A-2 Reporting Section, 23/5/44 OPERATIONAL NARRATIVE, 486TH GROUP, ETAMPES/MONDESIR MISSION, 23 May 1944 1. None ****** A-2 Reporting Section, 486th Group 23/5/44 1730 S-2 INTELLIGENCE REPORT, 486TH GROUP, ETAMPES/MONDESIR MISSION. 23 May 1944. A. Enemy air opposition None B. Observations of crews 1. At 0820 hours, considerable activity was observed in RR yards at 4080 N-0010 E. C. Crew reports of friendly A/C in distress. 1. At 0928 hours, between Mortagne and Nogent, a fighter (believed to be friendly) was seen to come spiraling straight down from about 19,000 feet smoking badly. It was lost sight of in clouds below as it began to level off. D. Crew comments and suggestions. 1. Take felt out of flight deck--it constitutes a fire hazard.
HEADQUARTERS 24May1944 SUBJECT: Report of Operations Officer - Mission of 23 May 1944, Etampes-Mondesir, France. TO : Commanding Officer, 486th Bombardment Group (H) 1. General Narrative: The 486th Group was scheduled to be high group of the 92nd Wing for the day's operations, with the 487th Group leading. Thirty nine (39) aircraft were scheduled to take off with 3 spares standing by on the ground. One spare took off when aircraft #714 went out of commission due to failure of starter on #1 engine. Thirty nine (39) aircraft, therefore, were dispatched, with A/C #751 aborting before crossing the English coast. Take-off for the group was accomplished at 0500-0531, and ascent to 10,000 feet was immediately begun through an overcast with the group completing assembly at this altitude at 0620. Climb to altitude was begun and at 0635, while climbing, the 487th was sighted. At the time, the formation was between Sudbury and Ipswich heading toward briefed course out, and the 486th accomplished Wing Assembly at 0637. The course to the English coast was flown slightly to the right of briefed course, and the coastline crossed at 0738. After leaving the English coast, the wing headed toward the briefed entry point of the enemy coast line. Before crossing the coast at 0809, friendly fighters met the formation and accompanied them on in. Very light flak was observed at Liseux just at the enemy coast. From this point in, the formation deviated from the briefed course about 5 miles to the left, but corrective action was taken near Chartres when meager, inaccurate flak was encountered. The IP was reached at 0847. The lead squadron overshot the IP slightly and had to S the formation back on to the bomb run. As the target was crossed over, the high and low squadrons dropped their bombs. The 2nd section of the lead squadron dropped on the accidental drop. The lead bombardier requested another run on the target due to smoke and haze obscuring the assigned M.P.I. on first run. See bombardiers reports for complete coverage. After the target was crossed the second time our group became separated from the 487th Group and proceeded to come home alone. The course back placed the group 10 miles right of course near Nogent. A corrected course was given from this pinpoint. The group corrected course at St. Julien, leaving the enemy coast one (1) mile left of the briefed point at 1001. Friendly fighters were observed in the vicinity of Brou at 0926 on the return trip. On leaving the enemy coast descent to minimum altitude was begun, and the English coast crossed at 1041, twelve miles left of Shoreham. From this point a direct course was flown back to the base and the group was over the base at 1113, letting down through a partial overcast. The first plane was on the ground at 1122 with the last landing at 1208. An unknown silver B-24 with orange and black striping on the vertical stabilizer joined the formation before leaving the English coast and completed the briefed course with the 486th Group. When the formation came in to land he left the formation over the field heading in a northerly direction. The formation, as a whole, was good. It was loose up to the enemy coast and then tightened up considerably. 2. Aircraft Not Attacking: As stated in the general narrative, 30 aircraft were dispatched. Aircraft #751 aborted early due to the oil cap on the #2 engine becoming unfastened causing a fire around the turbo supercharger as oil sprayed out. Thirty eight (38) aircraft proceeded to the target and are credited with sorties. Thirty seven (37) aircraft dropped their bombs. In the low section of the lead squadron, all aircraft (less #751 which aborted) dropped their bombs on an accidental release of the low section leader. The high section held their bombs and dropped on the leader after the 360° turn was made. Aircraft #663 failed to bomb on this run due to rack malfunction. His bombs were returned to base. The high and low squadrons, consisting of 13 aircraft each, dropped their bombs on their squadron leaders on the first run. The balance of the formation was unchanged by the abortion of aircraft #751, and the one diagram submitted shows the formation after assembly and over the target. Aircraft #751 was filling in the diamond of the low section, lead squadron. Note remark on the diagram "Aborted Before Target." 3. Summary of Lost Aircraft: No aircraft were lost in the day's operation. |
|
RICHARD B. UHLE,
|
|
Copyright © 1998-2024, 486th Bomb Group Association.