Mission No. 96
14 Jun 1944
Station: 166
Target: RR Junction at Gallaradon, France
Time Of Take-Off: 07:20 / Time Over Target: 08:51 / Time Landed: 10:35
36 B-26 aircraft were dispatched to attack an enemy Railroad Junction at Gallaradon, France. 4 flights were loaded with 8x500LB General Purpose bombs and 2 flights 16x250LB General Purpose bombs, with bombing to be done by flights of 6 aircraft at 8,000 feet or below the cloud layer. P-47s of IX Fighter Command were providing escort.
Weather conditions enroute were 8/10 to 9/10 clouds at 8,000 feet, which cleared to 1/10 to 2/10 clouds over the target area.
The bombs of the 1st flight of the 1st box bracketed the aiming point in a tight concentration with hits observed on both the double and single rail tracks. The 2nd flight did not drop as the bombardier of the lead ship did not identify the target early enough to bomb. The bombs of the 3rd flight fell about 200 feet from the aiming point with hits seen on 3 roadways, a single rail track, and on about 4 buildings in the residential area. Near misses observed on railroad burrowing junction and tracks. Results were rated as EXCELLENT, NIL, and EXCELLENT respectively.
The bombs of the 1st flight of the 2nd box fell in a tight concentration about 750 feet northwest of the aiming point in woods. No photo coverage was available for the 2nd flight, but crews reported results as good. The bombs of the 3rd flight fell in a tight concentration about 350 feet west of the aiming point with hits on at least 3 small buildings and in open fields. Results for the 1st and 3rd flights were rated as FAIR and GOOD respectively.
Heavy, Weak, Inaccurate FLAK was experienced at Chartres and Evreux resulting in 1 aircraft suffering battle damage (see below).
One crew reported a B-26 coming from Chartres joining the formation. It followed for about 3 minutes, then joined another formation. Baehr reported unusual damage to his aircraft where his left stabilizer had a cut 1 foot long and 3 inches wide but did not know what caused it !

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:110
Reel:B0435
Page Start:429
Mission:96
Date Order Sent:14 Jun 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):140730b
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):4801E/C/25.
Fighter Escort:P-47s will furnish escort for 4801E/C/25.
Rendezvous:with fighters at 50d00n/00d28e at 11500 feet at zero hour plus 45 minutes.
Route Out:Base to Beachy Head to F/R to 49d49n/00d32e to 49d10n/00d52e to 48d43n/01d52e to 48d32n/01d58e to target.
Route Back:turn right to 48d44n/01d27e to 49d10n/00d52e to 49d49n/00d32e to Beachy Head.
Altitudes:after target drop to 10000 feet.
Initial Point (IP):48d32n/01d58e
Axis of Attack:270 Degrees.
Emergency Airdromes:
Intervalometer Setting:50 feet
Bomb Load:4 flights 8x500gp fused 1/10 sec nose and 1/100 sec tail, 2 flights 16x250gp fused 1/100 sec tail only.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:bombing will be done by flights.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0435
Page: 427
Field Order: 110
A(i) Target Ordered: Gallaradon R/J
A(ii) Target Attacked: Gallaradon R/J
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): 0-6-0-0 (bombardier of lead ship in one flight did not identify target early enough to bomb)
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 30-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 07:20
C(ii) Time Over Target: 08:51
C(iii) Time Down: 10:35
D(i) No A/C: (missing-destroyed-damaged(cat. B-A/C)-Damaged(Cat. A)): 0-0-0-1
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 as observed by crews.
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: HF W INACC at Chartres and Evreux.
G. info,Observations, Hot News:
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: 1/10 to 2/10 clouds at 8000 feet.
H(ii) Weather En Route: 8/10 to 9/10 clouds at 8000 feet.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 143-0-0-0-46 (500gp), 168-0-0-0-0 (250gp)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 11500
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 96
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
Samuel
575
821-O
Fleck
573
841-A
Tucker
575
844-
Schirmer
575
833-U
Harlow
574
818-L
Martin
575
808-C
Box #1 - High Flight
Kelley
575
847-H
Schreiber
574
865-
Wilkinson
575
855-R
Jannsen
574
839-G
Lakin
574
248-V
Kiedinger
575
932-T
Box #1 - Low Flight
O'Hare
574
873-
Ruble
575
853-F
Wolfe
575
846-P
Petrich
575
811-V
La Framboise
575
615-A
Rutledge
575
268-

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Schleicher
572
947-
Danforth
572
813-J
Holliday
572
811-
Barker
572
809-O
Dewitt
572
748-Q
Smith
574
838-
Box #2 - High Flight
Earll
573
801-G
Reynolds
573
102-X
Koehl
573
828-L
Roeper
572
806-M
Alexander
572
797-P
McCarty
572
836-N
Box #2 - Low Flight
Dickinson
572
834-B
Hanlon
572
812-D
Baehr
572
810-C
Whitson
572
799-T
Crim
573
823-N
Jacobs
572
719-