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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 234 -- March 13, 1945, Tuesday PM Husten, Germany Marshalling Yards
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 234 -- March 13, 1945, Tuesday PM Husten, Germany Marshalling Yards
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Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 42 Total -- 40 A-26's, 2 B-26's (PFF) Modified British System Reference: B-165154 Secondary Target : Wissen or Hackenburg (G-003428 or G-063294) Summary of Results : Unobserved due to heavy ground haze. 3 ships dropped Window. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 51.43718,7.97455 (51° 26' 14" N, 7° 58' 28" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) rB165154) (See Latitude/Longitude Coordinates and Target Identifiers for more information.) |
Route Map
Loading List
1, Box I
Loading List 2,
Box II
With Three Additional Window Mission Aircraft
Mission Loading Lists Transcription
Mission # 234 -- March 13, 1945, Tuesday PM
Husten, Germany -- Marshalling Yards
| 1 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Maj Dunn, L.F. Lt Brewer, W.E. Lt Corum, J.L. Sgt Rose, J.W. |
2 668th 43-22505 5H-Y A-26C Capt Andersen, C.J. Lt Babbage, W. S/Sgt Schafer, E.L. Danner, M.E. [T/4 Danner (II Arm'd)] |
3 671st 43-22356 5C-C A-26B Lt VanNoorden, H.M. S/Sgt Steffey, R.I. |
| 4 671st 41-39237 5C-D A-26B Lt Gary, J.C. Pvt Schoen, A.E. |
5 671st 41-39332 5C-P A-26B Lt Hlivko, A.E. Sgt Farmer, L.J. Pfc Stagman, R.R. [Returned Early Losing Fuel] |
6 671st 41-39239 5C-N A-26B Lt Fero, D.A. Sgt Helton, C. |
| 1 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Lt Cornell, R.H. Lt Enman, R.E. S/Sgt Carter, A. |
2 669th 43-22381 2A-Q A-26B Capt DuFault, W.F. S/Sgt Vorce, K.E. |
3 669th 41-39244 2A-I A-26B F/O Swap, F.W. Sgt Meliniotis, N. |
| 4 669th 41-39338 2A-O A-26B Lt DuBose, M.W. S/Sgt Griffin, D.L. |
5 669th 41-39314 2A-H A-26B Lt Smith, D.E. S/Sgt Kirik, S.J. Capt Eastlake, D.E. [Eastlake (II Armored Div)] |
6 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Smith, B.A. Sgt Richards, D.A. |
| 1 669th 43-22521 2A-N A-26C Lt Miller, E.L. Lt Conner, J.K. S/Sgt Pemberton, J.M. |
2 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt Anderson, C.M. S/Sgt Deatherage, J.H. |
3 669th 43-22351 2A-F A-26B Lt VanRope, R.W. S/Sgt Klingman, W.H. |
| 4 669th 43-22304 2A-T A-26C Lt Turner, E.O. Lt McGivern, P.J. S/Sgt Reyes, M.R. S/Sgt Elliott, F.W. |
5 669th 41-39263 2A-G A-26B Lt Depner, A.W. Sgt Fair, V.F. |
6 669th 43-22354 2A-S A-26B Lt Weinert, C.E. Sgt Dubi, R. |
| SPARE 671st 41-39300 5C-K A-26B Lt Spires, J.W. Sgt Messinger, R.W. Lt Morris, C.E. [Morris (Inf)] |
| 1 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Lt Brown, C.J. Lt Kerns, J.E. Lt Muir, R.C. S/Sgt Sunderland, H.E. |
2 670th 43-22501 F6-W A-26C Lt Hall, R.B. F/O Goss, T.L. Sgt Torres, I. |
3 671st 43-22490 5C-X A-26C Capt Sutton, L.J. Lt Reed, J.V. S/Sgt Gilliam, D.C. |
| 4 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Lt Ames, W.H. S/Sgt Brown, R.J. Capt Lundberg, G.B. [Lundberg (Inf)] |
5 671st 41-39209 5C-M A-26B Lt Murray, T.J. Sgt Maupin, W.W. |
6 671st 41-39297 5C-T A-26B Lt Wright, J.R. Sgt Simon, D.O. |
| 1 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Lt Mish, C.C. Lt Shaft, R.E. S/Sgt Roberts, J.H. Maj Lewis, E.R. [Lewis (Inf)] |
2 668th 41-39213 5H-A A-26B Lt Montrose, J.H. S/Sgt Euga, P.G. |
3 670th 41-39223 F6-B A-26B Lt Hale, W.L. S/Sgt Geyer, J.F. |
| 4 668th 41-39361 5H-M A-26B Lt Harris, F.W. Sgt Spence, J.I. |
5 668th 41-39259 5H-H A-26B F/O Gunkel, H.G. Sgt Grzona, L.J. |
6 668th 43-22321 5H-T A-26B Lt Vars, C.J. Pvt Hawk, D.W. |
| 1 670th 43-22469 F6-A A-26C Lt Brewster, F.S. Lt Dennis, L.W. S/Sgt Clark, W.O. |
2 670th 41-39215 F6-R A-26B Lt Bower, R.S. S/Sgt Ricketson, J.J. |
3 670th 41-39224 F6-E A-26B Capt Borman, H.W. Pfc Finnell, D.O. |
| 4 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Lt Singletary, R.B. S/Sgt Wiggins, H.G. |
5 670th 43-22330 F6-P A-26B Lt Chitty, W.D. Sgt Kamischke, R.J. |
6 670th 43-22334 F6-G A-26B Lt O'Brien, J.V. Sgt Wright, H.T. |
| SPARE 671st 41-39250 5C-A A-26B Lt Mooney, S. Sgt Schumacher, R.C. |
| 1 668th 43-22481 5H-P A-26C Capt Sommers, H.L. Lt Reeves, F.A. S/Sgt Burland, A.J. S/Sgt Heath, K. |
2 669th 43-22383 2A-V A-26B Lt Musgrove, W. S/Sgt Licker, M. S/Sgt Seighman, H.O. |
3 671st 43-22352 5C-J A-26B Lt Green, J.A. Sgt Kubjalko, A. Sgt Rorbakken, R.R. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 234 -- March 13, 1945, Tuesday PM
Husten, Germany -- Marshalling Yards
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
