Mission Log for the 486th Bomb Group (H)

ö 02 August 1944 to 02 November 1944 ö
(glossary at the Bottom)

[ Group | 001-050 | 051-100 | 101-150 | 151-191]


Mission Target Aircraft Bombing Flight  
# Date TGT Location S/A Tons Rating Time Lead Losses
051 08/02 T/T Bois du Gr.Marche
Mont Gournoy, FR.
26/26
26/26
65
61
G
G-E
--:-- Newman
Kaiser
0
Remarks Attacked two V-1 installations on a single mission.
052 08/03 Fuel St. Florentin, FR 39/0 0       0
Remarks Mission cancelled due to weather.
053 08/04 Oil Hamburg, Ger 40/36 77 G --:-- Uhle/Thompson 3
Remarks 1 fort hit by flak and had to be abandoned. A 2nd fort also hit by flak then collided with a 3rd. All 3 forts were lost: #909, #929, #145. Most bombs bombed secondary targets (bridges) at Einswarden on egress. Formation attacked by fighters, mostely Me 163 "Komets" (rocket plane).
054 08/05 A/I Magdeburg, Ger 19/19 45 VG --:-- Cormier 0
Remarks Attacked by fighters, mostly Me 163s.
055 08/06 A/C Eng. Berlin, Ger 18/16 40 VG --:-- Overing 0
Remarks Group hit with rockets, FLAK, and fighters.
056 08/07 Br Jussy, FR 13/0 0   --:-- Howell 0
Remarks Recall due to weather.
057 08/08 T/T SE Caen, FR 26/26 78 P/VG --:--   0
Remarks Area #7 attacked. Strong pts in German lines and field command post.
058 08/09 A/I Nörnberg, Ger 27/0 0   --:--   0
Remarks Recall due to weather
059 08/11 A/F Villacoublay, FR 25/25 46 E --:-- Uhle 0
Remarks  
060 08/13 T/T Area #2 S of Seine, FR 38/34 64 F-G --:-- Thompson 0
Remarks Targets were gun batteries and battle area choke points. The group attacked individual targets in elements of 3.
061 08/14 A/F Mannheim, Ger 51/50 130 E-G --:-- Overing 0
Remarks Two targets
062 08/15   Twente-Enschede, HL 30/30 65 E --:-- Newman 0
Remarks  
063 08/16 Oil Rositz, Ger 25/23 56 E-P --:-- Norton 0
Remarks  
064 08/18 A/F St Dizier, FR 13/13 25 F --:-- E.M. Rex 0
Remarks  
065 08/24 Oil Freital, Ger 39/34 85 E-P 09:12** Cormier 0
Remarks This was one of the 486th's longest missions.
066 08/25 A/F Reichlin, Ger 38/37 92 E --:-- Newman 0
Remarks Reportedly a research center close to Berlin.
067 08/26 T/T Brest, FR 40/21 19 E --:-- Uhle 0
Remarks Coastal gun battery
068 08/27 A/I Genshagen, Ger 38/0 0   --:--   0
Remarks Recall due to weather.
069 08/30 A/I Bremen, Ger 38/35 101 U --:-- Cormier 0
Remarks Fw-190 plant done by PFF.
070 09/01 M/Y Mainz, Ger 36/0 0   --:-- Norton 0
Remarks The 8th recalled all forces due to weather
071 09/03 T/T Brest, FR 39/39 125 E-G --:-- Thompson 0
Remarks Attacked gun batteries using fragmentation and SAP bombs. Bombed from under 9k ft.
072 09/05 Guns Brest, FR 39/39 131 E --:-- Howell 2
Remarks Repeat of mission 72. A/C #875 collides with #949 (pilots Eakin and Crawford) in a turn off target. 18 crewman MIA. Bombed from under 12k ft.
073 09/09 Ind Dösseldorf, Ger 38/34 82 P --:-- Newman 1
Remarks Bombed by PFF. Fort crash (#292 V) lands in France.
074 09/10 A/F Giebelstadt, Ger 37/35 126 E-P 07:50** Thompson 0
Remarks 'A' group had poor results. 'B' group did VG. 'C' did 'E'.
075 09/11 Oil Ruhland, Ger 37/35 86 VG 08:45** Overing 0
Remarks COL Overing led 486th at lead of 3rd BD. The target of Last Resort, Fulda, bombed by PFF due to overcast of Primary & Secondary targets. The bomber stream was attaced by 500 eA/C, but the 486th was not hit.
076 09/12 Oil Magdeburg, Ger 26/25 57 U --:-- Mundorf/Miller 0
Remarks Mundorf and Miller led separate groups. eA/C engaged bomber stream, but the 486th not hit.
077 09/13 Ind Stuttgart, Ger 36/34 101 G --:-- Flesher 0
Remarks Secondary target, Darmstadt, was bombed visually. Smoke screen covered primary.
078 09/17 T/T Eisanbach, HL 56/55 200 F --:-- Cormier 0
Remarks 486th sets a record for aircraft sortied on a single mission (56). Mission flown in support of airborne assault ("A Bridge too Far" campaign). The group formed 5 sections with "D" section picking up 'fill-ins' from the 487th. The target was gun batteries.
