9th AF Patch

416th Bombardment Group (L)

Mission # 59 -- May 28, 1944, Sunday AM

Bruges St. Michiel, Belgium

Naval R.D.F. Headquarters

 

 WWII-Medal

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Summary of Operations

Field Order        : 55-333
OpRep #            : 58
Nature of Mission  : Bombing
Mission Status     : Attacked
Bombing Altitude   : 11,400 - 12,500 feet 		Take-off Time      : 1100
Time Over Target   : 1218
Landing Time       : 1321
Duration (Hrs:Min) : 2:21
 

Place of Take-Off  : AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England
A/C Dispatched     : 42 Total -- 36 A-20G's, 6 A-20J's
Tactical Target Dossier: 5103E/K/4
Illustration       : 5103E/80
Illustration Ref   : 077014
Summary of Results : Box 1 - Good Box 2 - Poor Box 3 - Poor

Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 51.18391,3.20167 (51° 11' 2" N, 3° 12' 6" 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)


Scanned original Mission 59 documents (multipage PDF files)

Mission Folder       Reports Folder       OpRep # 58       Fuel Use

If nothing happens on Click, check to see if the PDF file was automatically saved to your computer. Depending on Internet speed, the display or download may be slow.
These Public Domain, Declassified Mission documents were graciously provided to the 416th BG Archive by the dedicated staff of the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA).
An on-line index of records held by AFHRA up to 2001 is available at Air Force History Index.org.
Most of these PDF files are unaltered originals provided by the AFHRA, a few have been re-organized.
Pages may be out of sequence; files may contain scanned blank pages and/or pages scanned upside-down; some pages may be included in more than one file.
The "Mission Folder" usually contains the majority of documents for a Mission, including Field Orders, Status Reports, Pilot Interrogations, Photos (if available), etc.



Loading List 1

Loading List 1, Box I


Loading List 2

Loading List 2, Box II


Loading List 3

Loading List 3, Box III


Mission Loading Lists Transcription

Mission # 59 -- May 28, 1944, Sunday AM
Bruges St. Michiel, Belgium -- Naval R.D.F. Headquarters

Included are Box, Flight and Position; Bomb Squadron; Aircraft Serial Number, Fuselage Code and Model; and Crew Members
transcribed from individual mission Loading List documents by Chris and Mary Adams and Carl Sgamboti.
Some information, such as Squadron, Serial Number, etc. has been expanded from other documents.

Box I -- Flight I
  1  670th                   
  43-9439  F6-J  A-20J
  Maj Meng, W.J.
  Lt Powell, V.H.
  S/Sgt Stobert, R.F.
  S/Sgt Glynn, F.P.		   2  670th                   
  43-9452  F6-Q  A-20J
  Capt McNulty, G.M.
  Lt Bursiel, F.H.
  S/Sgt White, H.E.
  S/Sgt Addleman, R.F.		   3  670th                   
  43-9217  F6-D  A-20G
  Lt Leonard, T.J.
  S/Sgt Evans, O.D.
  S/Sgt Palmer, T.A.
 
  4  670th                   
  43-9207  F6-B  A-20G
  Lt Rooney, R.J.
  S/Sgt McCleary, H.M.
  S/Sgt DiNapoli, S.F.
  		  5  670th                   
  43-9224  F6-E  A-20G
  Lt McBride, L.R.
  Sgt Daniel, W.J., Sr.
  Sgt Burger, L.C.
  		  6  670th                   
  43-9892  F6-L  A-20G
  Capt Moore, Z.R.
  S/Sgt Griffin, E.L.
  Sgt Maziasz, C.W.
 

Box I -- Flight II
  1  669th                   
  43-9840  2A-V  A-20G
  Lt MacManus, P.F.E., Jr.
  S/Sgt Rosenstein, M.
  S/Sgt Carney, H.O.
  		  2  669th                   
  43-9181  2A-A  A-20G
  Lt Land, W.H.
  S/Sgt Alden, S.F.
  S/Sgt Ballinger, R.L.
  		  3  669th                   
  43-9673  2A-I  A-20G
  Lt Smith, J.F., Jr.
  Sgt Vafiadis, C.
  Sgt Hoffman, R.C.
 
