Mission No. 144
13 Aug 1944
Station: 166
Target: Bridge at Cherisy, France
Time Of Take-Off: 17:57 / Time Over Target: 19:35 / Time Landed: 21:10
37 B-26 aircraft loaded with 4x1000LB General Purpose bombs were dispatched to attack an enemy Bridge at Cherisy, France. After rendezvous with their Spitfire escort the formation proceeded onward toward the target. Aircraft 314 blew an oil line shortly after take-off and Lt. Tucker landed the ship at Chipping Ongar. Bjork in a/c 823 turned back 10 minutes after High Wycombe due to a fuel leak in his No.4 tank. Lt. Boylan in a/c 148 returned 10 minutes off the French coast when one of his engines experienced detonation and loss of power.
Weather conditions enroute were 6/10 medium cloud with 10 miles visibility, changing to nil cloud with 10 to 15 miles visibility over the target area.
No FLAK was encountered enroute, but Heavy, Moderate to Intense, Accurate FLAK was encountered over the target area. Two aircraft were lost from the low flight of the 1st box. According to witness statements, Colsch (#4 a/c 800) got a direct hit and collided with Boyd (#5 a/c 834) and at the same time Boyd got a direct hit. Both aircraft broke apart and went into a spin. Although no chutes were observed, Boyd was later found to have survived and evaded capture. Sadly the other 11 crew members were killed. Metelsky's EG, S/Sgt. George B. Mercer, was slightly wounded by FLAK. 2 aircraft and crews were lost and 11 aircraft sustained battle damage.
Photographic evidence showed a tight pattern of bursts from the 1st flight of the 1st box bracketed the embankment 400 feet ESE of the Designated Mean Point of Impact. with 3 probable bursts on embankment N of the bridge. A tight pattern of bursts from the 2nd flight was seen in open area 2 miles S of the Designated Mean Point of Impact. A scattered concentration of bombs from the 3rd flight fell 5,200 feet WSW of the Designated Mean Point of Impact and bracketed 2 railroad lines and a major roadway. Other bursts are in open areas. Results were rated as GOOD, GROSS, and GROSS respectively.
Photographic evidence showed a tight pattern of bombs from the 1st flight of the 2nd box falling 400 feet NNW of the Designated Mean Point of Impact with a probable hit on the embankment of the bridge and bursts in the river and open fields. A tight concentration of bombs from the 2nd flight bracketed the embankment 600 feet WSW of the Designated Mean Point of Impact. Results were rated as GOOD and FAIR respectively. the Primary Target was not attacked by the 3rd flight because smoke obscured the Primary Target therefore embankment W of the Primary Target attacked. The highway bridge and the intersection of the 2 railroad lines approximately 5,280 feet WSW of the Designated Mean Point of Impact were bracketed.
Logan in a/c 810 landed at airfield A-9 in Normandy, returning to base the following afternoon. Harlow commented that the left engine of his aircraft (268) lost power on the bomb run; then his right engine quit over the Channel on the way home. Thankfully, he made a successful single engine landing.

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:222
Reel:B0437
Page Start:385
Mission:144
Date Order Sent:13 Aug 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):131920b
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):4801E/B/9
Fighter Escort:Spitfires will furnish escort.
Rendezvous:with fighters at 4919n0002w at 11500 feet at zero hour plus ?? min.
Route Out:base to Selsey Bill to F/R to 4858n0032e to 4900n0137e to target.
Route Back:turn right to 4858n0032e to 4919n0002w to Selsey Bill.
Altitudes:
Initial Point (IP):4900n0137e
Axis of Attack:210 degrees
Emergency Airdromes:NULL
Intervalometer Setting:30 feet
Bomb Load:4x1000gp 1/10 x non-delay.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:bombing will be done by flights.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0437
Page: 395
Field Order: 0
A(i) Target Ordered: Cherisy
A(ii) Target Attacked: Cherisy
B(i) Group: 391
B(ii) No. Of A/C Off By Type: 37 B-26
B(iii) No. A/C Failing To Bomb: (weather-personnel-mechanical-other): 0-0-3-0 (1 loss of power over channel, 1 gas leak, 1 oil line blew out)
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 31-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 17:57
C(ii) Time Over Target: 19:35
C(iii) Time Down: 21:10
D(i) No A/C: (missing-destroyed-damaged(cat. B-A/C)-Damaged(Cat. A)): 0-2-0-11 (target flak)
D(ii) Enemy A/C: (destroyed-prob. Destroyed-Damaged): 0-0-0
D(iii) No. Crew: (killed-wounded-missing): 0-0-19
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 M to I very ACC
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere: nil
G. info,Observations, Hot News:
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: nil cloud, 10 to 15 miles visibility.
H(ii) Weather En Route: 6/10 medium cloud, 10 miles visibility.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 139-0-0-1-4 (1000gp)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 11500 and 12500
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 144
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.

All aircraft associated with an Accident or Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) for this mission are shown in red. Click on taxi code for details.


Box #1 - Lead Flight
Sellers
572
803-K
7
Boylan
573
148-D
24
Dillard
573
806-C
22
Bjork
573
823-N
23
Clapham
575
964-G
42
Bollinger
573
595-V
17
Box #1 - High Flight
Shaffner
573
825-B
25
Cassiday
573
841-A
28
Youse
573
102-X
23
Holliday
573
028-Y
19
Rice
572
797-P
16
May
572
806-M
14
Box #1 - Low Flight
Logan
573
810-W
25
Daffern
572
813-J
7
Rutledge
573
802-P
21
Colsch
574
35
Boyd
572
9
Dunn
575
295-O
46
Hall
808-X
15

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Ljunggren
572
811-G
6
Mitchell
575
743-W
40
Schreiber
575
576-V
38
Rutledge
572
748-Q
6
Shannon
575
843-J
45
Webster
575
855-R
45
Box #2 - High Flight
Jannsen
573
822-O
24
O'Hare
575
620-B
44
Harlow
575
268-K
44
Ruble
575
853-F
39
Willis
574
818-L
29
Saunders
574
865-D
34
Box #2 - Low Flight
Kelley
575
847-H
41
Jacobi
575
932-T
46
Kiedinger
574
838-B
35
Adamson
574
314-H
29
Ryan
575
615-A
41
Barker
572
815-R
16
Metelsky
574
807-J
36
Box #2 - Extra Flight/Spares
Spare Lead
822-O
24