Mission No. 139
10 Aug 1944
Station: 166
Target: Railroad Bridge at Anizy, France
Time Of Take-Off: 09:39 / Time Over Target: 11:43 / Time Landed: 13:25
36 B-26 aircraft loaded with 2x2000LB General Purpose bombs were dispatched to attack an enemy Railroad Bridge at Anizy, France. After rendezvous with their P-38 fighter escort the formation proceeded onward toward the target.
Weather conditions enroute were 10/10th clouds from mid-channel to 30 miles inland improving to clear with about 10 miles visibility over the target area.
Heavy, weak, inaccurate FLAK was fired at one flight of the formation that got a little off course; the flak was fired at the formation thru 10/10th clouds. 7 aircraft sustained battle damage, including one Category B.
Youse in a/c 102 turned back after crossing the enemy coast because he could not catch up with the formation.
A pattern of bombs from the 1st flight of the 1st box fell about 400 feet SW of the Designated Mean Point of Impact across railroad tracks. The 2nd flight's bombs fell in a divided pattern with the bulk of the pattern hitting about 400 feet NE of the Designated Mean Point of Impact across railroad tracks and the canal. 2 bombs scored near misses N of the bridge. The pattern of bombs from the 3rd flight bracketed the Designated Mean Point of Impact with probable hits on the bridge and its approaches. Results for the 3 flights were rated as GOOD, GOOD, and EXCELLENT respectively.
The bombardier leading the 1st flight of the 2nd box released his bombs accidentally by bringing the bombsight indices together while searching for the target with the bombsight's search knob. The bombs fell about 3 1/2 miles NE of the Designated Mean Point of Impact in fields and woods. Bombs from the 2nd flight fell in a divided pattern with the bulk of the pattern hitting 100 feet S? of the Designated Mean Point of Impact in the canal just short of the bridge. The 3rd flight's pattern of bombs fell about 700 feet E of the Designated Mean Point of Impact across railroad tracks and in woods. Results for the 3 flights were rated as GROSS, EXCELLENT, and FAIR respectively.
Two crews wanted incidents of "friendly fire" investigated, with one stating that the English are still shooting at us at North Foreland !

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:214
Reel:B0436a
Page Start:213
Mission:139
Date Order Sent:10 Aug 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):10/1030B
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):4903E/B/95
Fighter Escort:P38's of ninth fighter command will furnish escort.
Rendezvous:with fighters at 5210N 0123E at 11,500 feet at zero plus 25 min.
Route Out:base to North Foreland to 5010N 0123E to Ault to ?4946N 0153E to 4903N 0331E to 4918N 0350E to target.
Route Back:sharp right turn left to 4925N 0258E to 4946N 01??E to Ault to North Foreland.
Altitudes:after target drop 1000 feet
Initial Point (IP):4918N 0350E
Axis of Attack:Approx 310 degrees
Emergency Airdromes:NULL
Intervalometer Setting:30 feet
Bomb Load:2x2000 g.p. fused 1/10 sec. nose and 1/100 sec/ tail drop all leaflet bombs.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:bombing will be done by flights
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0436a
Page: 210
Field Order: 0
A(i) Target Ordered: Anizy RR Bridge
A(ii) Target Attacked: Anizy 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): 0-1(bombardier failed to turn on the switches before he tried to release)-1(could not obtain enough power from left engine to stay in formation. returned from in side the french coast at 1114 hours)-0
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 34-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 09:39
C(ii) Time Over Target: 11:43
C(iii) Time Down: 13:25
D(i) No A/C: (missing-destroyed-damaged(cat. B-A/C)-Damaged(Cat. A)): 0-0-1-6 (target flak)
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 observed by crews
F(i)(A) Enemy Opposition Over Target: nil
F(i)(B) Enemy Opposition Elsewhere: nil
F(ii)(A) Flak Over Target: moderate fairly accurate hff
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere: Boulogne HFF INACC WEAK fired at one flight of the formation that got a little off course at this point. this flak was fired at the formation thru 10/10th clouds.
G. info,Observations, Hot News: M/Y at N-4403 was very active at 1223 hrs. 3 trains of large size at Chateau-Thierry at 1132 hrs. M/Y at Margny contained about 100 wagons at 1225. 20 M/T stopped on road at Coney. canal at N-7322 contained about 40 barges at 1148 hrs. 15 M/T heading south at 1130 hrs at S-8455. 15 M/T heading west at 1125 hrs at s-4962.
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: clear with about 10 miles visibility
H(ii) Weather En Route: 10/10th clouds from mid-channel to 30 miles inland
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 64-0-0-2-6 (2000gp), 4 2000gp unaccounted for, 1-0-0-0-0 (zg11 leaflet bomb)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 12,500 and 11,500 feet
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 139
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
Williams
572
803-K
McCarty
572
836-N
Schirmer
575
844-D
Wolfe
575
837-N
Jacobi
575
932-T
Saunders
575
620-
Box #1 - High Flight
Ljunggren
574
815-W
Tavener
575
853-I
Wilkinson
575
964-G
O'Hare
574
873-U
Snow
575
678-M
Harkins
574
818-L
Box #1 - Low Flight
Hanish
575
843-J
Kiedinger
574
865-D
Harlow
574
720-R
Rutledge
575
268-K
Erickson
575
576-V
McClurkin
574
010-A

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Rutledge
573
801-
Jobe
572
808-X
Dillard
573
806-C
Boylan
573
634-J
May
573
820-
Dunn
572
719-
Box #2 - High Flight
Dooley
573
822-O
Cassiday
573
841-A
Holliday
573
252-
Logan
573
810-W
Clapham
572
947-U
Bjork
573
595-V
Box #2 - Low Flight
Shaffner
572
815-R
Sloss
573
747-T
Youse
573
102-X
Snyder
573
823-N
Boyd
572
797-P
Ryan
572
313-