Mission Log for the 486th Bomb Group (H)02 August 1944 to 02 November 1944 ö |
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| 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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