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OPERATIONAL NARRATIVE, 486TH GROUP, LAON-COUVRON MISSION 1. None 2. S.A.V. photos shows bombs from one squadron landing across dispersal area almost directly on M.P.I. Bombs from one of the other two squadrons landed in fields a short distance to left of M.P.I. 3. None 4. Meager and accurate flak encountered just north of Neufchatel on route in. Flak in target area also meager and accurate. Meager and inaccurate flak encountered near Grandvilliers. 5. Slight haze in target area but visibility was good. Very few clouds in vicinity of target. 6. Approximately 60 A/C observed on airfield northeast of Beauvias. 7. Fighter support excellent. INTELLIGENCE REPORT, 486TH GROUP, LAON/COUVRON MISSION A. ENEMY AIR OPPOSITION. None B. OBSERVATIONS OF CREWS. 1. Six E/A were seen taking off from Laon/Couvron A/F. Two were stopped when bombs fell on runway. One E/A exploded. C. CREW REPORTS OF FRIENDLY AIRCRAFT IN DISTRESS. 1. At 0932 1/2 in the target area a B-17 at two o'clock was hit by flak which knocked off parts of the wing and tail. This plane went down in a steep dive out of control and hit the ground. One crew reported seeing several chutes. D. CREW COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS 1. Radio extension oxygen hose should come down from top rather than from bottom. It gets under foot.
HEADQUARTERS 10 May 1944 SUBJECT: Report of Operations Officer: Mission of 9 may 1944, Laon Airdrome, France. TO : Commanding Officer, 486th Bombardment Group (H) 1, General Narrative: The 486th Group was scheduled to put up a ·42 plane formation for the day's operation. Briefed T/O time was to have been at 0515 hours, at planned intervals of 45 seconds which would have gotten all ships off the ground by approximately 0546. By this time, it had become apparent that all A/C scheduled could not meet the deadline with bomb loads. So T/O was pushed up to 0600 and at 0601, the lead ship of the formation took off. It was 0714 before the 36th ship was off the ground. The other 6 ships of the formation, and the spares, never took off. For further information (see diagram). [Assembly] wasn't complete until after the English coast was passed, because of the B-17's ahead of our formation. Stragglers were able to catch up while we were essing to [go] in trail. As stated before, the formation wasn't complete until late; therefore, when climb was begun at 0658, after assembly, the formation was definitely strung out. At this point a large S was flown to get behind the last B-17 Group which was late for rendezvous. The route from Splasher 7 to Beachy Head via Splasher 8 was flown while essing to stay behind the B-17's, The English coast crossed at Beachy Head at 0823, two minutes late. Climb from 15,000 feet to 20,000 feet was begun here and was reached at 0845 as the enemy coast was crossed. The course from the enemy coast to the I.P. was flown as briefed. The P-47 escort was picked up enroute, at 0855 hours. The formation remained on course to the pre-Initial Point where we swung 6 miles out to the right during the turn towards the I.P. in order not to gain on the B-17 Group. The I.P. was reached at 0923 and bombs were away 10 minutes later at 0933. The P-38 escort joined the formation at 0930 during the run from the I.P. to the target. After the target was crossed, the formation flew 15 miles north and paralleled course to rally point. The formation re-assembled in good order and course was picked up 8 miles north of R.P. at 0945. From this point home the course was flown as briefed, crossing the enemy coast at 1016. Let down procedure was followed, and the English coast crossed at 1039. The formation was over the base at 1047, with the first plane landing at 1102 and the last (A/C #400) at 1206. A/C #400 landed 29 minutes after all other ships were on the ground because of a defective landing gear. Fighter coverage was excellent at all times, but no enemy fighters were seen. The fighters escorted our formation all the way back to our home base. From the coast in there was some flak observed at various times. It was moderate, and fairly accurate. The 487 Group stayed in good formation during the entire trip. Recommend B-24's depart assembly line at least 10 minutes behind B-17's in order to keep B-24's in position without continual essing. 2. Aircraft Not Attacking: Forty-two aircraft were scheduled, 36 got off the ground, and went over the target in formation as shown an attached diagram, and are credited with sorties, A/C #573 was flying #3 position of the low flight, low section, of the high squadron, but moved over to #2 position (see diagram) before going over the target. As stated above only 36 A/C got off the ground and over the target. A/C's #505, 755, 749, 454, 545 and 500 aborted without taking off due to bombs not being loaded or fused. Spare A/C #607, and #753 couldn't take off because of inoperative turrets, and A/C #472 and #630 didn't get off because of bomb load. In the lead squadron all ships dropped on the leader. A/C #517 dropped 13 bombs in channel as they were jammed in bombay doors and couldn't be dropped over the target. In the high squadron A/C #681 dropped part of it's bombs when opening bombay doors, and A/C #483 released on this drop by mistake. All ten aircraft attacked. In the low squadron, 14 aircraft were over the target and all bombed. A detailed description for failure to attack will be covered in the Aircraft Not Attacking Report. 3. Summary of Lost Aircraft: No aircraft were lost in the day's operation. |
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RICHARD B. UHLE |
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