  4  670th                   
  43-9689  F6-I  A-20G
  Lt Renth, E.J., Jr.
  S/Sgt LaNave, O.D.
  S/Sgt Citty, F.M.
  		                                                           

Box I -- Flight III
  1  671st                   
  43-10165  5C-H  A-20G
  Lt Morton, R.J.
  Sgt Rodgers, H.C.
  Sgt VanDuyne, J.E.
  		  2  671st                   
  43-9221  5C-F  A-20G
  Lt Shainberg, N.V.
  S/Sgt Holloway, R.G.
  Sgt Melchoir, F.E.
  		  3  671st                   
  43-9951  5C-P  A-20G
  Lt Behlmer, R.L.
  T/Sgt Kelly, W.J.
  S/Sgt Ferguson, W.G.
 
  4  671st                   
  43-9219  5C-D  A-20G
  Lt Andrews, H.D., Jr.
  S/Sgt Cook, G.M.
  S/Sgt Werley, E.R.
  		                                                           


Box II -- Flight I
  1  670th                   
  43-9455  F6-T  A-20J
  Capt Jackson, C.R.
  Lt Maltby, A.H.
  S/Sgt Riley, R.K.
  S/Sgt Bonamo, A.J.		   2  668th                   
  43-10125  5H-M  A-20J
  Capt Conant, H.F.
  Lt McBrien, R.T.
  S/Sgt McCreery, J.E.
  S/Sgt Sylva, H.J.		   3  670th                   
  43-10157  F6-P  A-20G
  Lt Hall, R.B.
  S/Sgt Blackford, D.S.
  S/Sgt Eutsler, R.J.
 
  4  670th                   
  43-9750  F6-M  A-20G
  Lt Ostrander, W.B.
  S/Sgt Wilson, J.E.
  S/Sgt Binney, I.
  		  5  670th                   
  43-9380  F6-N  A-20G
  Lt Johnson, E.L.
  Sgt Swafford, J.O., Jr.
  S/Sgt Brayn, M.R.
  		  6  670th                   
  43-9680  F6-R  A-20G
  Lt Monroe, H.A.
  S/Sgt Kidd, W.L.
  S/Sgt Risko, S.
 

Box II -- Flight II
  1  669th                   
  43-9189  2A-P  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 Nicks, R.W.
  S/Sgt Radlich, N.
  		  3  669th                   
  43-10148  2A-H  A-20G
  Lt Vleghels, A.J.
  Sgt Rice, R.W.
  Sgt Young, C.E.
 
  4  669th                   
  43-9961  2A-E  A-20G
  Lt Street, M.S.
  S/Sgt Epps, E.T.
  S/Sgt Prindle, C.A.
  		                                                           

Box II -- Flight III
  1  668th                   
  43-10226  5H-E  A-20G
  Lt Miracle, R.V.
  S/Sgt Sieg, B.C.
  S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C.
  		  2  668th                   
  43-10194  5H-A  A-20G
  Lt Downing, W.E.
  S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S.
  Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr.
  		  3  668th                   
  43-10210  5H-Q  A-20G
  Lt Nikas, A.P.
  Sgt Smith, H.W.
  Sgt Scott, G.W.
 
  4  668th                   
  43-9907  5H-O  A-20G
  Lt Lesher, R.D.
  S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R.
  S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J.
  		                                                           


Box III -- Flight I
  1  671st                   
  43-9914  5C-X  A-20J
  Capt Dunn, L.F.
  Lt Arrington, H.T.
  S/Sgt Marion, H.A.
  S/Sgt Adams, V.P.		   2  671st                   
  43-9645  5C-R  A-20J
  Lt Marzolf, L.A.
  Lt Basnett, R.J.
  S/Sgt Wellin, H.E.
  S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G.		   3  671st                   
  43-9711  5C-M  A-20G
  Lt Wipperman, R.A.
  S/Sgt Ahrens, H.S.
  Sgt Mazza, L.C.
 
