Mission Details for Bingen (#186)

Briefing

Details

Number: 186
Date: 12/29/1944 12:00:00 AM
Commander: Lt. Col. E. de Jonckheere
Crews Briefed: 39
Details: Marshalling Yards

Flying Control

Runway: 5
Engines: 0845 Thumbnail image for /Images/Takeoff/Plan05.jpg
Taxi: 0900
Take Off: 0915
E.T.R.:
Notes: Briefing took place at 0415 hours. After several delays, taxi and takeoff took place as indicated above, and all but one aircraft were airborne by 0956. The crew of the late aircraft, which was delayed by a tire blow-out transferred to a ground spare and took off at 1001 hours. The three spares returned early as planned. By 1629 all aircraft had landed, although two landed at Woodbridge, one with no brake pressure and the other with No. 3 engine out.

Debriefing

Aircraft: 39
Lost Over Continent: 0
Lost Other: 0
Summary: This was another mission in support of Allied ground forces fighting the Battle of the Bulge; the target was the railroad marshalling yards at Bingen. The Group put up three squadrons making up the 94th Combat Wing "A" Group. Bombing was visual, and the High Squadron placed 98% of its bombs within 1,000 feet of the MPI. However, the Lead and Low Squadrons missed the MPI by 2,000 and 4,000 feet, respectively.
No enemy aircraft were sighted, and the flak was described as "meager to moderate". However, 27 of the 401st aircraft received battle damage, one of which was major.

Mission Assignments

Squadron Participants