History of the 474th Fighter Group Part 15 July 7 to July 14, 1944 The 474th was geared up for another early morning bombing attack on July 7 over France when the word came down that the mission was changed to an escort job that was to launch at 6:50am. Ordnance, armament, and engineering personnel struggled to remove the twin; 1,000 lb. bombs carried by each plane and replace them with belly tanks when the start engine time was reached. Fortunately, the mission was pushed back an hour, then scrubbed altogether. At 1:00pm the group was placed on a 15 minute readiness alert and the hours ticked by. A target of German troop concentrations and motor transports was finally identified fifteen miles south of Caen and the group took off at 8:40pm as a punishing rainstorm enveloped Warmwell. Flying over the channel someone’s microphone button stuck disrupting communications so much that the mission was recalled. The bombs the group was again carrying were jettisoned into the gray swells of the ocean as the group struggled back to base. The pounding rain had turned the grass runway of Warmwell to a slick and dangerous landing platform. Lyn Cumbie of the 430th discovered this when his ship skidded across the field through a fence and across a road before nosing into a fox hole. Stan Ellis, coming in behind Cumbie almost suffered the same fate but was able to stop inches from the fence. The 474th Fighter Group was then released until Sunday morning, July 9. The heavens refused to let the 474th fly, sending a continuous stream of storms and low clouds across Southern England until July 11. Capt. Nuckols led the 428th, carrying a 500 lb. bomb each, to an area not far from Tours where a 20-car Pullman passenger train was spotted and attacked. Capt. Nuckols lofted his bomb directly into the locomotive. The rest of the squadron swarmed over the incapacitated train, destroying it in totality. Additionally, three separate camouflaged trains were spotted and attacked resulting in much damage. For the two missions on July 12 the 428th was assigned as top cover over the 429th and 430th. The 428th had learned the lesson of July 6 and only one flight was allowed to participate with the 429th and 430th. Approximately fifty miles from Nantes, up the Loire River, a pasture-like field was spotted by the group. A closer examination revealed several enemy aircraft hidden under the trees and all three squadrons (with the exception of the 428th top-cover flights) dove to the attack taking out at least two Heinkel 111k’s, locomotives and rolling stock. In almost the same area for the afternoon strike the 474th made life miserable for the Germans charged with maintaining the French rail system. More locomotives were destroyed along with such war materials as trucks and half-tracks loaded on flat cars. The Group lifted off at 10:50am on July 13 for an armed recon mission near Mamers but the area was socked in. Southward the Group flew until they nearly reached Tours where the weather had turned CAVU (Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited). For the next 65 minutes the Group shredded the railway system in the area, dropping bombs on the rails, destroying locomotives and flat cars carrying armored equipment as well as strings of box cars. While no enemy aircraft were encountered numerous flak holes peppered a high proportion of the Group’s planes. The 428th escorted B-26 Marauders on July 14 for a bridge bombing mission southeast of Evreux. The target, totally covered by clouds could not be seen but the medium bombers dropped their loads nonetheless. Later, at 9:30pm the Group, led by Col. Darling left for a dive-bombing mission near Nogent. The weather was miserable and the airwaves were jammed with pilots trying to get their bearings. Major Hedlund (428th) was the only one to spot the target but before he was able to release his bombs German gunners peppered his plane with flak. He was fortunate to get his ship back to Warmwell on one engine. Other than that several alternate targets of opportunity were hit which included railroad tracks and a small bridge.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 23:39:15 +0000
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