That afternoon, the Husten marshalling yards were attacked. The PPF plane was unable to keep with the formation so the box leaders attempted visual runs. Haze obscured the target, but after two runs, they dropped by boxes on a combination of Gee equipment and ETA. The results were estimated as fair. Moderate, accurate flak was experienced at the bomb line, but there was no battle damage. The two box leaders were Major Dunn, Lts Brewer and Corum, B&N, and Lt Brown, Lts Kerns and Muir, B&N.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 226
Mission #234 - 13 March - PM - Neihem/Huston Marshalling Yard. Major Dunn, Lts. Brewer and Corum, BNs and Lts. Brown with Kerns and Muir, BNs headed up the boxes. Captain Sutton with Lt. Reed BN, and Lts. Mish and Shaft, BN led flights. Lts. Anderson and Babbage BN flew deputy on Box I. The PFF plane was unable to keep up with the formation, so they went in to try to bomb visually. Two runs were made due to haze obscuring the aiming point. The boxes wound up dropping on GEE equipment with undetermined results. Moderate, heavy accurate flak hit the planes, with little damage, One gunner shot at an ME 109 which threatened the lead PFF plane. This was Lt. Mish's 65th mission, and he was glad to get it over with.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
A jet fighter airfield, located at Rheine, was attacked on March 13th. PPF technique was used. Capt. Stebbins, with Lt. Calloway as his Bombardier-Navigator, let the entire formation, while Lt. Blomgren flew in the lead position in the third flight of the second box. Moderate, heavy, accurate flak was encountered. The aircraft piloted by Lt. Jordan was damaged. It was impossible for him to lower the landing gear. As a result of this, he was compelled to make a crash landing at AAF Station A-70. In the aircraft with Lt. Jordan were his gunner, S/Sgt. Jensen and an observer from the 11th Armored Division, S/Sgt. Bolton. The pilot did an excellent job, and no one was injured as a result of the crash landing.
On the afternoon mission, of the same day, it was possible to bomb visually for the first time during the month. Haze obscure [obscured] the target, but a bomb run was mde [made] by using visual bombing equipment in conjunction with Gee equipment. The Husten Marshalling Yards were bombed. Lt. Cornell led flight two of box one, with his B/N Lt. Enman, while Lt. Miller and his B/N, Lt. Conner, led the third flight of the same box. Capt. Sommers and Lt. Kupits flew in the lead position of the "window" flight.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
Two missions were run on the 13th, the first being an attack on a Rhine Air Field and the second the Nehum/Huster Marshalling Yards. Both missions were leb by pathfinder aircraft and the results were unobserved. On the afternoon mission the formation left the pathfinder airplane at the bomb line. The radio was not functioning properly and the pathfinder plane believed the formation could bomb visually. However this could not be done and operations were abandoned. The tail gunner of the pathfinder plane fired at a ME 109 but no claims were made.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
March 13th, 1945
The Rheine Airfield and the Neheim/Huston Marshalling Yard were the objectives for the 416th Bomb Group on March 13th, 1945. Keeping up there two-a-day offensive the Invaders struck at these two targets in the morning and afternoon without loss, although one plane crash-landed, when the wheels would not extend.
831 x 100 pound bombs were dropped by Pathfinders on the Rheine Airfield in the morning with unobserved results. A large sprawling installation, this airfield is reported being used for a home base by Jet attack aircraft. Most of the enemy air action against the Ramagen bridgehead was contributed to this field. The Group encountered flak at the turn off the target, six aircraft receiving battle damage.
Pathfinders were again employed in the afternoon when the 416th was dispatched to the Neheim/Huston Marshalling Yard, east of Dortmund. Results of the bombing were believed excellent, although there was no photo coverage due to the cloud cover. The lead PFF ship was attacked by a lone ME 109, but after the tail gunner fired a couple of bursts the Jerry fighter hauled ass. Weak flak was met in the bridgehead area, but all ships returned safely with minor battle damage.
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[March 13, 1945], HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map Map showing Western Allies and Axis troop position details in Western Europe as of approximately 1200 hours, March 13, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |