Lou Prucha WWII Service   

Lou flew 37 combat missions between December 6, 1944 and April 26, 1945; primarily against German railroad, communications and marshalling yard targets from two air bases in France - A-55, Melun and A-69 Laon. He piloted most of his combat missions in Sugar Baby (plane 5H-S, serial number 41-39274, tail number 139274) the new Douglas A-26B ‘Invader’. Lou advanced his formation flight position throughout his missions and was designated as flight leader for his last three missions.


Listed below are Lou's combat mission entries from his Pilot's Flight Log. Click on a "416th BG Mission #" link to display a page containing details of that mission. Much of the information in these individual mission pages came from the sources listed at the bottom of this page.



Base: A-55 Melun, Fr.
416th BG
Mission #		 Date Target
and
Target Type		 Result
and
Comment		 From To Aircraft Duration Gunner Place
in flight		 Lou
Sortie #
166 06-Dec-1944 Erklenz
(Defended Village)		 Undet. PFF
 		 A55 A55 A-26B 3:30 Ferguson #5 1
168 09-Dec-1944 Saarwellington
(Defended locality)		 Undet. P.F.F.
 		 A55 A55 A-26B 3:10 Ferguson #5 2
174 23-Dec-1944 Waxweiler
(Com. Center)		 P.N.B.
 		 A55 A55 A-26B 4:00 Ferguson #5 3
176 25-Dec-1944 Munstereifel
(Com. Center)		 Superior
Miracle - Burg (M.I.A)		 A55 A55 A-26B 3:30 Wilson #5 4
181 02-Jan-1945 Simmern
(R.R. Bridge)		 Ex.
 		 A55 A40 A-26B 5:00 Ferguson #5 5
183 11-Jan-1945 Simmern
(R.R. Bridge)		 (PNB) (PFF)
 		 A55 A55 A-26B 3:30 Wilson #6 6
185 14-Jan-1945 Schleiden
(Com. Center)		 (PFF) Ex.
 		 A55 A58 A-26B 3:00 Ferguson #5 7
188 21-Jan-1945 Euskirchen
(R.R. Bridge)		 Sup.
Released early in Mar. yards. on Russell		 A55 A55 A-26B 4:00 Wilson #5 8
194 25-Jan-1945 Kall
(Com. Center)		 P.N.B.
Capt McN. Early Release		 A55 A55 A-26B 3:30 Ferguson #6 9
197 02-Feb-1945 Euskirchen
(Com. Center)		 Ex.
 		 A55 A55 A-26B 3:00 Wilson #5 10
200 08-Feb-1945 Nutterden
(Defended Area)		 PBN
E.T.A. Town of Elton bombed		 A55 A55 A-26B 3:30 Heitell #6 11




Base: A-69 Laon, Fr.
416th BG
Mission #		 Date Target
and
Target Type		 Result
and
Comment		 From To Aircraft Duration Gunner Place
in flight		 Lou
Sortie #
204 14-Feb-1945 Mechernich
(Prime Mover Depot)		 (Und. P.F.F.)
Chalmers (M.I.A.)		 A69 A69 A-26B 3:15 Ferguson #5 12
207 19-Feb-1945 Wiesbaden
(Ord. Depot)		 (Und P.F.F)
 		 A69 A69 A-26B 4:00 Ferguson #3 13
210 22-Feb-1945 Hochost
(Sidings & Bridges)		 Ex.
Strafed Target after bombing.		 A69 A69 A-26B 4:00 Wilson #5 14
213 24-Feb-1945 Vierson
(Com Cen)		 Undet. Gee
 		 A69 A69 A-26B 2:45 Ferguson #2 15
215 25-Feb-1945 Norvenich
(Com Cen)		 Undet PFF
 		 A69 A69 A-26B 2:30 Wilson #3 16
217 28-Feb-1945 Unna
(Ord. Depot)		 Undet. P.FF
 		 A69 A69 A-26B 4:00 Wilson #4 17
219 02-Mar-1945 Iserlohn
(Motor Trans Depot)		 Undet PFF
 		 A69 A69 A-26B 3:45 Wilson #4 18
222 05-Mar-1945 Marburg
(Marshalling yard)		 Undet PFF
 		 A69 A69 A-26B 3:15 Ferguson #2 19
239 18-Mar-1945 Worms
(Com. Center)		 Unsat.
Kenny - Vars (M.I.A.)		 A69 A69 A-26B 3:00 Ferguson #4 20
241 19-Mar-1945 Lage
(Rail Bridge)		 Sup.
 		 A69 A69 A-26B 3:30 Wilson #2 21
246 21-Mar-1945 Vreden
(Com. Center)		 Undet.
Anderson (Mid-air Collision)		 A69 A69 A-26B 3:00 Ferguson #4 22
248 22-Mar-1945 Borken
(Com. Center)		 NAO - Gee
 		 A69 A69 A-26B 3:30 Wilson #5 23
250 23-Mar-1945 Dinslaken
(Com Center)		 Undet - Ex
 		 A-26B 3:00 Wilson #2 24
251 24-Mar-1945 Bochelt
Flak Position		  
 		 A-26B 3:00 Lamonds [Lemonds?] #3 25
253 25-Mar-1945 Altenkirchen
(Com Center)		 Undet.
 		 A-26B 3:10 Metzler #4 26
255 26-Mar-1945 Gemunden
(Mar. yards)		 Ex
 		 A-26B 4:00 Wilson #3 27
256 28-Mar-1945 Ebrach
(oil Depot)		 PFF - Gee
 		 A-26B 3:45 Kochan #2 28
258 31-Mar-1945 Wurzburg
(Storage Depot)		 PFF undet
 		 A-26B 3:15 Singleton #3 29
260 03-Apr-1945 Hameln
(Mar. yards)		 Und. PFF
 		 A-26B 4:00 Windish #3 30
262 08-Apr-1945 Munchen-Berndorf
oil storage		 N.A.O.
Smoke Expl. fire		 A-26C 4:10 Wilson #5 31
272 15-Apr-1945 Ulm
Mar. yds		 Und PFF (F)
 		 A-26C 3:45 Ferguson #2 Lead 32
274 16-Apr-1945 Wittenburgh
Mar. yds		 Und. (F)
 		 A-26C 4:00 Day,
1:00 Night		 Ferguson #2 33
275 17-Apr-1945 Medelburg
flak positions		  
 		 A-26C 4:30 Ferguson #3 Lead 34
277 19-Apr-1945 Neu Ulm
Mar. yds		 Ex.
 		 A-26C 3:40 Ferguson #1 Lead 35
279 20-Apr-1945 Annaburg
Fuel depot		 N.A.O.
 		 A-26C 5:00 Wilson #1 Lead 36
283 26-Apr-1945 Platting
Airfield		 Ex.
 		 A-26C 5:00 Ferguson #1 Lead 37


