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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 109 -- July 31, 1944, Monday AM Mantes Gassicourt, France Railroad Bridge
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 109 -- July 31, 1944, Monday AM Mantes Gassicourt, France Railroad Bridge
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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/7 Secondary Target : Conches Railroad. Briefed Alternate: Liseux M/Y (4800/C/9) Summary of Results : Low clouds made bombing of Primary impossible. Box 1 was able to bomb Alternate target by taking a very short bomb run and scored Fair. Box 2 was unable to bomb due to clouds. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 48.98379,1.73308 (48° 59' 2" N, 1° 43' 59" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on Google Maps, Visual match to Target Illustration) (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 # 109 -- July 31, 1944, Monday AM
Mantes Gassicourt, France -- Railroad Bridge
| 1 669th 43-21712 2A-H A-20J Maj Clark, R.A. Lt Jones, C.W. Sgt Heath, K. Sgt Burland, A.J. |
2 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Clark, H.B. S/Sgt Sabadosh, J.W. S/Sgt Floyd, C.F. |
3 669th 43-9181 2A-A A-20G Lt Connor, J.S. S/Sgt VanDuyne, J.E. S/Sgt Rodgers, H.C. |
| 4 669th 43-10147 2A-K A-20G Lt Boukamp, T. S/Sgt Colosimo, R.J. S/Sgt Wing, J.S. |
5 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Hall, E.P. Sgt Sharp, R.P., Jr. Sgt Carstens, R.W. |
6 669th 43-9943 2A-F A-20G Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. S/Sgt LaNave, O.D. S/Sgt Fleischman, G.I. |
| 1 668th 43-21717 5H-P A-20J Lt Meagher, J.F. Lt Burg, J.J. T/Sgt Robbins, L.G. S/Sgt Simpson, D.H. |
2 668th 43-9907 5H-O A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. S/Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr. |
3 668th 43-10150 5H-N A-20G Lt Clausen, T. Sgt Fetko, C., Jr. Sgt Brown, D.M. |
| 4 668th 43-9362 5H-L A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. Sgt Noteriani, F. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L. |
5 668th 43-21480 5H-B A-20G Lt Colquitt, J.K. S/Sgt McCreery, J.E. S/Sgt Raines, D.E. |
6 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Cannon, L.E. Sgt Robinson, J.W. Sgt Brzezinski, E.P. |
| 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 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt Henderson, F.W. S/Sgt Griswold, R.M. S/Sgt Coulombe, P.E. |
3 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Herman, A.E. S/Sgt Garrett, A.D. S/Sgt Young, J.O. |
| 4 671st 43-9220 5C-E A-20G Lt Perkins, R.D. S/Sgt Sherry, V.N. S/Sgt Linneman, R.H. |
5 671st 43-9925 5C-G A-20G Lt Withington, D.L., III Sgt Huss, C.F. Sgt McElhattan, L.D. |
6 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Murray, T.J., Jr. S/Sgt DeBower, D.H. S/Sgt Jones, R.J. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9719 5C-J A-20G Lt Pair, H.F. T/Sgt Tanner, J.R.L. S/Sgt Adams, V.P. |
| 1 669th 43-10135 2A-T A-20J Capt Huff, M.J. Lt Kupits, J. Sgt Clark, R.A. Sgt Basford, F.P. |
2 669th 43-9717 2A-N A-20G Lt Vleghels, A.J. S/Sgt Rice, R.W. S/Sgt Young, C.E. |
3 669th 43-9961 2A-E A-20G Lt Street, M.S. S/Sgt Prindle, C.A. S/Sgt Epps, E.T. |
| 4 669th 43-9376 2A-O A-20G Lt Peck, W.A. S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E. S/Sgt Kelton, H.E. |
5 669th 43-9202 2A-B A-20G Lt Robertson, R.B. Sgt Hay, J.E. Sgt Buskirk, J.A. |
6 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Tripp, W.F., Jr. S/Sgt Scott, J.O. Sgt Mallory, D.F. |
| 1 670th 43-9452 F6-Q A-20J Capt Hulse, D.A., Jr. Lt Conte, R.F., Sr. S/Sgt Allred, F.D. S/Sgt Driskill, P.B. |
2 670th 43-9674 F6-R A-20G Lt Singletary, R.B. Sgt Cianciosi, A.A. Sgt Wiggins, H.G. |
3 670th 43-21759 F6-G A-20G Lt Nordstrom, A.W. S/Sgt Gossett, J.D. S/Sgt Miller, R.L. |
| 4 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt Shea, D.F. S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr. S/Sgt Falk, F.G. |
5 670th 43-9217 F6-D A-20G Lt Sewell, J.C. Sgt Paules, E.F. Sgt Martinez, L. |
6 670th 43-9227 F6-F A-20G F/O Byrne, R.T., Jr. Sgt Cummings, W.D. S/Sgt DiNapoli, S.F. |
