486th Group

24/5/44

Operational Narrative, 486th A Group, St. Cyr Mission,
24 May 1944

1. None
2. No bombs dropped on primary. 11 A/C attacked secondary. S.A.V. photos show several burst among hardstands and near hanger at southeast corner of dispersal area.
3. None
4. Meager, accurate flak encountered by left elements of formation at landfall on enemy coast to right of Le Harve. Meager to moderate and accurate in primary target area, and meager inaccurate at secondary.
5. Slight haze in area of primary and secondary targets.
6. At Le Treport, considerable activity was observed in M/Y. Several gun emplacements were seen to the west of the town and in the town itself.
7. Squadrons could not get into position to bomb primary target because of presence of other formations in same area. Secondary not bombed by one squadron because of interference from A/C of second division.

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A-2 Reporting Section
3rd Bombardment Division

486 Bomb Group

24/5/44 1730 S-2

INTELLIGENCE REPORT, 486TH A GROUP, ST. CYR MISSION, 24 MAY 1944

A. ENEMY AIR OPPOSITION

None

B. OBSERVATIONS OF CREWS

1. Military camps were observed one mile north of Dangeau, 4813 - 01 17E, and at Nantes-Gassicourt.
2. At Le Treport gun emplacements were observed in the town and West of it. Running south of Le Treport a very long wall was observed.
3. Rail activity was noted at Le Treport M/Y, west and southeast of Lisieur, and between Versailles and Rambouillet.
4. Flashes from a square gun battery were seen at St. Cyr. These four guns are not shown on present target material but would be on St. Cyr 052009/2.

C. CREW REPORTS OF FRIENDLY AIRCRAFT IN DISTRESS.

0930--AT 5005-0113E, a burning fighter was seen to go down in a spin and crash in the Channel.

D. CREW COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS.

1. Lead ship should shoot more flares when the Group is forming to enable other ships to find it.
2. Believe an extra parachute and oxygen mask should be carried in each A/C for emergencies.
3. Suggest secondary target be bombed by sections or squadrons rather than by groups if flak and E/A are not apparent.
4. Buncher 22 faded again.

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A-2 Reporting Section,
3rd Bomb. Division

24/5/44 S-2

Operational Narrative, 486th B. Group (flying as low sq. In 93rd CBW.)

Guyancourt/Caudron Mission, 24 May 1944.

1. None
2. No bombs dropped on either primary or secondary target.
3. None
4. Same as 486th A Group.
5. Slight haze in area of both primary and secondary targets.
6. None
7. Couldn't get into position to bomb either primary or secondary target because of presence of in same area at same time. other formations

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A-2 Reporting Section
3rd Bombardment Division

486th Bomb Group

24/5/44 1630 S-2

INTELLIGENCE REPORT, 486TH B GROUP (FLYING AS LOW SQ. IN 93RD CBW.)

GUYANCOURT/CAUDRON MISSION, 24 MAY 1944

A. ENEMY AIR OPPOSITION

None.

B. OBSERVATIONS OF CREWS

1. At le Treport gun emplacements were observed in the town and West of it. Running south of Le Treport a very long wall was observed.
2. Rail activity was noted at Le Treport M/Y, west and southeast of Liseux, and between Versailles and Rambouillet.
3. Flashes from a square gun battery were seen at St. Cyr. These four guns were at 052009/2.
4. Planes were observed dispersed in woods northeast of Poix.

C. CREW REPORTS OF FRIENDLY A/C IN DISTRESS.

Same as 486 A.

D. CREW COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS.

Splasher 7 not working properly. Couldn't find it.

HEADQUARTERS
486TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)
APO 559

25 May 44

SUBJECT: Report of Operations Officer - Mission of 24 May 1944, St. Cyr, France.

TO : Commanding Officer, 486th Bombardment Group (H)

1. General Narrative: The main 486th Group formation consisting of 2 squadrons (26 aircraft) took off at 0500-05 13 hours. This group was leading the 92nd Wing in the day's operation followed by the 487th Group consisting of 26 aircraft. By 0630, the group formation had made and instrument ascent and assembled over Buncher 22 at 11,000 ft., and proceeded to start climb at 17,000 ft. And altitude of 17,000 was reached at 0713, one (1) mile left of Splasher #7, the rendezvous point. The 487th Group was in trail at the rendezvous point and followed to Splasher #8

where they cut short and closed up formation before the wing departed the English coast. The turn to Splasher #9 was made short a minute and a half late and it was along this line that the 387th got in to wing formation. The English coast was crossed at Selsy Hill on course two minutes late.

Climb to altitude (32,000') was begun after departing the English coast and was reached at 0810 and the enemy coast was crossed. The formation had swung slightly left of briefed course while over the channel, but correction to get back on briefed course was taken before reaching the enemy coast line. The formation entered enemy territory just to the right of Le Harve flak area and got back on course slightly inside enemy territory. Light flak was observe to the left going in around the vicinity of Le Havre. Fighter escort was picked up at this point.

