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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 98 -- July 14, 1944, Friday PM Bourth, France Railroad Embankment
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 98 -- July 14, 1944, Friday PM Bourth, France Railroad Embankment
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 32 Total -- 26 A-20G's, 4 A-20J's, 2 B-26's (PFF) Tactical Target Dossier: 4800/B/2 Illustration : 4800/9/A Illustration Ref : 047028, 056023 - 1 Box Each Secondary Target : No Alternate Targets Authorized Summary of Results : Unobserved. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.76851,0.79621 (48° 46' 7" N, 0° 47' 46" 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) |
Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 98 -- July 14, 1944, Friday PM
Bourth, France -- Railroad Embankment
| 1 671st 43-9914 5C-X A-20J Maj Dunn, L.F. Lt Arrington, H.T. S/Sgt Marion, H.A. S/Sgt Adams, V.P. |
2 669th 43-21712 2A-H A-20J Maj Napier, J.G. Lt Madenfort, J. Sgt Clark, R.A. Sgt Basford, F.P. |
3 668th 43-9701 5H-H A-20G Lt Col Farmer, W.W. Sgt Elliott, F.W. Pvt Moskowitz, L. |
| 1 669th 43-9943 2A-F A-20G Lt DeMun, E.E. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. S/Sgt Carney, H.O. |
2 669th 43-9202 2A-B A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Wing, J.S. |
3 669th 43-9743 2A-W A-20G Lt Smith, J.F., Jr. S/Sgt Vafiadis, C. S/Sgt Hoffman, R.C. |
| 4 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Behlmer, R.L. T/Sgt Kelly, W.J. S/Sgt Ferguson, W.G. |
| 1 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt Adams, J.D. S/Sgt Clearman, P.L., Jr. S/Sgt Zeikus, A.J. |
2 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Durante, A.R. S/Sgt Best, H.T. S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R. |
3 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt Estes, C.L. S/Sgt Orvold, C.R. S/Sgt DiMartino, A.E. |
| 4 671st 43-9220 5C-E A-20G Lt Henderson, F.W. S/Sgt DeBower, D.H. S/Sgt Coulombe, P.E. |
| 1 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Greenley, R.E. S/Sgt Worden, H.C. S/Sgt Rzepka, J.J. |
2 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Herman, A.E. S/Sgt Garrett, A.D. S/Sgt Young, J.O. |
3 671st 43-9219 5C-D A-20G Lt York, R.W. S/Sgt Ashton, L.A. S/Sgt Wilds, H.J. |
| 4 671st 43-9956 5C-Z A-20G Lt Withington, D.L., III Sgt Huss, C.F. Sgt McElhattan, L.D. |
| SPARE 668th 43-10210 5H-Q A-20G Lt Miracle, R.V. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. [Not Airborne] |
| 1 668th 43-9640 5H-Z A-20J Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Forma, W. Sgt Robinson, J.W. Sgt Newell, S.P. |
2 670th 43-22058 F6-C A-20J Capt Jackson, C.R. Lt Maltby, A.H. Sgt Burns, D.E. Sgt Daniel, W.J., Sr. |
3 668th 43-10226 5H-E A-20G Lt Meredith, R.G., Jr. Sgt Euga, P.G. S/Sgt MacDonald, R.W. |
| 1 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Capt Prentiss, R.B. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Sylva, H.J. |
2 668th 43-21764 5H-X A-20G Lt Kenny, J.P. Sgt Spadoni, J.K. Sgt Noteriani, F. |
3 668th 43-9935 5H-F A-20G Lt Colquitt, J.K. Sgt Giesy, S.H., Jr. Sgt Cherry, F.E. |
| 4 668th 43-9362 5H-L A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J. |
| 1 668th 43-21819 5H-K A-20G Lt Bartmus, G.F. S/Sgt Hantske, D. S/Sgt Flacks, F.L. |
2 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Mish, C.C. S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr. S/Sgt Chustz, R.F. |
3 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Svenson, R.R. S/Sgt Fild, P.G. S/Sgt Pfenning, G.H. |
| 4 668th 43-9975 5H-W A-20G Lt Welsh, A.J. Sgt Wright, R.E. Sgt Novak, S.G. |
| 1 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Greene, W.J. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F. |
2 670th 43-9207 F6-B A-20G Lt Harrold, F.J., Jr. S/Sgt Griffin, E.L. S/Sgt Maziasz, C.W. |
3 670th 43-9200 F6-A A-20G Lt Brown, N.G. S/Sgt White, H.E. 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. |
| SPARE 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Sewell, J.C. S/Sgt Wilson, B.R. S/Sgt Shaw, C.L. [Not Airborne] |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 98 -- July 14, 1944, Friday PM
Bourth, France -- Railroad Embankment
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
The next mission was flown on the 14th. Using PFF, 32 planes attacked a railroad embankment at Bourth. The bridge was cut by at least four hits. A telegram of congratulations was received from General Anderson. Major Dunn, Lt Arrington, B-N, and Lt Osborne, Lt Forma B-N, let the boxes.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 109
Mission #98 - 14 July -- Bourth Railroad Embankment. Late this afternoon this formatin of two Boxes with four flights in each box and four planes in each flight took off. The box leader is not mentioned in the history of the 668th, 670th, or 671st squadrons, so we must assume the leaders were from the 669th squadron. No detailed information about the 669th squadron is available. and whatever has been recorded was difficult to read from the official documents available at Boling AFB and Maxwell AFB. The transciptions cannot be reproduced, and for that reason many of the 669th squadron activities are missing from this dissertation. On this 98th mission, Lts. Osborne and Forma, BN led Box II with Captain Jackson and Maltby BN as deputy. Major Dunn and Arrington BN also listed as being on the trip. B-26 PFF Pathfinders led the group over the target to bomb through the clouds. No results were recorded. No flak or fighters were seen.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Thirty aircraft were dispatched on July 14th against the Bourth Railway embankment, in which the 670th had five crews.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
July 7th û July 16th , 1944
During the period from the Seventh of July through the 16th of July, the Group ran only six missions. The main reason for the slackening up has been the bad weather. The missions which were run were led by B-26 Pathfinders and the "bomb through cloud" technique was put into use. Many times during this period the crews went out to the ships, but were called back when the mission was delayed and then usually scrubbed. However, every now and then the group was able to sneak in a mission before it could be called off. That alone accounts for the six sorties in the last ten days... rather six missions.
No planes were downed by enemy action during this time and no crews were injured by flak. Quite a bit of flak was met on a few missions and some of the planes were shot up, although none serious.
Odds and Ends
On July 8th , 1944 Lt. Pair went on his third mission, the first in nearly three months. Lt. Ames and Lt. Withington are now regularly seen on the loading lists. These two pilots joined the Squadron a short time ago and have been doing pretty well for the length of time, with the Group S.O.P.s that each has had to contend with. Lt. Lackovich, a recent addition, is sweating out his first mission and is scheduled to go on the morning mission of July 18th ... after having completed a refresher transition course as put forth by Group Operations.
Just recently all of the older pilots -those who have been with the Squadron prior to coming overseas -have completed, or are preparing to do so their seven day operational leave. The regular 48-hour passes are still in affect. London has not been a very favorable spot to vacation lately as the Jerries have been putting up quite a few flying bombs. The boys complain about lack of sleep, although it is believed that there is a more underlying train of thought behind this lack of sleep excuse.
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[July 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, July 14, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |