Mission No. 43
1 May 1944
Station: 166
Target: Marshaling Yard at Douai, France
First mission of the day of the new month saw the Group to the rail marshalling Yards at Douai, France.
Thirty-eight B-26's were dispatch at 0942 Hours, as directed by Field Order 34-293, 99th Combat Bomb Wing.
Their course took them to North Foreland to their fighter rendezvous at 51 degrees 13 minutes North, 02 degrees 20 minutes East, to Nieuwpoort on the enemy coast to Deinze to the I.P. at five miles South of Valenciennes to the target.
Sixteen Ships of the first box dropped sixty-four 1000- pound general purpose bombs on the Aniche Marshalling Yard, mistaking it for the primary target.
Eighteen ships of the second box dropped seventy-two 1000-pound General Purpose bombs from 12,000 feet on the primary target at 1109 hours.
One of the aircraft dispatched failed to bomb for personnel reasons, one because of a delayed take-off and failed to catch the formation, and two with engine trouble.
Only from a dozen to twenty bursts of heavy fire flak were encountered on the entire mission, and the formation returned to base at 1210 hours, via Furnes and North Foreland without damage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THIS MISSION FROM THE GROUP MISSION RECORDS IS AVAILABLE IN THE "CREW LOADLING LIST" SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE here


Box #1 - Lead Flight
Adams
573
804-A
13
Clark
573
012-F
4
Snyder
573
823-N
21
Armstrong
573
820-S
24
Goodson
573
932-T
48
Dearing
573
802-P
18
Box #1 - High Flight
Ljunggren
573
822-O
23
Youse
573
830-M
22
Colsch
573
987-Q
18
Porter
573
008-L
8
Bjork
573
797-P
3
Bollinger
573
815-R
14
Box #1 - Low Flight
Shaffner
573
825-B
15
Hartman
573
836-N
1
Baxter
573
947-U
2
Sloss
573
831-H
19
Dillard
573
972-A
5
Koehl
573
798-K
25

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Stalnaker-Kelly
575
950-A
48
Schirmer
575
972-M
41
Tucker
575
844-D
38
Laframboise
575
847-H
40
Petrich
575
835-T
31
Wilkinson
575
840-R
29
Box #2 - High Flight
Sullens
575
851-M
31
Harlow
575
852-A
35
Martin
575
873-U
32
O'Hare
575
808-C
37
Box #2 - Low Flight
Wolfe
575
846-P
39
Fleck
575
843-J
36
Ruble
575
853-F
39
Hanish
575
827-G
41
Box #2 - Spare Flight
Spare Lead
572
803-K
6