| 1 670th 43-21467 F6-W A-20J Capt Rudisill, R.S. Lt Joost, R.H. S/Sgt Riley, R.K. S/Sgt Bonamo, A.J. |
2 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Grunig, D.B. Sgt Dias, M.E. Sgt Nowosielski, H.J., Jr. |
3 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Hall, R.B. Sgt Blackford, D.S. Sgt Burger, L.C. |
| 4 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Greene, W.J. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F. |
5 670th 43-9387 F6-H A-20G Lt Sparling, J.R., Jr. Sgt Leahigh, L.L. Sgt Shaw, C.L. |
6 670th 43-9978 F6-S A-20G Lt Barausky, P.P. Sgt Hall, M. Sgt Wilson, B.R. |
| SPARE 671st 43-9363 5C-L A-20G Lt Adams, J.D. S/Sgt Clearman, P.L., Jr. S/Sgt Zeikus, A.J. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 109 -- July 31, 1944, Monday AM
Mantes Gassicourt, France -- Railroad Bridge
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
On the last day of the month, we were called upon to hit one of the most vitally important railroad bridges west of the Seine. It was at Mantes Gassicourt. A 10/10 cloud cover prevented an attack. The box leaders, Major Clark and Captain Huff, headed for the alternate target, a railroad junction at Lisieux. Box I bombed with a 15 second bomb run, the bombs falling across the tracks and into the factory area. The hole in the cloud was too small for the bombardier in the second box to pick out the target, so he did not bomb.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 114 - 115
Mission #109 - 31 July - AM - Liseaux Marshalling Yard. Major Clark, Lt. Jones, BN led Box I. Captain Hulse and Lt. Conte, BN, Lt. Meagher and Lt. Burg, BN, Lt. DeMand and Lt. Hanlon led flights. As they approached the target they found it cloud covered, so they proceeded to the secondary target and found that pretty well cloud covered. The first box dropped with what we termed as "fair" results. The second box did not see the target, so they held their bombs. This was a milk run-no flak or fighters.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Another all-669th show went on on the 31st. Major Clark, Lt. Jones, B-N, and Captain Huff, Lt. Kupits, B-N, led the two boxes in an attack on the all-important Mantes-Gassicourt railroad bridge. The target was obscured by a 10/10th cloud cover. They headed for an alternate target, a railroad junction at Lisieux. Although he had only a 15-second bomb run due to clouds, Lt. Jones dropped, the bombs falling across the tracks and in the factory area. The hole in the clouds was so small that Lt. Kupits in the second box was unable to see the target to bomb.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The flying for the month of July came to a close on the 30th and 31st with a total of 25 sorties for this squadron in three separate missions, against the Caumont strong point in the Nazi defenses and the Liseux marshalling yards on the 30th, and the Mantes Gassicourt bridge on the 31st.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
July 31st , 1944
The 416th got back on its two a day schedule on July 31st with formations going out at 1000 and 1730 to strike at railroads near the Paris area. The morning mission did not meet with very good results as clouds covered the primary target and the ships had to go on to a secondary, which was also partially covered. One box dropped some of the bombs hitting on the track.
In the afternoon the target was a railroad bridge on the Seine River, just west of Paris. Bombing was done by flights and the mission went down as very successful. Major Willetts and Lt Royalty received an excellent rating with their flight and Lt. Cole and Lt. Basnett's bombing was credited good.
Lt. Merchant and his gunners, S/Sgt. Harp and S/Sgt.K.P.Brown, made a forced landing near Caen, going in when his oil pressure dropped way below normal. The crew returned in their ship, A-20G 221, on August 2nd with a new oil pressure pump; and a few souvenirs. This was the second 671st crew to land in France.
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[July 31, 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 31, 1944 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |