Mission No. 182
3 Nov 1944
Station: A-73
Target: Railroad Bridge at Morschied, Germany
Time Of Take-Off: 13:50 / Time Over Target: 15:10 / Time Landed: 16:20
30 B-26 plus 2 Pathfinder aircraft loaded with 4x1000LB General Purpose bombs were dispatched to attack an enemy Railroad Bridge at Morschied, Germany. 19th Tactical Air Command will furnish area cover for the 344th and 391st groups. The 400 feet long seven-span masonry bridge carries a single-track railroad line, the destruction of which will deny an alternate route to the enemy.
Coult and crew in a/c 932-T lost the formation, and returned to base as they could not catch up. Dent and crew in a/c 806-C got just past Bastogne, but when their right engine started cutting out, could not keep up with the formation and returned to base.
Weather conditions were 10/10 clouds over the target area.
No FLAK was encountered enroute or over the target area.
Both boxes bombed by Pathfinder through clouds thus no photos or visual observations of bursts was available.
The Breeseman crew again commented that there were no seconds available at meal times !
Captain Francis P. Zimmer (Bombardier) on his 65th mission reported excellent pattern results, and T/Sgt. Adam W. Glen (Radio Operator/Gunner) reported on his 65th mission little flak and no fighters and classified it as a milk run. 1/Lt. Jay W. Smith (and crew) completed their 65th mission.

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:334
Reel:B0438
Page Start:1678
Mission:182
Date Order Sent:3 Nov 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):031400a
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):L-542297.
Fighter Escort:19th TAC will furnish area cover for 344th and 391st groups on plan B.
Rendezvous:
Route Out:Base to P-5658 to L-0067 to target.
Route Back:Turn left to L-0067 to L-5658 to base.
Altitudes:1st box 12500 feet, 2nd box 12000 feet.
Initial Point (IP):L-0067.
Axis of Attack:
Emergency Airdromes:Under plan B, bombing will be done visually if possible. Group leader will decide whether to by blind or visual. He will call PFF a/c by R/T and give him his decision.
Intervalometer Setting:30 feet.
Bomb Load:4x1000gp 1/10 x 1/100.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:1st box at zero hour plus 80, 2nd box at zero hour plus 81 min.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0438
Page: 1687
Field Order: 0
A(i) Target Ordered: Morschied RR Bridge
A(ii) Target Attacked:
B(i) Group: 391
B(ii) No. Of A/C Off By Type: 30 B-26 plus 2 PFF
B(iii) No. A/C Failing To Bomb: (weather-personnel-mechanical-other): 0-1-1-0 (1 lost formation. Early return; 1 engine trouble. Could not develop enough power to keep up with formation. Early return)
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 28-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 13:50
C(ii) Time Over Target: 15:10
C(iii) Time Down: 16:20
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: unobserved
F(i)(A) Enemy Opposition Over Target: nil
F(i)(B) Enemy Opposition Elsewhere:
F(ii)(A) Flak Over Target: nil
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere:
G. info,Observations, Hot News:
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: 10/10 clouds over target
H(ii) Weather En Route:
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 110-0-0-0-10 (1000gp)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 12500 and 13500
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 182
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
Aldous
1PFS
675-J
Hollis
574
927-N
48
Matus
574
815-
Chism
574
838-B
RW
Box #1 - High Flight
Loesch
574
931-F
RW
Morris
574
010-A
46
Evans
574
866-X
47
Bischoff
574
841-S
44
Detjens
574
361-M
52
Mickelson
574
818-L
43
Box #1 - Low Flight
Daffern
573
825-B
40
Mosher
573
248-N
25
Walter
573
165-H
32
Cox
573
144-V
30
Dent
573
806-C
23
Shoemaker
573
634-J
33
Clapham
183-K
RW

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Quick
1PFS
939-H
Earll
572
425-G
59
Stevens
572
427-B
59
Knight
572
156-J
58
Box #2 - High Flight
Smith
572
808-X
67
Phalon
572
313-Z
60
Brockway
572
947-U
69
Fry
572
836-N
65
Garbisch
572
740-V
64
Chapin
572
748-Q
60
Box #2 - Low Flight
Breesman
575
847-H
8
Kloepfer
575
833-U
10
Cambier
575
678-M
11
Willis
575
268-K
4
Coult
575
932-T
16
Sharp
575
440-Q
10
Heslep
743-W
7
Box #2 - Extra Flight/Spares
Spare Lead
810-W
39
Spare
418-X
9