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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 11 -- April 10, 1944, Monday AM Le Havre Le Grand Clos, France Coastal Guns
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 11 -- April 10, 1944, Monday AM Le Havre Le Grand Clos, France Coastal Guns
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Place of Take-Off : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England A/C Dispatched : 12 Total -- 8 A-20G's, 4 A-20J's Tactical Target Dossier: 4900/J/126 Summary of Results : Special Mission - WINDOW. Twelve ships dropped window in flights of 3 to each of four B26 Groups. All window dropped as ordered. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 49.51700,0.06828 (49° 31' 1" N, 0° 4' 6" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on Google Maps, Visual match to La batterie de Dollemard) (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 # 11 -- April 10, 1944, Monday AM
Le Havre Le Grand Clos, France -- Coastal Guns
| 1 668th 43-9444 5H-J A-20J Lt Osborne, A.E., Jr. Lt Maltby, A.H. S/Sgt Kelly, E.E. S/Sgt Coe, W.H. |
2 668th 43-9684 5H-K A-20G Lt Meagher, J.F. S/Sgt Damico, E.A. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. |
3 668th 43-9379 5H-G A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. |
| 1 669th 43-9450 2A-S A-20J Lt MacManus, P.F.E., Jr. Lt McQuade, R.J. S/Sgt Rogers, J.L., Jr. S/Sgt Hatch, H.F. |
2 669th 43-9226 2A-E A-20G Lt Siggs, W.C. S/Sgt Radlich, N. Sgt Nicks, R.W. |
3 669th 43-9202 2A-B A-20G Lt Hewes, H.E., Jr. S/Sgt Boyer, H.E. S/Sgt Rosenstein, M. |
| 1 670th 43-9455 F6-T A-20J Capt Jackson, C.R. Lt Conte, R.F., Sr. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. S/Sgt Bonamo, A.J. |
2 670th 43-9696 F6-G A-20G Lt Atkinson, P.G., Jr. Sgt Glynn, P.F. Cpl Swafford, J.O., Jr. |
3 670th 43-9689 F6-I A-20G Lt Shea, D.F. S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr. S/Sgt Falk, F.G. |
| 1 671st 43-9914 5C-X A-20J Lt Platter, E.T. Lt Basnett, R.J. S/Sgt Johnson, K.L. Sgt Czech, J.L. |
2 671st 43-9493 5C-V A-20G Lt Cole, H.P. Sgt Chvatal, F.R. S/Sgt Fandre, B.G. |
3 671st 43-9711 5C-M A-20G Lt Smith, R.H. Sgt Adams, V.P. S/Sgt Stockham, A.A. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 11 -- April 10, 1944, Monday AM
Le Havre Le Grand Clos, France -- Coastal Guns
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
At the same time that this mission [Mission 10] was being flown, twelve more of our planes led four waves of B-26 Marauders in an attack on LeHavre. Our planes preceded each wave dropping window. The mission was successfully completed.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 48 - 49
10 April: Listed as Mission #11. A group of our A-20 aircraft were flown to a B-26 Bomb Base with no prior knowledge as to why we were there. At the briefing, the A-20 crews were told they were to preceed the B-26 formation over the most heavily defended target in LeHavre, France, where the really big guns were protecting the harbor. The B-26s took off and formed up. The A-20s then took off, and flew 2000 feet below the B-26s, with tunnel gunners dropping "window" which were aluminum strips. This window provided a fake target for radar controlled guns on the ground. It worked well, with the A-20s scooting by at high speeds, with the gunners not able to track them successfully. The flak bursts all exploded into the layer of aluminum strips, well below the B-26s who dropped their bombs successfully. No planes were hit. Window mission a success.
Captain Chester Jackson with Lt. Ralph Conte, BN, led the window flights. The A-20 crews flew back to the B-26 base, where we were hailed as heroes for protecting them from the deadly flak. B-26 pilots were all inquiring about the flying capabilities of the A-20 compared to the lumbering take-offs and their hot landing B-26s.
When Jackson parked at a revetment, dignitaries of the B-26 Group were there with General Dwight D. Eisenhower. "Ike" questioned our crew on the mission we flew and inspected our A-20, never having seen one before. He and Captain Jackson stooped low to look up into the bombbay, and Jackson knocked Ike's hat off his head. Everybody had a good laugh about it, except Jackson, whose face remained red for quite a while.
That evening, the A-20 crews visited the Officer's Club where a rousing crap game was in progress. One of the shooters was Hollywood Actor Robert Preston, who was very friendly, even though he was losing. None of our crews could buy a drink, as everything was paid for by the grateful crews of the guys who were on the mission that day. We all returned to Wethersfield the next morning, feeling good for the mission we helped succeed.
The success of the window screens became standard procedures for missions of light and medium bombers of the IX Bomber Command.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Missions during the early part of the month were scarce due to a run of unfavorable weather. It was April 10th before our crews resumed their action against enemy installations in Europe. On that date 18 sorties were flown in two missions. In addition Capt Jackson, Lt Shea, Lt Atkinson, S/Sgts Evans, Bonamo, Lee and Sgts Swafford, Glyynn, PF, and Falk were dispatched on a special "window" mission in support of B-26 groups, which was highly successful. The first regular mission of that day, in which we had ten crews of the 670th participating, was an attack on the Bois des Huit Rues Noball site. Severe flak resistance was experienced over the target, and S/Sgt Griffin became the first enlisted man to suffer flak wounds. The wounds were minor and S/Sgt Griffin received the Purple Heart. The second regular mission of the day was an attack on the Linghem Noball site, in which nine of our crews took part. So, after a very busy day we found our ground crews working far into the night to repair the battle damage experienced.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
Mission II for April 10th was a more successful affair. Again, the target was a "No Ball". Flak and fighter opposition were absent. Two bomb runs were made, but the lead box was unable to bomb. The Bombardier could not pick up the target. The second box did bomb and hit the target.