Mission No. 126
31 Jul 1944
Station: 166
Target: Railroad Bridge at Chartres, France
Time Of Take-Off: 10:13 / Time Over Target: 12:28 / Time Landed: 14:05
36 B-26 aircraft loaded with 4x1000LB General Purpose bombs were dispatched to attack an enemy Railroad Bridge at Chartres, France. After rendezvous with their fighter escort of P-51s the formation proceeded onward toward the target.
Weather conditions enroute were poor with visibility nil up to 2,500 feet although this changed to 6 to 10 miles visibility with no clouds over the target area.
The formation was subjected to Heavy, Weak to Moderate, Inaccurate FLAK over the target area and 2 aircraft sustained battle damage.
Photo analysis of the bombing by the 1st flight of the 1st box showed a tight pattern of bursts on small unidentified buildings in a wooded area 6,900 feet south of the Designated Mean Point of Impact. The 2nd flight's showed a pattern of bursts crossing the bridge 400 feet west of the Designated Mean Point of Impact with two possible hits on the bridge. Results were rated as GROSS and GOOD respectively. The Bombardier leading the 3rd flight could not pick up the target due to clouds and smoke. The flight bombed a Railroad siding at Nogent with bombs bracketing selected MPI at the center of the siding.
Analysis of the bombing by the 1st flight of the 2nd box showed that a pattern of bombs fell 300 feet north-northeast of the Designated Mean Point of Impact with at least one hit on the bridge. The 2nd flight's showed a tight concentration of bombs fell 200 feet southeast of the Designated Mean Point of Impact with at least one possible hit on the bridge. Results were rated as GOOD and EXCELLENT respectively. 4 aircraft of the 3rd flight accidentally released on turn off the Primary Target. 2 aircraft bombed a casual target at Nogent. No photo coverage was available due to the aircraft landing elsewhere. NOTE: Dickinson (806-C) and Smith (853-F) landed at RAF Lasham for refuelling on their way back to base.

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:194
Reel:B0436
Page Start:976
Mission:126
Date Order Sent:31 Jul 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):311120b
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):4801E/B/36
Fighter Escort:ninth fighter command will furnish P-51s escort for 391st.
Rendezvous:with fighters at 4919n0000 at 11500 feet at zero hour plus 20.
Route Out:Base to St Catherine's Point to 4919n0000 to 4819n0050e to 4815n0138e to 4819n0200e to 4828n0155e to target.
Route Back:turn left to 4819n0050e to 4919n0000 to St Catherine's pt.
Altitudes:
Initial Point (IP):4828n0155e
Axis of Attack:260 degrees
Emergency Airdromes:NULL
Intervalometer Setting:minimum
Bomb Load:4x1000gp 1/10 nose 1/100 tail.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0436
Page: 980
Field Order: 0
A(i) Target Ordered: Chartres RR Bridge
A(ii) Target Attacked: Chartres RR Bridge
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): 0-0-0-0
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 27-0-8 (1 a/c unaccounted for, landed away from base)
C(i) Time Up: 10:13
C(ii) Time Over Target: 12:28
C(iii) Time Down: 14:05
D(i) No A/C: (missing-destroyed-damaged(cat. B-A/C)-Damaged(Cat. A)): 0-0-0-2
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 as reported by crews
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
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere: nil
G. info,Observations, Hot News: the right wing man accidentally dropped in the vicinity of the primary target thus causing 3 other ships to drop at the same time. Therefore only two ships bombed the secondary target, the flight leader and the left wing man.
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: 6 to 10 miles visibility. No clouds.
H(ii) Weather En Route: poor, visibility nil up to 2500 feet.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 108-0-32-0-0 (1000gp)(4 bombs unaccounted for)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 12500 to 11500
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 126
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
Hollis
574
927-N
Callison
574
800-C
Metelsky
575
964-
Wolfe
574
866-X
Lowder
574
818-L
Evans
575
932-T1
Box #1 - High Flight
Bird
574
835-T
Garwick
574
841-S
Watson
575
843-L
Stanfield
574
720-R
Harnest
574
815-U
Newman
575
844-D
Box #1 - Low Flight
Horridge
575
025-
Watkinson
575
615-
Morris
574
248-V
Alexander
574
807-J
Lowe
574
838-B
Tomon
575
837-
Baxter
573
747-T

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Erickson
572
673-A
Baehr
572
810-C
Hanlon
572
799-T
Danforth
572
806-M
Blute
572
748-Q
Barker
572
815-B
Box #2 - High Flight
Roeper
572
811-G
Alexander
573
802-P
McCarty
573
830-M
Jobe
573
828-L
Crim
573
102-X
Jacobs
572
719-F
Box #2 - Low Flight
Dickinson
573
806-C
Walker
575
268-K
Reynolds
575
855-
Smith
575
853-F
Fry
572
947-U
Snyder
573
634-J
Colsch
978-