb drops. Results were unobserved.
No flak or fighters threatened the group.
"668th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The Fourth of July was celebrated in fine style. Lt. Eldon B. Kreh furnished a one-man fireworks display with the aid of a very pistol and some star shells from the aircraft. For the men there was a dance at the Station Aero Club.
Also on the 4th, Staff Sergeant Holley J. Perkins was relieved from assignment to the Squadron and departed for the Zone of the Interior. First combat crewman of the 668th to complete an operational tour, Perkins was a veteran of action both in the E.T.O. and in the South Pacific.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Flying got under way for the first time this month on July 4th, when La Morintiere defended locality was attacked, a mission of which the 670th had twelve crews participating.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
June 26th û July 6th , 1944
Typical English weather, complete with clouds, rain and mist, confined the 416th Bomb Group to just five missions during this period. Formations went over France once on the 29th of June, the 30th of June and the 4th of July; and finally twice on July 6th . The two June missions were cake runs, but the ships ran into a little trouble in the last three. On July 4th Captain Jackman of the 670th Squadron made a single engine hop back across the channel. He was carrying a cameraman from the 4th Combat Camera Unit assigned to this Group, and, upon reaching England, Captain Jackman ordered the man to jump, which he did. However, for some reason which will never be known, the chute fail to open until it reached the ground, enough said.
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[July 4, 1944], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, July 4, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |