Mission No. 47
7 May 1944
Station: 166
Target: Marshaling Yard at Mezzieres, France
Time Of Take-Off: 08:30 / Time Over Target: 10:35 / Time Landed: 12:30
39 B-26 were dispatched to attack an enemy Marshaling Yard at Mezzieres, France. Aircraft were loaded with 4x1000LB General Purpose bombs with P-38s of Ninth Fighter Command providing fighter escort.
Weather conditions were poor with 8/10 cloud cover enroute and over the target area.
Although the formation experienced no FLAK or fighter opposition over the target area, Heavy, Moderate, Inaccurate FLAK was encountered in the Londinieres and Grandvillieres areas.
Bombing on this mission was done by individual flights, but only 3 of the 6 flights were able to identify and bomb the target through the variable cloud cover. 78 of the 156 bombs carried were dropped with the results difficult to judge because of the overcast.
Many crews reported that the fighter escort provided by the P-38s was excellent. The 391st group formation was following the 386th group formation, and many crews reported seeing 2 of their aircraft turn back, possibly after being hit by FLAK. The weather must have been cold as many requests for warm gloves and clothing were made. Requests for back pack type parachutes for pilots and combat mess continue. One crew commented that rubbish should not be thrown out of the bomb bays, but we can only wonder what the rubbish was !

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:42
Reel:B0432
Page Start:167
Mission:47
Date Order Sent:6 May 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):070900b
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):Z643. 288029.
Fighter Escort:P-38 of Ninth Fighter Command will furnish escort.
Rendezvous:with 386th group at Hastings at 8000 feet at zero hour plus 28 minutes. The 386th group will lead. With fighters at Tocqueville at 11000 feet at sero hour plus 45 minutes.
Route Out:Base to splasher no. 8 to Hastings to Tocqueville to St. Just to IP to target.
Route Back:to rally point to 50d48n/03d45e to Furness to North Foreland.
Altitudes:
Initial Point (IP):49d31n/04d45e
Axis of Attack:355 Degrees.
Emergency Airdromes:West Malling.
Intervalometer Setting:50 feet
Bomb Load:4x1000gp fused 1/10 sec nose and 1/100 sec tail.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:bomb by flights on converging axes of attack.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0432
Page: 165
Field Order: 42
A(i) Target Ordered: z643
A(ii) Target Attacked: z643
B(i) Group: 391
B(ii) No. Of A/C Off By Type: 39 B-26
B(iii) No. A/C Failing To Bomb: (weather-personnel-mechanical-other): 19-0-0-0
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 20-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 08:30
C(ii) Time Over Target: 10:35
C(iii) Time Down: 12:30
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: uncertain because of overcast.
F(i)(A) Enemy Opposition Over Target: 0
F(i)(B) Enemy Opposition Elsewhere: 0
F(ii)(A) Flak Over Target: 0
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere: HF M INACC Londinieres and Grandvillieres.
G. info,Observations, Hot News:
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: 8/10 overcast at target, three flights only bombed PT.
H(ii) Weather En Route: 8/10 overcast.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 78-0-0-0-78 (1000gp)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 12000
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 47
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
Walker
572
972-S
Hanlon
572
812-D
Erickson
573
804-
Holliday
573
831-
McCarty
573
820-S
Roeper
572
806-
Box #1 - High Flight
Schleicher
572
811-
Smith
573
890-K1
Blute
572
012-F
Dickinson
573
978-
Reynolds
573
822-
Koehl
573
823-
Alexander
572
797-
Box #1 - Low Flight
Jobe
572
947-U
Crim
573
825-
Whitson
573
830-
Danforth
572
813-J
Dewitt
573
828-L
Barker
572
809-O

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Loesch
575
847-
Horridge
575
843-J
Metelsky
575
853-
Majka
574
865-
Callison
574
851-
Wolfe
574
739-
Box #2 - High Flight
Kahley
574
931-
Carson
574
852-
Dauteuil
575
716-O1
Shofner
575
972-M1
Newman
575
805-
Evans
575
808-C
Box #2 - Low Flight
Bird
574
835-T
Garwick
574
832-
Stanfield
573
829-
Alexander
575
827-G
Watkinson
575
833-
Watson
575
844-
Hollis
575
848-N