Much of the information in the individual mission pages accessed by clicking on a Mission number from the tables above came from the following sources. I want to express my sincere appreciation to all those who have allowed me to use their information.

  • Conte, Ralph (Author), Jan Mees (Editor). " Attack Bombers, We Need You! A History of the 416th Bomb Group ". Mineral Wells, TX: JM Press, www.publishyourbook.com, jmp@nashville.com, R. Conte, 2001. Print. [ISBN: 9780971238701]


  • McGrew, Charles. "The USAAF in WWII. Chronology of WWII, month by month." Graduate Computer Science Systems. N.p., published 11 Jun 2003. Web. 4 Feb. 2010. <http://paul.rutgers.edu/~mcgrew/wwii/usaf/html/index.html>.


  • Sayles, Wayne G.. "416th Bomb Group US Army Air Corps." WGS. 1 Jan. 2007. Web. 16 Feb. 2010. <http://www.416th.com/index.html>.


  • Sgamboti, Carl. "416th BG Home." New England Air Museum. New England Air Museum, 2008. Web. 16 Feb. 2010. <http://www.sgamboti.com/cts/A-26_Project/index_files/Page897.htm>.


  • USAF Archives. " 668th Bomb Squadron (L) History, Transcription from USAF Archives, February 1943 to June 1945 " 416th Bomb Group. posted 14 Sep 2012. Site Owner: Wayne Sayles, Web. viewed 15 Aug 2013. <http://www.416th.com/668th_history_usaf_afhra.html>.


  • USAF Archives. " 669th Bomb Squadron (L) History, Transcription from USAF Archives, February 1943 to April 1945 " 416th Bomb Group. posted 14 Sep 2012. Site Owner: Wayne Sayles., Web. viewed 15 Aug 2013. <http://www.416th.com/669th_history_usaf_afhra.html>.


  • USAF Archives. " History of 670th Bombardment Squadron (L) 416th Bombardment Group February 5, 1943 - September 30, 1945 " 416th Bomb Group. posted 27 Mar 2012. Site Owner: Wayne Sayles. Document Transcribed by Jane Enman, Web. viewed 15 Aug 2013. <http://www.416th.com/670.pdf>.


  • USAF Archives. " 671st Bomb Squadron (L) [History], Transcribed from USAF Archives, February 1943 to June 1945 " 416th Bomb Group. posted 14 Sep 2012. Site Owner: Wayne Sayles., Web. viewed 15 Aug 2013. <http://www.416th.com/671st_history_usaf_afhra.html>.


  • USAF Archives. " 416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History - 1943, Transcribed from USAF Archives ". 416th Bomb Group. posted 14 Sep 2012. Site Owner: Wayne Sayles, Web. viewed 14 Sep 2012. <http://www.416th.com/416th_history_1943.html>.


  • USAF Archives. " 416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History - 1944, Transcribed from USAF Archives ". 416th Bomb Group. posted 28 Feb 2013. Site Owner: Wayne Sayles, Web. viewed 28 Feb 2013. <http://www.416th.com/416th_history_1944.html>.


  • USAF Archives. " 416th Bombardment Group (L) - Group History - 1945, Transcribed from USAF Archives ". 416th Bomb Group. posted 27 Mar 2012. Site Owner: Wayne Sayles, Web. viewed 27 Mar 2012. <http://www.416th.com/416th_history_1945.html>.


  • Williams, Wayne, Sgt., Cpl. Schier, and Col. Chester C. Wysocki. " Operational History 668th Bomb Squadron (416th Bomb Group (L)) WWII (Written at the time of occurrence), February 12th, 1944 to March 18th, 1945 " 416th Bomb Group. posted 27 Mar 2012. Site Owner: Wayne Sayles. Document Transcribed by Jane Enman, Web. viewed 15 Aug 2013. <http://www.416th.com/668history.pdf>.


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