Mission No. 164
11 Sep 1944
Station: 166
Target: Enemy Gun Positions at Foret De Cattenom, France
Time Of Take-Off: 08:41 / Time Over Target: 10:43 / Time Landed: 12:35
36 B-26 aircraft loaded with 4x1000LB General Purpose bombs were dispatched to attack enemy Gun Positions at Foret De Cattenom, France. General Patton has asked the Air Forces to reduce strong points which threaten to hold up completely any further advances. These strong points are a combination of troops, concrete gun emplacements, and field defenses which are being continually reinforced. No Allied troops will be within 1500 yards of any of the assigned targets. P-51s of 19th TAC will be furnishing area cover from 4937n0500e to target and will withdraw with the last group.
Weather enroute was 5/10 clouds at the English coast with tops at 7,000 feet changing to nil clouds 5 miles visibility up sun over the target area.
No FLAK was encountered enroute or over the target area.
Interpretation of the bombing photographs showed that the bombs of the 1st flight of the 1st box fell in a tight pattern bracketing the Designated Mean Point of Impact and falling 100 feet W of Designated Mean Point of Impact, with several probable hits on center gun position and hits along N edge of fort. After making a second bomb run, the 2nd flight's bombs fell in a tight pattern 600 feet ESE of selected MPI across a roadway and in open fields. A dispersed pattern of bursts from the 3rd flight was seen 1 mile NE of the Designated Mean Point of Impact in open fields. Results were assessed as EXCELLENT, FAIR, and GROSS respectively.
A tight pattern of bombs from the 1st flight of the 2nd box fell 500 feet NNW of the Designated Mean Point of Impact along N edge of fort and in open areas. The bombs from the 2nd flight fell in a tight pattern 200 W of the Designated Mean Point of Impact bracketing the N gun position and the W side of the fort. The 3rd flight's fell in a tight pattern of bursts visible 1,000 feet NE of the Designated Mean Point of Impact with hits on the NE side of fort and in open fields. Results were judged to be FAIR, EXCELLENT, and FAIR respectively.

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:265
Reel:B0437a
Page Start:264
Mission:164
Date Order Sent:11 Sep 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):111000b
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):U-864934
Fighter Escort:P-51s of 19th TAC will furnish area cover from 4937n0500e to target and will withdraw with last group.
Rendezvous:
Route Out:base to North Foreland to Gravelines to IP to target.
Route Back:turn left to Gravelines to North Foreland to base.
Altitudes:11500
Initial Point (IP):4911n0605e
Axis of Attack:10 degrees
Emergency Airdromes:NULL
Intervalometer Setting:50 feet
Bomb Load:4x1000sap 1/40 tail only
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:TOT (13) zero plus 40. bomb by flights.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0437a
Page: 270
Field Order: 0
A(i) Target Ordered: Foret De Cattenom (U-864934)
A(ii) Target Attacked: Foret De Cattenom (U-864934)
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): 0-0-2-0 (bomb rack malfunction)
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 34-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 08:41
C(ii) Time Over Target: 10:43
C(iii) Time Down: 12:35
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: good to 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: nil
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: nil clouds 5 miles visibility up sun.
H(ii) Weather En Route: 5/10 clouds at English coast, tops at 7000 feet.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 134-0-0-0-10 (1000gp)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 11500 and 12500
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 164
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
Jannsen
575
847-H
41
Schreiber
575
576-V
38
Kiedinger
575
615-A
41
Martin
575
964-G
42
Penney
575
932-T
46
Goodwin
575
843-J
45
Box #1 - High Flight
Kelley
575
678-M
40
Saunders
575
833-U
47
Willis
575
295-O
46
Gatlin
575
743-W
40
Webster
575
855-R
45
Kloepfer
575
808-C
44
Box #1 - Low Flight
Ruble
575
853-F
39
Breesman
575
844-D
38
Lakin
575
837-N
39
Harlow
575
025-S
47
Martin
575
268-K
44
Hillier
574
841-S
29
Chism
865-D
34

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Sellers
573
810-W
25
Holliday
573
165-H
19
Baxter
573
747-T
18
Bollinger
573
595-V
17
Baker
573
823-N
23
Putnam
573
634-J
17
Box #2 - High Flight
Boylan
573
825-B
25
Mosher
573
841-A
28
May
573
830-M
28
Daffern
573
822-O
24
Dunn
572
427-B
9
Clapham
572
799-T
15
Box #2 - Low Flight
Boone
572
947-U
15
Dillard
573
806-C
22
Edwards
573
102-X
23
Doolittle
573
311-P
21
Walter
572
337-P
13
Dobda
572
418-J
9
Nicholson
810-C
8
Box #2 - Extra Flight/Spares
Spare Lead
425-A
8
Spare
873-U
37
Spare
597-P
32
Spare
183-C
35