079 09/19 T/O Limburg-Koblenz, Ger 51/49 144 P(?) --:-- Thompson 1
Remarks "Operation Market Garden." Weather obscured primary. The 834th loses its first aircraft, #959 (Shaw). Targets of opportunity at Koblenz and Limburg attacked.
080 09/21 Chem Ludwigshafen, Ger 38/35 98 U --:-- Howell 0
Remarks Bombed through overcast by PFF.
081 09/25 M/Y Ludwigshafen, Ger 49/32 95 U 06:55* Howell 0
Remarks 3 of 4 squads bombed by PFF. The 4th group suffered a PFF failure and didn't bomb.
082 09/26 Ind Bremen, Ger 36/34 102 U --:-- Uhle 1
Remarks 1 A/C lost in midair collision, no casualties. Bombed Fw plant by PFF through 8/10 cloud cover.
083 09/27 M/Y Mainz, Ger 24/20 58 U 06:00   1
Remarks #005 lost.
084 09/28 Oil Merseberg, Ger 24/22 55 G 08:23**   1
Remarks #020 force down at Riems, #110 took a direct hit, pieces hit #027.
085 10/02 Ind Kassel, Ger 36/35 104 U 07:45 Thompson 0
Remarks Cloud cover, bombed by PFF
086 10/03 A/F Giebelstadt, Ger 42/38 90 U --:-- Newman 0
Remarks Primary overcast, bombed secondary target at Nörnberg by PFF.
087 10/05 A/F Münster/Handorf, Ger 38/36 99 F-U --:-- Norton 2
Remarks 2 squads hit secondary target with fair results. 3 squad hit primary using PFF. #972 (Coy) shotdown. #035 forced down in Belgium, later scrapped.
088 10/06 Ind Berlin, Ger 25/25 68 E --:-- Howell 0
Remarks Visual bombing on tank plant.
089 10/07 oil Lutzkendorf, Ger 13/12 30 P-U 08:05 Thomas 0
Remarks only one squad flying with 45th CBW. Bombed through smoke and haze. Results unobserved, major air battle ensued.
090 10/09 Ind Gustavsburg/Mainz, Ger 26/24 60 U --:-- Mundorf 0
Remarks 'A' squad bombed with 13th CBW. PFF used on industrial plant at Gustavsburg. 'B' squad bombed with 4th CBW on M/Y at Mainz with PFF.
091 10/14 I & M/Y Köln, Ger 38/33 93 U --:-- Cormier 2
Remarks PFF bombing of Ford motor plant and M/Y. #029 (Olson) forced down in BE due to engine failure. A/C explodes on ground. #856 (Lady V) forced down near Amiens.
092 10/15 M/Y Köln, Ger 37/35 97 U 05:35 Thompson 2
Remarks #137 (Herrmann) crashed on T-O, 1 civilian killed, Herrmann sole survivor of crew. #136 (List) suffered engine trouble leaving formation then hit by flak 7 KIA. PFF bombing
093 10/17 M/Y Köln, Ger 26/22 49 U 06:35 Mundorf/Miller 0
Remarks Mundorf lead 'A' squad and Miller lead 'B' squad. Bombing by PFF.
094 10/18 Ind Kassel, Ger 14/12 36 U --:-- H.C. Smith 0
Remarks Smith led single squad with another BG to bomb the tank plant at Kassel by PFF. 10 Forts diverted to field in Belgium due to weather.
095 10/19 Ind Mannheim, Ger 13/13 39 U --:-- Thomas 0
Remarks Thomas led a single squad with another BG to secondary target which was an ordnance depot. Bombed by PFF from 29,000 ft due to weather.
096 10/22 Ind Münster, Ger 38/37 105 U --:-- Overing 0
Remarks COL Overing led the 486th at the lead of the 3rd BD. Münster M/Y secondary target. PFF used.
097 10/25 oil Hamburg, Ger 38/37 89 U --:-- Newman 0
Remarks Hamburg oil refinery was secondary target, bombed by PFF.
098 10/26 Ind Hannover, Ger 38/37 90 U --:-- E.M. Rex 0
Remarks 487th interferred with drop at primary, forcing 486th to bomb Last Resort target at Hannover using PFF.
099 10/30 Guns Helgoland, Ger 27/26 94 U --:-- Cormier 0
Remarks Cormier led 486th and special operations Aphrodite force on mission to Helgoland (AKA Heligoland) bombing gun batteries by PFF.
100 11/02 Oil Merseberg, Ger 39/37 91 U --:-- Uhle 2
Remarks #140 (Pierce) and #883 (Paris) were lost over the target. Bombed secondary target using PFF

* all mission times from this point forward are estimated from the flight log of Arnold "Ray" Welch, 832nd.
**Times inferred from "The War Stories of the O&W."

[ Group | Missions 1-50 | Missions 51-100 | Missions 101-150 | Missions 151-191]


Glossary

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