Mission No. 105
24 Jun 1944
Station: 166
Target: Strongpoint at Cherbourg, France
Time Of Take-Off: 06:30 / Time Over Target: 07:48 / Time Landed: 09:07
39 B-26 aircraft were dispatched to attack an enemy Strongpoint at Cherbourg, France. Aircraft were loaded with 2x2000LB General Purpose bombs. 3 window aircraft would be leading both boxes dropping window as briefed. Bombing will be done by spread boxes and Allied aircraft will be providing area cover.
Weather conditions enroute were 10/10 cloud over the Channel and east over the continent from Le Havre. Target area was hazy and smoky.
The bombs from the 1st box fell outside the target area about 4,500 feet south from the nearest edge of the target area in a dispersed pattern across open fields.
The bombs from 3 aircraft of the 2nd box fell inside the target area with the remaining bombs falling outside the target area about 8,000 feet south from nearest edge of target area in a dispersed pattern across NE-SW road and in open fields. 2 near misses on strongpoint C.
The formation encountered Heavy, Weak to Moderate, Inaccurate to fairly Accurate FLAK in the target area with 3 aircraft receiving battle damage.
Crew comments included suggestions that crews be planned on the old schedule of 2 days on and 2 days off. The Holliday crew commented that "Officers mess still poor. The Squadron personnel equipment officer says that it will take 2 weeks to replace mess kit of Sgt. Wierny, whose kit is turning colors and is giving him the G.I.s. (Gastroenteritis Infection ?)"

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:131
Reel:B0435
Page Start:1432
Mission:105
Date Order Sent:24 Jun 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):240740b
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):0-113246.
Fighter Escort:Allied aircraft will furnish area cover.
Rendezvous:
Route Out:base to Selsey Bill to 49d27n/01d13w to 49d31n/01d32w to target.
Route Back:target left break turn right to Selsey Bill.
Altitudes:
Initial Point (IP):49d31n/01d32w
Axis of Attack:345 Degrees.
Emergency Airdromes:
Intervalometer Setting:50 feet
Bomb Load:2x2000gp fused 1/10 sec nose and 1/40 sec tail .
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:3 window a/c will drop window as briefed. Bombing will be done by spread boxes.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0435
Page: 1434
Field Order: 131
A(i) Target Ordered: Cherbourg 0-113246
A(ii) Target Attacked: Cherbourg 0-113246
B(i) Group: 391
B(ii) No. Of A/C Off By Type: 39 B-26
B(iii) No. A/C Failing To Bomb: (weather-personnel-mechanical-other): 0-0-0-3 (dropped window only)
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 36-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 06:30
C(ii) Time Over Target: 07:48
C(iii) Time Down: 09:07
D(i) No A/C: (missing-destroyed-damaged(cat. B-A/C)-Damaged(Cat. A)): 0-0-0-3
D(ii) Enemy A/C: (destroyed-prob. Destroyed-Damaged): 0-0-0
D(iii) No. Crew: (killed-wounded-missing): 0-0-0
E. Results Of Bombing: good.
F(i)(A) Enemy Opposition Over Target: nil
F(i)(B) Enemy Opposition Elsewhere: nil
F(ii)(A) Flak Over Target: HF W to M INACC to fairly ACC
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere: nil
G. info,Observations, Hot News: none.
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: hazy and smoky.
H(ii) Weather En Route: 10/10 cloud over channel and east over continent from Le Havre.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 72-0-0-0-0 (2000gp)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 12000
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 105
DIAGRAM NOTES:

Pilot and crew are not shown on crew loading lists where Squadron field of aircraft is blank.

All aircraft not participating in this mission (e.g. Spares, Abortive) are shown in yellow.

All aircraft damaged by FLAK are shown in orange.


Box #0 - Lead Flight
Mitchell
575
847-
Harlow
575
678-M
Fleck
575
620-V

Box #1 - Lead Flight
Earll
572
673-A
Baehr
572
810-
Blute
575
855-R
Barker
575
853-
Walker
572
819-H
Smith
575
025-
Box #1 - High Flight
Roeper
572
811-G
Koehl
574
010-
Alexander
572
797-P
Whitson
572
799-T
Jacobs
572
719-F
Holliday
574
800-C
Dickinson
572
834-B
Box #1 - Low Flight
Fry
572
808-X
Crim
575
843-
Hanlon
572
812-D
Dewitt
575
811-V
Reynolds
575
615-A
Danforth
813-

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Sellers
573
801-G
Boylan
595-
Snyder
573
823-N
Sloss
573
830-R
Dillard
573
806-C
Bjork
573
252-F
Box #2 - High Flight
Thorn
573
820-
Hartman
573
834-F
Dearing
574
838-
Armstrong
575
837-
Boone
574
865-D
Jacobi
574
851-M
Box #2 - Low Flight
Shaffner
573
825-B
Cassiday
573
841-A
Clark
573
842-D
Ljunggren
573
810-W
Youse
573
102-X
Colsch
573
978-Q
Wilkinson
574
839-G