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MISSION #21 20 DECEMBER 1943 (GROUP MISSION # 56 or 57) A. TARGET: AGANVILLERS BUZZ-BOMB LAUNCH SITE, NORTH OF ABBEVILLE, FRANCE. Aiming Point: Center of the target. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: Light flak. 40 to 50 fighters. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 18 a/c from the 386th. Bombing by one box of 18 planes. Bomb Load: 6 - 5001b. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Lead Bombardier of the 18 planes. (strike photo) E. RESULTS: A BULLS-EYE. Up to this time most of the Ninth Bomber Command targets have been airfields and marshalling yards. A few missions have been carried out against BUZZ-BOMB sites. The Allies have been getting pretty nervous about this threat. Launch sites are appearing all around the French coast just across the Channel from London. This is my first shot at this kind of target. The weather is good. A Royal Air Force Mosquito bomber trailed our formation to this target. It took pictures of the results. They must have liked what they saw. Our Group received a Commendation. BUZZ-BOMB targets became a way of life for Ninth Bomber Command after this mission. MISSION #22 21 DECEMBER 1943 (GROUP MISSION # 58,59 or 60) A. TARGET: BERCK-SUR-MER AIRFIELD, FRANCE. A secondary target. A small emergency airfield. Aiming Point: Center of the dispersal area on the west. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: None. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 18 a/c. from the 386th. Bombing by one box of 18 planes. Bomb Load: 4 - 1000 lb. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Togglier. E. RESULTS: Good. F. LOSSES: None. MISSION #23 31 DECEMBER 1943 (GROUP MISSION # 67) A. TARGET: BOIS DE CARRE BUZZ-BOMB LAUNCH SITE #67, FRANCE. Aiming Point: Center of the target. Bombing by boxes of 18 planes each. Bomb Load: 8 - 500 lb. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Togglier. E. RESULTS: Fair. A part of the pattern landed in the target area. Quite a few strayed outside. Those fell in an open field and did no damage. F. LOSSES: None. MISSION #24 31 DECEMBER 1943 (GROUP MISSION # 68) A. TARGET: FRUGES BUZZ-BOMB SITE # A-39, FRANCE. Aiming Point; Center of the target. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: No flak. Some fighters in the area. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 18 a/c from the 386th. Bombing by one box of 18 planes. Bomb Load: 8 - 50 lb. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Lead Bombardier. E. RESULTS: I missed the target . My gyroscope leveling knob stuck. F. LOSSES: None. MISSION #25 4 JANUARY 1944 (SIX IN ONE DAY) (GROUP MISSION # 69-74) A. TARGET: ECLIMEUX BUZZ-BOMB LAUNCH SITE, FRANCE. Aiming Point: Center of the target. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: No flak. Probably no fighters either. The Luftwaffe rarely opposes attacks on-such targets anymore. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 36 a/c from the 386th. Total of 72 planes. Bombing by boxes of 18 planes each. Bomb Load: 8 - 5001b. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Togglier. E. RESULTS: Missed the target. F. LOSSES: None. MISSION #26 4 JANUARY 1944 (GROUP MISSION # 69 thru 74) A. TARGET: "KEY" BUZZ-BOMB LAUNCH SITE, FRANCE. Aiming Point: Center of the target. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: Moderate flak. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 36 a/c from the 386th. Bombing by boxes of 18 planes each. Bomb Load: 8 - 5001b. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Togglier. This is my second mission today. E. RESULTS: Very good. F. LOSSES: None. MISSION #27 7 JANUARY 1944 (GROUP MISSION # 75 OR 76) A. TARGET: LA GLACERIE BUZZ-BOMB LAUNCH SITE, FRANCE. Arming Point: Center of the target. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: No flak. Possibly a few fighters. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 36 a/c from the 386th. Bombing by boxes of 18 planes each. Bomb Load: 8 - 5001b. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Togglier. E. RESULTS: Near miss. Little if any damage done. F. LOSSES: None. MISSION #28 14 JANUARY 1944 (GROUP MISSION # 77,78 or 79) A. TARGET: MORINGHAM BUZZ-BOMB LAUNCH SITE, ST. OMER, FRANCE. Aiming Point: Center of the target. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: Very heavy flak. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 18 a/c from the 386th. Bombing by one box of 18 planes. Bomb Load: 8 - 5001b. G.P. per a/c D. MY JOB: Lead Bombardier of the second box of 18 planes. (strike photo) E. RESULTS: Near miss for both boxes. We had great difficulty picking up the target. 10 second bomb runs won't cut it. F. LOSSES: None. Almost all planes were damaged by heavy flak. MISSION #29 29 JANUARY 1944 (GROUP MISSION # 85 or 86) A. TARGET: BLANGY BUZZ-BOMB LAUNCH SITE, FRANCE. Aiming Point: Center of the target. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: No flak. 30 to 40 fighter's in the area. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 36 a/c from the 386th. Bombing by boxes of 18 planes each. Bomb Load: 8 - 5001b. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Togglier. E. RESULTS: Mission aborted due to bad weather in the target area. F. LOSSES None. MISSION #30 3 FEBRUARY 1944 (GROUP MISSION # 85 or 86) A. TARGET: MERVILLE AIRFIELD, FRANCE. One of the primary defensive air bases north of Paris. This base is very important to the Germans in the defense of northern France and southern Germany. It is equipped with excellent runways and is used as a re-fueling base for bombers going to and from London. Aiming Point: The southwestern part of the airfield containing extensive dispersal areas & two large hangars. B. EXPECTED OPPOSITION: Moderate to heavy flak. Probably heavy fighter opposition. This target is located near the German Army grouping area at St. Omer. This area is about as stoutly defended by enemy fighters as any within our range. C. WEIGHT OF OUR ATTACK: 36 a/c of the 386th. Bombing by boxes of 18 planes each. Bomb Load: 8 - 5001b. G.P. per a/c. D. MY JOB: Togglier. E. RESULTS: Fine work on the part of both lead crews. Excellent results bombing through nine-tenths cloud cover. One large hangar destroyed. F. LOSSES: None. Probably due to the overcast hiding our formation from the visual-sighting flak batteries. |