The route from 10 miles inside the enemy coast to the IP was flown as ordered. Light flak was observed to the left of course in the vicinity of Château dun. The formation turned onto the target 12 miles southwest of the IP to allow the rest of the formation to follow the briefed course. Had visibility been good, the lead squadron could have swung onto the bomb run, but instead a parallel course to the actual run was flown and the target picked up about 3 to 5 miles to the right at two o'clock. No correction was made onto the target because it would have taken the lead

squadron across the course of the following squadrons, and the maneuver would have been too violent to get onto the run.

A let down of2000 feet was accomplished after passing over the primary target and the formation flew to the IP and on briefed course to Coumay the secondary IP. The target was picked up about 15 miles out. Visibility was good and everything was set up for a perfect run on the target which was an airfield near the city of Poix,

France. After about a three minute run onto the secondary target, two groups of B-24's from the Second Division were seen approaching from the right. They were coming out of the sun and were not seen until fairly close up. The squadron was immediately swung to the left to avoid collision. A 3600 turn and another run on the target was anticipated, but this too was abandoned when it was seen that it would be impossible to do so without colliding with the Second Division Groups behind and to the left of the 486th Group formation. At this point, the command pilot

abandoned operations and returned to briefed course. The high squadron of the 486th Group of the path of the Second Division groups but due to A-5 malfunction in the lead ship the run on the target was made manually by P.D.I. Their bombs were dropped and a right sweeping turn made back onto the prescribed course. Because the lead squadron had made a left turn back onto course before getting to the target the high squadron became separated from the rest of the formation and came back to England trailing.

The enemy coast was crossed at 0926, and let down to 14,000 feet was accomplished before reaching Bexhill, on the English coast, at 0950. From here to home base source was flown direct with the group letting down and landing at 1029-1113 hours.

2. Aircraft not Attacking: No bombs were dropped by the lead squadron on either target. Thirteen (13) A/C were dispatched and are credited with sorties.

Thirteen (13) A/C were dispatched with the high squadron. One A/C #836 aborted early before joining formation because #3 engine was throwing oil badly. Twelve (12) A/C crossed the target with A/C #631 not dropping bombs because a live round of 0.5O cal. ammunition got caught in the bomb bay door gear and jammed the doors closed.

3. Summary of Lost Aircraft: There were no aircraft lost.

1. General Narrative: The 486th Group furnished 13 A/C to fill in the low squadron of the 93rd Wing formation. This wing was to follow the 92nd Wing at a 3 minute interval. Take-off was at 0520-0544. A/C #300 was to have taken off, but had a runaway prop on take-off run. Spare A/C #663 took off last to fill in and filled in the formation in the vacated position. Instrument ascent through the overcast was extremely difficult due to weak signal strength of Buncher 22, but with the aid of Geo fixed assembly at 10,000 feet was finally accomplished at 0625. An altitude of 17,000 feet was reached at 0706, and the 93rd Wing sighted shortly thereafter on the Wing assembly line going on a 1800 turn and attempted to complete the Wing assembly by increasing power and cutting short on turns, but the formation was still strung out and in poor assembly at 0720, two miles left of Splasher #7. The wing leader seemed to have too great an air speed causing excess power settings for the 486th group formation to maintain position. The squadron cut short at Splasher #8 to close up on the lead squadron, but fell behind again due to excessive airspeed.

The English coast was crossed at 0747, one minute ahead of schedule and climb to bombing altitude as begun. Our squadron again had to pour on more power to stay in position, and the formation was very much spread out. P-47 fighter escort was picked up at 0800 before crossing the enemy coast at 0814. The course from the enemy coast to the target was flown on course with the exception of flying slightly south of course after entering enemy territory. Correction was made, however, and at 0840 the formation was back on course. The Wing lead again started cruising too fast and caused the low 486th squadron to fall considerably behind.

The turn at the IP was made about 3 miles short at 0851 hours. The target was picked up and bomb run started. At this time another squadron (presumably high squadron of 34th Group) was noticed directly above ours. The attempt to S to kill time and fall behind was unsuccessful because the high squadron seemed to making the same maneuvers. About 15 seconds before bomb release point the command pilot turned the squadron to the left to get out from under the high squadron, and no bombs were dropped.

Rally was effected at 0902 at 19,200 feet and the formation got back on briefed course to secondary IP. The 93rd Wing kept continually "casing" between rally and the secondary IP. The formation turned on the IP (Coumay) at 0914 and started the bombing run. At this point the Second Division interfered and cut out the 93rd Wing leader, and the 486th squadron turned off the bombing run and headed back on course with dropping.

Course home was flown with the squadron separated from the 93rd Win& which was not contacted after being lost during the secondary target maneuver. Light flak was observed near Dieppe and the enemy coast crossed at 0955 at 14,000 feet. At 1012 hours, over Gravesend, the formation was broken up by another B-24 group coming out of the haze, and the planes came back to the base and landed individually. Landing was accomplished at 1030-1050 hours.

2. Aircraft Not Attacking: Thirteen (13) A/C were dispatched. No bombs were dropped on either the primary or secondary targets. A/C #174 had an accidental release when the bombardier for the ship hit the toggle switch while opening bomb bay doors on target run. All bombs fell into wooded area approximately 4 miles short of primary target. All thirteen A/C are credited with sorties.

3. Summary of Lost Aircraft: No aircraft were lost.