Group, Unit and Historical Extracts for Mission 258

"416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History 1945"
Transcribed from USAF Archives

The Wurzburg storage depot was the target in the morning of the 31st. Patchy weather made target identification difficult. The leader of the first box decided to bomb on its PPF plane. The leader of the second box made a visual attack. Bombing by boxes, the results as seen through the clouds appeared to be excellent. Violent explosions and clouds of smoke that billowed high into the sky followed the attack in which 222 x 500-pound incendiary bombs were dropped. There was moderate, accurate flak during the last few seconds of the bomb run. Although four aircraft received battle damage, all planes returned safely. Capt Miller, Lt. Connor and F/O Wrubelle, B&N, led the first box; Lt. Col Napier, Lt. Moore, B-N, led the second box.

"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Pages 242 - 243

Mission #258 - 31 March - AM - Wurzburg Storage Area. Captain Miller with Lt. Conner and F/O Wrubelle, BNs and Lt. Col. Napier and Lt. Moore BN, led the boxes. Lt Fero and F/O Langsan BN, and Lts. Lackovich and Muir led flights. Patchy clouds obscured the target area so PFF pathfinders were used. The leader of the second box made a visual bomb run scoring an excellent hit. Violent explosions and high rising smoke billowing through the clouds were observed. Moderate, accurate flak damaged four planes, but all returned safely with no personal injuries.

"History of 670th Bombardment Squadron (L)"
Transcription from USAF Archives

Two missions were run on the 31st of March. One was again at the Wurzburg Storage Depot and the other against the Marionburg Storage area. Again bad weather made observation of results impossible. A total of fourteen crews took part in these two missions.

"671st Bomb Squadron (L) Unit History"
Gordon Russell and Jim Kerns

The "Fighting; Flying, F _ _ _ _ _ _", 416th Bomb Group rounded out its most active month of Operations on March 31st, chalking up mission number 41 and 42 for the month. Ground forces moving toward Wurzburg received a valuable assist from the 416th in the morning as the Invaders struck by PFF at a large storage depot in the city. Crews reported good to excellent results on visual observation. The 500-pound incendiary clusters started large fires in the block of warehouse buildings. Wurzburg is situated on the main line between Frankfurt and Nurnberg. Weak flak was encountered in the target area and four ships received battle damage. All crews returned.

"USAAF Chronology of WWII, month by month"

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 550+ A-20s, A-26s and B-26s hit storage depots at Ebrach, Wurzburg, and Marienburg, the marshalling yard at Wurzburg, the town area of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and a target of opportunity; fighters escort the bombers, hit special targets, fly armed reconnaissance, and support the US 3d and 9th Armored Divisions near Paderborn, the XII Corps as it charges toward Eisenach, the XX Corps along the Fulda and Eder Rivers, and the XVI and XIX Corps S of Haltern and NW of Lippstadt. The 162d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group [attached to Reconnaissance Group (Provisional), XII Tactical Air Command], moves from Azelot to Haguenau, France with F-6s.