Group, Unit and Historical Extracts for Mission 272

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

With the bomb line moving ahead by leaps and bounds, and no targets available in the central part of our lines, our planes took off about noon of the 15th after a couple of days of rest to attack the Ulm marshalling yard, southeast of Stuttgart. An almost solid cloud cover necessitated the use of PPF equipment. Results were unobserved. Photo reconnaissance on the following day found 12 hits in the area just south of the main sorting sidings, causing minor damage to tracks and rolling stock. Through traffic was still possible, however. Weak, inaccurate flak was experienced coming out over the bomb line near Freiburg. The formation was to be led by Capt Evans, but when he was forced to abort, Capt Stanley (F/O Blount, and Lt Myrrold B&N) took over from the lead plane in the second box. Lt Heinke (Lt Rosenquist, B-N) took over the lead in the second box.

"Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group"
Ralph Conte
Page 253

Mission #272 - 15 April - Ulm Marshalling Yard. The battle lines are moving so fast and so far, very few nearby targets were available for us to attack. About noon, our planes took off to this target near Stuttgart. The object of this mission was to prevent troops from reaching the "Redoubt" area, the Germans had established for their men. An almost solid cloud cover necessitated the use of PFF equipment. Results were unobserved. Photo recon the next day showed 12 hits just south of the main sorting sidings, causing minor damage to tracks and rolling stock. Through traffic was still possible, however. Weak, inaccurate flak was experienced coming out over the bomb line near Freiburg. The formation was led by Captain Evans, but he had to abort so Captain Stanley with F/O Blount and Lt. Myrrold, BNs took the lead. Flights were led by Lt. Errotabere with Lt. Wilber BN. - Lt. Heinke and Lt. Rosenquist, BN led the second box.

"669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History"
Transcription from USAF Archives

The next operational mission, flown by aircraft of this squadron, was against the Ulm Marshalling Yards on the fifteenth. PFF technique had to be used on the bombing run. Major Sommers, together with Lt. Kupits, led the Second Flight of the Second Box of the formation. Results of the bombing were undetermined because of the cloud cover.

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

Twelve of the 670th crews flew on PFF mission #272, Lt. Errotabere/Lt. Wilbur and Lt. Heinke/Lt. Rosenquist led our flights with Lt. Heinke and Lt. Rosenquist leading the second box. Target was the Ulm Marshalling Yard; the results were undetermined due to cloud cover. The object of this mission was to block movement of supplies into the national "Redoubt" area.

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

The rail yards at Ulm, 65 miles west of Munich, was attacked by the 416th Invaders on April 15th 1945. Clouds obscured the target, which forced the formation to drop its incendiary bombs by pathfinder technique. Results were unobserved. Flak was not encountered, all crews returning in tact.

"USAAF Chronology of WWII, month by month"

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 258 B-26s and A-26s bomb marshalling yards at Gunzburg and Ulm (primary targets) and several other targets including 3 marshalling yards; fighters escort the bombers, fly patrols and armed reconnaissance, and support the US 3d Armored Division near Dessau and across the Mulde River near Torten, the 9th Armored Division along the Mulde NW of Borna, the VIII Corps along Weisse Elster River between Gera and Plauen, the XX Corps astride the Mulde NE of Chemnitz (where the 6th Armored Division awaits Red Army forces), and the 2d Armored Division on the Elbe River near Magdeburg. Unit moves in Germany: HQ 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group from Venlo, the Netherlands to Gutersloh; HQ 368th Fighter Group and 395th and 396th Fighter Squadrons from Metz, France to Frankfurt-am-Main with P-47s; HQ 406th Fighter Group and 512th, 513th and 514th Fighter Squadrons from Assche, Belgium to Handorf with P-47s; 72d Liaison Squadron, Ninth AF (attached to Sixth Army Group) from Darmstadt to Kitzingen with L-5s; 153d Liaison Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command (attached to Twelfth Army Group) from Marburg to Bad Wildungen with L-5s.