Mission No. 187
19 Nov 1944
Station: A-73
Target: Defended Town at Gurzenich, Germany
Time Of Take-Off: 10:25 / Time Over Target: 11:33 / Time Landed: 13:00
33 B-26 plus 1 Pathfinder ship aircraft loaded with 16x250LB General Purpose bombs were dispatched to attack an enemy Defended Town at Gurzenich, Germany. The Pathfinder for the 2nd box did not take off due to a flat tire which he acquired at the base. 9th Tactical Air Command were to furnish cover for the 386th, 391st, and 322nd groups who are all attacking Defended Villages in the area.
Weather conditions were 4 to 5/10 clouds enroute, changing to 7 to 9/10 cloud with 4 to 6 miles visibility over the target area.
Heavy, Intense, Accurate FLAK was encountered in the vicinity of Hinsberg and Heavy, Moderate, Accurate FLAK over the target area. 24 aircraft sustained battle damage.
Penneman's Radio/Gunner, Sgt. John G. McCallum, was seriously wounded by flak at the target. His aircraft (156) had 32 holes, its left prop was damaged, and the top turret holed. 2/Lt. John P. Mikochik, Abraham's Bombardier in a/c 830, was also seriously wounded.
No attack was made by the 1st flight of the 1st box as the lead Bombardier was unable to pick up the target due to a navigational error. Bombs from the 2nd flight fell mostly in target area in a long concentration across the central part of town. Hits seen on at least fifteen residential type buildings, a church, a main roadway in town and trenches on west side of town. The 3rd flight's fell outside target area (2,300 feet W from nearest edge of target area) in a long concentration in a probable quarry with hits on an elevated railway within pits. This flights results were attributed to poor bombsight synchronization due to the bombardier taking too short a bomb run.
Bombs from the 1st flight of the 2nd box fell mostly outside target area (extending from edge of town to 750 feet west of target area) hitting in a long concentration across trenches and open fields. The 2nd flight's bombs fell outside target area (about 500 feet east from nearest edge of target area) in a long concentration across one roadway and hitting one small building and in open fields. The 3rd flight's fell completely across target area in a long concentration in the north end of the town. Hits seen on at least 18 buildings and main roadway.
The Pathfinder pilot later reported that he had lost the OBOE "Cat" signal and, as visibility was good, he let the group take over and bomb visually. Crews judged the results of the bombing to be good to excellent.
One of Loesch's engines was damaged by FLAK and it cut out on landing.

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:352
Reel:B0438a
Page Start:138
Mission:187
Date Order Sent:19 Nov 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):191000a
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):F-089445 (Defended Village).
Fighter Escort:9th TAC will furnish cover in plan A and B for the 386th, 391st, and 322nd groups.
Rendezvous:
Route Out:Base to K-7737 to target.
Route Back:Right to base.
Altitudes:6000 feet minimum.
Initial Point (IP):K-7737
Axis of Attack:60 degrees
Emergency Airdromes:Drop 1000 ft after leaving target. Another group is attacking same target at zero plus 30. [NOTE: Plan B is PFF led]. This is a support mission. Bombardiers will use extreme care not to bomb short of target. In plan B the group leader will determine whether to bomb visually or by OBOE.
Intervalometer Setting:50 feet
Bomb Load:16x250gp 1/10 x 1/100
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:Zero plus 20.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0438a
Page: 125
Field Order: 0
A(i) Target Ordered: Gurzenich (Defended Town)
A(ii) Target Attacked:
B(i) Group: 391
B(ii) No. Of A/C Off By Type: 33 B-26 plus 1 PFF ship
B(iii) No. A/C Failing To Bomb: (weather-personnel-mechanical-other): 3-1-0-3 (1 bombardier wounded at IP, 3 window)
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 26-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 10:25
C(ii) Time Over Target: 11:33
C(iii) Time Down: 13:00
D(i) No A/C: (missing-destroyed-damaged(cat. B-A/C)-Damaged(Cat. A)): 0-0-0-24 (Cat A)
D(ii) Enemy A/C: (destroyed-prob. Destroyed-Damaged):
D(iii) No. Crew: (killed-wounded-missing): 0-2-0 (2 seriously wounded: 1 BN, 1 RG)
E. Results Of Bombing: good to excellent
F(i)(A) Enemy Opposition Over Target:
F(i)(B) Enemy Opposition Elsewhere:
F(ii)(A) Flak Over Target: HF M ACC
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere: HF I ACC vicinity of Hinsberg
G. info,Observations, Hot News: PFF for 2nd box did not take off due to a flat tire which he acquired on this base.
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: 7 to 9/10 cloud at target, 4 to 6 miles vis.
H(ii) Weather En Route: 4 to 5/10 clouds enroute.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 383-0-0-3-94 (250gp)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 12200 (1st box), 11800 (2nd box)
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 187
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 #0 - Lead Flight
Flanagan
575
678-
Detjens
574
720-
Morris
574
964-

Box #1 - Lead Flight
Smith
1PFS
878-X
Loesch
574
841-
Spangler
574
807-
Lowe
574
866-
Box #1 - High Flight
Hollis
574
927-N
Gray
574
798-
Matus
574
818-
Horridge
574
454-
Hillier
574
839-
Haynes
574
010-
Box #1 - Low Flight
Cassiday
573
825-
Abraham
573
830-
Rice
573
634-
Dunn
573
165-
Walter
573
311-
Clark
573
248-

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Hammett
1PFS
910-L
Morrison
572
425-A
Penneman
572
156-J
Daniels
572
806-M
Box #2 - High Flight
Fry
572
808-X
Phalon
572
429-Y
Reynolds
572
313-Z
Brockway
572
803-K
Chapin
572
748-Q
Detwiler
572
008-L
Box #2 - Low Flight
Mitchell
575
847-H
Saunders
575
833-U
Kloepfer
575
844-
Gatlin
575
671-L
Chatham
575
295-
Coult
575
620-