  4  671st                   
  43-10164  5C-I  A-20G
  Lt Hixon, S.M.
  T/Sgt Larronde, F.H.
  S/Sgt Lempka, H.A.
  		  5  671st                   
  43-9363  5C-L  A-20G
  Lt York, R.W.
  S/Sgt Wilds, H.J.
  Sgt Ashton, L.A.
  		  6  671st                   
  43-9220  5C-E  A-20G
  Lt Platter, E.T.
  S/Sgt Johnson, K.L.
  S/Sgt Czech, J.L.
 

Box III -- Flight II
  1  669th                   
  43-9214  2A-C  A-20G
  Lt Wheeler, R.V.
  S/Sgt Corrin, E.W.
  S/Sgt Brower, J.S.
  		  2  668th                   
  43-9701  5H-H  A-20G
  Lt Col Ford, T.R.
  S/Sgt Best, H.T.
  S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R.
  		  3  671st                   
  43-9937  5C-B  A-20G
  Lt Henderson, F.W.
  Sgt Griswold, R.M.
  Sgt Coulombe, P.E.
 
  4  671st                   
  43-9493  5C-V  A-20G
  Lt Adams, J.D.
  S/Sgt Clearman, P.L., Jr.
  Sgt Zeikus, A.J.
  		                                                           

Box III -- Flight III
  1  668th                   
  43-9360  5H-S  A-20G
  Lt Bartmus, G.F.
  S/Sgt Orr, J.R.
  S/Sgt Flacks, F.L.
  		  2  668th                   
  43-9963  5H-N  A-20G
  Lt Peede, L.G.
  S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L.
  Sgt Fild, P.G.
  		  3  670th                   
  43-10211  F6-O  A-20G
  Lt Mish, C.C.
  S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr.
  Sgt Chustz, R.F.
 
  4  668th                   
  43-9684  5H-K  A-20G
  Lt Kreh, E.B.
  Sgt Shelton, E.L.
  S/Sgt Schenck, D.R.
  		                                                           


Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 59 -- May 28, 1944, Sunday AM
Bruges St. Michiel, Belgium -- Naval R.D.F. Headquarters


"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1944"
Transcribed from USAF Archives

Shaken, yes, but no less determined; before the end of the next day, our crews were off on three missions. An important naval R.D.F. Headquarters at Bruges/St Michal was the target in the morning. Bombing in boxes of 14's, against a small target, the results were only fair. Major Meng, Captain Jackson, and Captain Dunn led the boxes.

Simultaneous attacks were made in the afternoon on Noball targets at Vacqueriette and Behen. The box led by Major Willetts, with Lt Royalty, B-N, hit the first target with a good concentration of bombs in the target area. The other box led by Major Campbell, with Lt Palin, B-N, suspended the Behen target with well-placed hits.


"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
 Page 82

Mission #59 - 28 May - AM - Bruges/St. Michel Radar Station, Belgium. This was a three box mission, led by Major Meng and Lt. Powell, BN, Captain Jackson and Lt. Maltby, BN, and Captain Dunn with Lt. Arrington, BN. Bombing results were categorized as only fair, bombing with boxes of 14 planes each. P-47s escorted the formation, and no flak was experienced. Lts. Marzolf and Basnett, BN participated.


"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives

From May 23rd to May 30th, the squadron flew a total of ninety-eight sorties on missions to attack the Beaumont-LeRoger airdrome; the Abbeville-Drucat airdrome; the Monchy-Breton airdrome; the Beauvais- Tille airdrome; the Amiens marshalling yards; the Bruges-St Michiel Naval Radar Direction Finder Station in Belgium; the Vacqueriette Noball site; the Behen Noball site; the Achiet airdrome and the Denain-Prouby airdrome.

Lt Crispino was awarded the Purple Heart for the injuries sustained on the 19th, and Sgt Zaklikiewicz for wounds sustained on May 26th.

The Stars and Strips carried an article on May 24th, which concerned the group. In the story about veteran gunners of other campaigns of this war, S/Sgt Riley and S/Sgt Kidd of our unit, received credit due them for previous operational experience. (See Exhibit # 19 attached.)

Lt Maltby received his promotion to 1st Lt on May 22nd.


"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns

The 416th crossed the Channel 10 times from May 26th through June 4th to paste the enemy Airdromes, Marshalling Yards and No-Balls in air operations which were intended to knock the blocks from under the Nazis transportation, communication, and defense set-up in occupied France.

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