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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 242 -- March 19, 1945, Monday AM Nassau, Germany Road Junction
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416th Bombardment Group (L) Mission # 242 -- March 19, 1945, Monday AM Nassau, Germany Road Junction
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Place of Take-Off : A-69 Laon/Athies, France A/C Dispatched : 21 Total -- 21 A-26's Modified British System Reference: M-044907 Secondary Target : Suitable Alternate Authorized Summary of Results : Flight results - one Unsatisfactory, two Excellent. Primary Target Latitude/Longitude: 50.31599,7.79903 (50° 18' 58" N, 7° 47' 57" E) (Latitude/Longitude based on The "Coordinates Translator", (NGZ) wM044907) (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 # 242 -- March 19, 1945, Monday AM
Nassau, Germany -- Road Junction
| 1 670th 43-22501 F6-W A-26C Capt Rooney, R.J. Lt Kirk, R.L. F/O Goss, T.L. Sgt Friday, L.R. |
2 669th 43-22487 2A-J A-26C Lt Jordan, C.S. Lt Mulgrew, R.P. S/Sgt Jensen, K.F. |
3 670th 41-39416 F6-O A-26B Lt Warren, J.R. S/Sgt Stroup, C.C., Jr. |
| 4 668th 41-39233 5H-F A-26B Lt Downing, W.E. Sgt Neal, D.E., Jr. |
5 670th 41-39205 F6-M A-26B Lt O'Brien, J.V. Sgt Wright, H.T. |
6 670th 43-22307 F6-N A-26B Lt Turman, A.R. S/Sgt Harmon, C.D. |
| 1 671st 43-22499 5C-G A-26C Lt Brown, C.J. Lt Kerns, J.E. S/Sgt Sunderland, H.E. |
2 671st 43-22497 5C-E A-26C Capt Tutt, R.J. Lt Orr, L.A. Sgt Wood, W.D. |
3 671st 41-39332 5C-P A-26B Lt Miller, J.H. Sgt Helton, C. |
| 4 671st 41-39249 5C-F A-26B Lt Remiszewski, A. S/Sgt Miguez, J.H. |
5 668th 41-39335 5H-W A-26B Lt VanNoorden, H.M. S/Sgt Thompson, G.H., Jr. |
6 671st 43-22352 5C-J A-26B Lt Fero, D.A. S/Sgt Rojas, A.A. |
| 1 669th 43-22492 2A-E A-26C Lt Blomgren, J.E. Lt Johnson, G.G. S/Sgt Bookach, M. |
2 669th 41-39314 2A-H A-26B Lt Martin, E.C. Lt Britt, J.W. Sgt Sumner, W.R., Jr. |
3 669th 41-39393 2A-M A-26B Lt Weinert, C.E. Sgt Dubi, R.J. |
| 4 669th 41-39338 2A-O A-26B Lt Sorrels, D.W. S/Sgt Triber, H.I. |
5 669th 43-22496 2A-L A-26C Lt Depner, A.W. Sgt Fair, V.F. |
6 669th 41-39271 2A-R A-26B Lt Dunn, F.G. Sgt Pikel, J.M. S/Sgt Miller, H.K. |
| 1 668th 43-22508 5H-Z A-26C Lt Parker, P.E. Lt Myrold, H.E. S/Sgt Kochan, S.J. S/Sgt Heitell, S.L. |
2 669th 41-39252 2A-D A-26B Lt DuBose, M.W. S/Sgt Griffin, D.L., Jr. S/Sgt Walters, J.H. |
3 669th 41-39263 2A-G A-26B Lt Smith, D.E. S/Sgt Clark, R.A. S/Sgt Kirik, S.J. |
Group and Unit Histories
Mission # 242 -- March 19, 1945, Monday AM
Nassau, Germany -- Road Junction
"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives
The 19th was an extremely active day for the Group. One box of 24 planes attacked the Lage railroad bridge with excellent results. Moderate, accurate flak at the bomb line in and out caused battle damage to nine planes. Major Ferris, Lts Royalty and Moore, B&N, led the box.
