Mission No. 122
25 Jul 1944
Station: 166
Target: Troop Positions at La Chappelle en Jager area, France
Time Of Take-Off: 10:35 / Time Over Target: 12:02 / Time Landed: 13:30
36 B-26 aircraft loaded with 20x260LB M-81 fragmentation bombs were dispatched to attack enemy ground troop positions near La Chappelle en Jager, France. The Field Order stated "VIII AAF is attacking target area from zero minus 60 min to zero hour. Fighter bombers will strafe 150 yd strip adjoining St. Lo to Periers highway north of target area starting zero minus 15 min. Ground forces will attempt to break through following air activity. Allied beach head cover supports this operation. Bombing by spread boxes. Every precaution will be made to insure that no bombs are dropped short of north boundary of target area. If the designated aiming point is identified too late to allow sighting operation on that point, then bombs should be released in the area immediately south of target area. No bombs will be released after zero plus 70. [bombsight] disc speed will be varied from theoretical settings sufficient to cause bombs to drop in the target area using the prescribed aiming points for synchronization."
Weather conditions enroute were hazy with 10/10ths cloud from base to French coast at 11,500 feet with similar conditions over the target area.
The majority of bombs from the 1st box fell inside the target area in open fields and across three roads. The 2nd box's bombs fell outside the target area about 8,100 feet north of nearest edge of the target area across main roadway and in open fields. Crews judged the results as excellent.
The formation encountered no FLAK or enemy fighters. De Witt's was scheduled to fly aircraft 947-U, but was flying one of the spare aircraft, 846-P. His left engine was seen to be smoking and coughing over the target area. After feathering the engine, he left the formation and made an emergency landing in Normandy.

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:179
Reel:B0436
Page Start:606
Mission:122
Date Order Sent:24 Jul 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):251100b
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):1st box: AP 454655, position of 1st bomb 449644; 2nd box: AP 449658, position of 1st bomb 444646.
Fighter Escort:
Rendezvous:
Route Out:base to splasher no. 11 to Selsey Bill to St Catherine's Point to IP to target.
Route Back:target turn right to St Sauver to 4942n0117w to St Catherine's Point to base. Descend to 9000 feet between target and 4942n0117w on return flight to base.
Altitudes:If ceiling limits the bombing altitude the minimum altitude for bombing will be 8000 feet and all units will lose 1000 feet after bombing is completed.
Initial Point (IP):4923n0103w
Axis of Attack:200 degrees
Emergency Airdromes:NULL
Intervalometer Setting:200 feet
Bomb Load:20x260 M-81 frags inst nose only.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:VIII AAF is attacking target area from zero minus 60 min to zero hour. Fighter bombers will strafe 150 yd strip adjoining St Lo to Periers highway North of target area starting zero minus 15 min. ground forces will attempt to break through following air activity. Allied beach head cover supports this operation. Bombing by spread boxes.Every precaution will be to insure that no bombs are dropped short of North boundary of target area. If the designated aiming point is identified too late to allow sighting operation on that point bombs should be released in the area immediately South of target area. No bombs will be released after zero plus 70. [bombsight] disc speed will be varied from the theoretical settings sufficient to cause bombs to drop in the target area using the prescribed aiming points for synchronization.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0436
Page: 605
Field Order: 0
A(i) Target Ordered: La Chappelle en Jager area
A(ii) Target Attacked: La Chappelle en Jager area
B(i) Group: 391
B(ii) No. Of A/C Off By Type: 36 B-26
B(iii) No. A/C Failing To Bomb: (weather-personnel-mechanical-other): 0-0-1-0 (engine failure)
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 35-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 10:35
C(ii) Time Over Target: 12:02
C(iii) Time Down: 13:30
D(i) No A/C: (missing-destroyed-damaged(cat. B-A/C)-Damaged(Cat. A)): 0-0-0-0
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: excellent
F(i)(A) Enemy Opposition Over Target: nil
F(i)(B) Enemy Opposition Elsewhere: nil
F(ii)(A) Flak Over Target: nil
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere: nil
G. info,Observations, Hot News:
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: 5 miles visibility, 10/10 clouds at 11500 ft, hazy.
H(ii) Weather En Route: Hazy, 10/10 cloud from base to French coast at 11500 ft.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 698-0-0-0-0 (260frag), 1-0-0-0-0 (zg34 leaflet)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 10500
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 122
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 #1 - Lead Flight
Rutledge
573
801-G
Colsch
573
978-Q
Baxter
573
747-T
Armstrong
573
820-S
Holliday
575
932-T
Bollinger
573
595-V
Box #1 - High Flight
Thorn
573
822-O
Bjork
575
615-A
Clark
573
842-D
Boone
573
802-P
Cassiday
573
841-A
Youse
573
102-X
Box #1 - Low Flight
Hollis
574
931-F
Wolfe
574
865-D
Callison
574
838-
Horridge
574
873-
Watkinson
574
818-
Metelsky
574
248-V
Evans
833-

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Erickson
572
673-A
Baehr
572
810-C
Hanlon
572
812-D
Roeper
572
806-M
McCarty
836-
Alexander
572
797-P
Box #2 - High Flight
Schleicher
572
811-G
Blute
572
748-G
Barker
572
815-
Smith
572
834-B
Walker
573
806-C
Reynolds
575
678-M
Box #2 - Low Flight
Dickinson
572
808-X
Koehl
572
799-T
Jacobs
572
719-F
Danforth
572
813-J
Dewitt
575
846-
Lowder
574
839-
Harlow
575
025-