416th BG Mission 103

Mission # 103 -- July 22, 1944, Saturday PM
Bourth, France -- Railroad Bridge and Embankment

Box I -- Flight I
1 668th 43-21717 5H-P A-20J Maj Price, R.F. Lt Hand, A.R. S/Sgt Simpson, D.H. T/Sgt Robbins, L.G.	2 668th 43-10125 5H-M A-20J Capt McNulty, G.M. Lt Bursiel, F.H. S/Sgt Love, C.F. S/Sgt Adair, F.L.	3 668th 43-10176 5H-T A-20G Lt Clausen, T. Sgt Fetko, C., Jr. Sgt Euga, P.G.

Box I -- Flight II
1 668th 43-21764 5H-X A-20G Lt Miracle, R.V. S/Sgt Sieg, B.C. S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C.	2 668th 43-10210 5H-Q A-20G Lt Cannon, L.E. Sgt Robinson, J.W. Sgt Brzezinski, E.P.	3 668th 43-9362 5H-L A-20G Lt Peede, L.G. S/Sgt Kelly, E.E. S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L.
4 668th 43-10150 5H-N A-20G Lt Downing, W.E. S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S. S/Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr.

Box I -- Flight II

1 668th
43-21764 5H-X A-20G
Lt Miracle, R.V.
S/Sgt Sieg, B.C.
S/Sgt Burkhalter, J.C.

2 668th
43-10210 5H-Q A-20G
Lt Cannon, L.E.
Sgt Robinson, J.W.
Sgt Brzezinski, E.P.

3 668th
43-9362 5H-L A-20G
Lt Peede, L.G.
S/Sgt Kelly, E.E.
S/Sgt Hibbs, C.L.

4 668th
43-10150 5H-N A-20G
Lt Downing, W.E.
S/Sgt Dickenson, E.S.
S/Sgt Hornbeck, K.E., Jr.

Box I -- Flight III
1 668th 43-9745 5H-I A-20G Lt Lesher, R.D. S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R. S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J.	2 668th 43-21819 5H-K A-20G Lt Kreh, E.B. S/Sgt Shelton, E.L. Sgt Schafer, E.L.	3 668th 43-9195 5H-D A-20G Lt Harris, F.W. S/Sgt Hantske, D. S/Sgt Damico, E.A.
4 668th 43-21480 5H-B A-20G Lt Mish, C.C. S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr. S/Sgt Chustz, R.F.

Box I -- Flight III

1 668th
43-9745 5H-I A-20G
Lt Lesher, R.D.
S/Sgt Hedrick, H.R.
S/Sgt Antanaitis, A.J.

2 668th
43-21819 5H-K A-20G
Lt Kreh, E.B.
S/Sgt Shelton, E.L.
Sgt Schafer, E.L.

3 668th
43-9195 5H-D A-20G
Lt Harris, F.W.
S/Sgt Hantske, D.
S/Sgt Damico, E.A.

4 668th
43-21480 5H-B A-20G
Lt Mish, C.C.
S/Sgt Clark, C.J., Jr.
S/Sgt Chustz, R.F.

Box I -- Flight IV
1 670th 43-10211 F6-O A-20G Lt Greene, W.J. S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A. S/Sgt Colbert, W.F.	2 670th 43-9209 F6-K A-20G Lt Sommers, D.T. Sgt Zaklikiewicz, S.R. Sgt Johnson, J.L.	3 670th 43-9750 F6-M A-20G Lt Leonard, T.J. S/Sgt Evans, O.D. S/Sgt Palmer, T.A. [No Sortie Returned Early]
4 670th 43-9674 F6-R A-20G Lt Shea, D.F. S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr. S/Sgt Falk, F.G.

Box I -- Flight IV

1 670th
43-10211 F6-O A-20G
Lt Greene, W.J.
S/Sgt Ochaba, J.A.
S/Sgt Colbert, W.F.

2 670th
43-9209 F6-K A-20G
Lt Sommers, D.T.
Sgt Zaklikiewicz, S.R.
Sgt Johnson, J.L.

3 670th
43-9750 F6-M A-20G
Lt Leonard, T.J.
S/Sgt Evans, O.D.
S/Sgt Palmer, T.A.
[No Sortie Returned Early]

4 670th
43-9674 F6-R A-20G
Lt Shea, D.F.
S/Sgt Lee, R.E., Jr.
S/Sgt Falk, F.G.

Box I
SPARE 670th 43-9380 F6-N A-20G Lt Johnson, E.L. S/Sgt Donahue, W.J. S/Sgt Brayn, M.R.

Box II -- Flight I
1 671st 43-21711 5C-S A-20J Lt Marzolf, L.A. Lt Beck, J.T. S/Sgt Wellin, H.E. S/Sgt Kutzer, L.G.	2 669th 43-21712 2A-H A-20J Maj Napier, J.G. Lt Madenfort, J. S/Sgt Webb, C.L. S/Sgt Citty, F.M.	3 671st 43-9937 5C-B A-20G Lt Durante, A.R. S/Sgt Best, H.T. S/Sgt DeGiusti, I.R.

Box II -- Flight II
1 671st 43-10214 5C-C A-20G Lt Wheeler, R.V. S/Sgt Czech, J.L. S/Sgt Brower, J.S.	2 671st 43-9925 5C-G A-20G Lt Ames, W.H. Sgt Fessler, H.S. Sgt Brown, R.J.	3 671st 43-9219 5C-D A-20G Lt Herman, A.E. S/Sgt Garrett, A.D. S/Sgt Young, J.O.
4 671st 43-9956 5C-Z A-20G Lt Morehouse, R.C. S/Sgt Zygiel, L.A. S/Sgt Burgess, A.J.