At the same time, 18 more planes attacked the Nassau road junctions. Again the results were excellent, with hits on the railroad, buildings, and roads. Lt. Rooney, Lt Kirk and F/O T.L. Goss, B&N, led the box.
A third box of 18 aircraft attacked the Schweim marshalling yards with a box of the 409th Bomb Group. Again attacking visibly by flights, the formation scored excellent results with all bombers scoring hits in the yards. Major Dunn, Lts Brewer and Muir, B&N, led the box.
"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 233
Mission #241 & 242 - 19 March AM - Lage Railroad Bridge. This is called spreading activities around, taking advantage of the weather and the excellence of the crews. In the morning, two boxes were directed to different targets and a third box in the afternoon zeroed in on the Lage Railroad Bridge with Major Ferris and Lts. Royalty and Moore, BNs leading the first box of 24 planes bombed with excellent results. Moderate accurate flak met them on the bomb run for five minutes damaging nine planes. Lts. Brown and Kerns, BN led flights.
Captain Rooney led the second box of 21 planes to Nassau Communication Center with excellent results. No flak or fighters bothered this formation. Lts. Lackovich and Muir, BN led a flight.
"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
The Lage Railroad Bridge was attacked on March 19th. Excellent results were obtained. Lt. Moore flew as bombardier with Major Ferris, of the 670th Bombardment Squadron (L).
On the second mission of the day, the Nassau Road Junction was attacked. The flight led by Lt. Blomgren and Lt. G.G. Johnson scored excellent results.
Another target was attacked on the same day. The Schwelm Marshalling Yards were bombed on this mission. Capt. Stebbins, with Lt. Calloway, achieved excellent results in bombing this target.
"670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives
On 19 March the Lage Railroad bridge was attacked. Only one box attacked this target. Major Ferris, our squadron commander, led the formation of twenty-four aircraft to bomb with superior results. Moderate accurate heavy flak was encountered from the bomb line in for five minutes. The escort was a formation of P-38 aircraft. At the same time, 18 other aircraft were dispatched to attack the road junction at Nassau. Captain Rooney led the attack and excellent results were achieved. No flak or fighter opposition was encountered. A total of twelve 670th crews participated in these two missions.
"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns
The 416th Group racked up three missions on March 19th, continuing the aerial offensive against key rail and communications centers in the Reich. Two formations of 21 and 24 ships went out in the morning, while one box was dispatched in the afternoon. All bombing was done visually in clear skies, and all crews returned safely.
In the morning one formation was dispatched to the communication center of Nassau, east of Coblenz. Two out of the three flights scored excellents on their bombing. Lt. Brown and Lt. Kerns were one of these pairs. The bombs fell in a good pattern over buildings and roads.
The other formation went to the Lage Rail Bridge, 10 miles south of Hanover, and quite deep into Gernany. Four flights bombed the bridge and chalked up two excellent and two superiors. Lt. Lackovich and Lt. Muir, leading their first flight on a visual mission scored one of the superiors. The bombs hit into the smoke of a previous pattern and it was apparent that the road and bridge had been hit. Lt.Muir, setting an impressive pace on missions, dropped visually for the first time in 34 missions, and with this superior to his credit, it looks very much as if the 671st has another star lead team in Lt. Lackovich and Lt. Muir. Flak was encountered at this target, nine ships receiving battle damage, but all returned.
In the afternoon the 416th flew second box with the 409??!! in the lead. The target was the Barmen marshalling yard, 18 miles east of Dusseldorf. The lead ship of the first box (409th) was hit by flak on the bomb run, both the pilot and bombardier being wounded. This flight did not bomb, but the crew returned to base safely. The second and third flights did not hit the target. Major Dunn and Lt. Brewer, leading the second box, scored undetermined results due to violent evasive action coming of the target, but visual reports state that the bombing was excellent, hitting in the Marshalling Yard.
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[March 19, 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 19, 1945 World War II Military Situation Maps Collection Library of Congress |