Box II -- Flight II

1 671st
43-10214 5C-C A-20G
Lt Wheeler, R.V.
S/Sgt Czech, J.L.
S/Sgt Brower, J.S.

2 671st
43-9925 5C-G A-20G
Lt Ames, W.H.
Sgt Fessler, H.S.
Sgt Brown, R.J.

3 671st
43-9219 5C-D A-20G
Lt Herman, A.E.
S/Sgt Garrett, A.D.
S/Sgt Young, J.O.

4 671st
43-9956 5C-Z A-20G
Lt Morehouse, R.C.
S/Sgt Zygiel, L.A.
S/Sgt Burgess, A.J.

Box II -- Flight III
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 43-9714 5C-N A-20G Lt Pair, H.F. S/Sgt Marion, H.A. S/Sgt Adams, V.P.	3 671st 43-9221 5C-F A-20G Lt Withington, D.L., III S/Sgt Mahoney, R.J. Sgt McElhattan, L.D.
4 671st 43-9951 5C-P A-20G Lt Miller, J.H. S/Sgt Schrom, R.G. S/Sgt Galender, J.W.

Box II -- Flight III

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
43-9714 5C-N A-20G
Lt Pair, H.F.
S/Sgt Marion, H.A.
S/Sgt Adams, V.P.

3 671st
43-9221 5C-F A-20G
Lt Withington, D.L., III
S/Sgt Mahoney, R.J.
Sgt McElhattan, L.D.

4 671st
43-9951 5C-P A-20G
Lt Miller, J.H.
S/Sgt Schrom, R.G.
S/Sgt Galender, J.W.

Box II -- Flight IV
1 669th 43-9900 2A-Q A-20G Lt Peck, W.A. S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E. S/Sgt Kelton, H.E. [Returned Early No Sortie]	2 669th 43-9929 2A-C A-20G Lt Dontas, P. S/Sgt Nielsen, A.L. S/Sgt Fields, W.E.	3 669th 43-9202 2A-B A-20G Lt Poundstone, L.E. Sgt Burland, A.J. Sgt Heath, K.
4 669th 43-9961 2A-E A-20G Lt Renth, E.J., Jr. S/Sgt LaNave, O.D. Pvt Moskowitz, L.

Box II -- Flight IV

1 669th
43-9900 2A-Q A-20G
Lt Peck, W.A.
S/Sgt Bergeron, A.E.
S/Sgt Kelton, H.E.
[Returned Early No Sortie]

2 669th
43-9929 2A-C A-20G
Lt Dontas, P.
S/Sgt Nielsen, A.L.
S/Sgt Fields, W.E.

3 669th
43-9202 2A-B A-20G
Lt Poundstone, L.E.
Sgt Burland, A.J.
Sgt Heath, K.

4 669th
43-9961 2A-E A-20G
Lt Renth, E.J., Jr.
S/Sgt LaNave, O.D.
Pvt Moskowitz, L.

Box II
SPARE 669th 43-9390 2A-G A-20G Lt Blomgren, J.E. Sgt Fleming, L.R. Sgt Bookach, M.

Group and Unit Histories

Mission # 103 -- July 22, 1944, Saturday PM
Bourth, France -- Railroad Bridge and Embankment

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

Bad weather again hampered our operations. After a two-day rest, the planes took off on the 22nd to attack the railroad bridge at Bourth. PFF had to be used. Major Price and Lt Marzolf were the box leaders. Reconnaissance photographs showed that eight direct hits on the tracks made the line unserviceable.

"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 113

Mission #103 - 22 July - Bourth Bridge. Major Price and Lt. Hand, BN took the lead of Box I with Captain McNulty and Lt. Burseil, BN leading Box II. Lts. Marzolf and Beck BN participated. Pathfinder B-26s led the group in for bombing through a cloud cover. After this four hour mission, all planes returned to base safely.

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

After these two rough missions, flying was curtailed by bad weather until July 22nd, when on that day and the day following 15 sorties were flown by this squadron on missions to the Bourth bridge and the Evreux railway bridge.

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

July 18th � July 25th, 1944

The weather (enough said) curtailed the 416th Bomb Group's activity again during this period, but seven missions were chalked up. Mission No. 100 came off on the morning of July 18th , and in the afternoon the Group passed the century mark. Single missions were run off on the 19th, 22nd, 23rd, 25th and 26th of July. Bombs were dropped on all these flights except the latter on in which a cloud covering over the target interfered. All of these missions were in direct support of allied ground forces in Normandy.

No ships were lost, but flak was met in many instances. A gunner from one on the other Squadrons was killed by a direct flak burst in the turret. This was the first time a member of a crew was brought back to base dead. Lt. Murray had the honor of being the first member of the Squadron to land on the Normandy beachhead when his plane ran short of gas on a late mission on July 19th. Lt. Murray and his gunners, S/Sgt. Jones and DeBower, landed on a P-47 field on the Peninsula and were treated in good fashion. They returned the next day with a few souvenirs... helmets, rifles, etc. They all related to quite and experience.

This Squadron fell behind the others this month in individual sorties mainly because when the 671st had a large number on the loading list, path�finders were used and a number of the crews would be scrubbed.