351st Bomb Group

1. Target
   1. Name – Airfield
   2. Location – Tricqueville [France]
   3. Name of Secondary – None
   4. Location of Secondary –
   5. Name of Last Resort – None
   6. Location of Last Resort – No indiscriminate Bombing
2. S-2 Enemy Pursuit Expected
   1. Number and Type –
   2. Pictures and Short description of any new types –
3. Flak Officer – Flak Expected
   1. On Route In
   2. At Target
   3. On Route Back
4. General information of formation
   1. Wing formation – C.W. [Combat Wing] Formation. Our Squadron leading
   2. Order of Groups in formation and altitude of each – 351st 22,000', 91st 23,000'
   3. Our formation for bombing – Defensive
   4. Pursuit coverage 6 Squadron of Spit [Spitfire] IX's from ____to ____and ____Squadron of ____from ____to ____and Squadron ____from ____to ____. Rendezvous between Beachy Head and a point 10 miles south of St. Valery. Will provide close cover and High cover all the way. Two RAF groups on Diversions.
   5. Bomb Loading 16 - 300 lb. bombs with Instantaneous delay nose fuse and 45 second delay tail fuse per airplane.
   6. IAS [Indicated Air Speed] for bombing will be 155 MPH. Set Intervelometer for 50 feet.
5. Navigator
   1. Time Tick _______
   2. This Group Assembles with the ____ Groups on a line from ____to ____at an altitude of 8,000'
   3. Route out and times at check points.
   4. Climb will start at ____ and altitude will be reached at ____.
   5. Axis of attack is ____°.
   6. Distance from IP [Initial Point of Bomb Run] to Target is____and time at IP is ____and time at Target is ___.
   7. Direction of turn and course after attack is to the ___to a course of ___. The rally point is ____
   8. Route back and times at check points.
   9. Point where descent will start is ____. Descent will be to ____feet.
   10. Point to leave Wing formation is ___.
   11. Total time for mission is ____.
   12. Length of time over 10,000 feet is ____.
   13. Deadline for last take off is ___ and the point to intercept the group is ____ at ____ feet.
6. Station – 1525
   Start engines – 1625
   Taxi – 1635
   Take off – 1650
   Leave Base - 1710
7. Don't leave gun stations until over England.
8. Point to airplane assignments and explain.
9. Weather Officer
   1. General Weather and visibility along entire Route is
   2. Weather and Visibility at IP and Target is
   3. Winds at cruising altitude are
   4. Temperature at cruising altitude is
   5. Pressure altitude at target is
10. A Red flare will be fired, Aldis lamp, 5165 [Radio Frequency], and VHF [Transmission] at the IP.
11. S-2 [Intelligence] – Show Pictures and maps of the target. Have direction of attack laid out on maps and pictures. Any other comments that are desired. (Comments must be cleared with C.O. [Commanding Officer] first).
12. Any special instructions to all personnel.
    Watch Spitz [Spitfires],  Don't shoot at B-17,  Keep quite [quiet?],  Shoot at leader of pea shooters. [Germans?]
    
    Gunners, Radio operators, Navigators and Bombardiers leave the briefing room.
13. Comments to improve the formation and improve evasive action.
    Watch ind. evasive action. Hold it tight we're the teachers today. Stack right.
14. Climb at 150 IAS. [Indicated Air Speed]
    Cruise at 160 IAS
    Reform after attack at 155 IAS
    Descend at 170 IAS and 500 feet per minute.
15. Any questions on who takes over the lead at anytime? Remember IP and target?
    Smith
16. Special instructions in case of bad weather.
    Splasher No. 7
17. Call signs bomber to bomber:
    _____ Group ______
    _____ Group ______
    _____ Group ______
    _____ Group ______
    Collective call sign_______
    Recall ____________
18. Identification colors:
    351 Group RW [Red White], Aldis lamp B
    91 Group ______, Aldis lamp A
    
19. Bomber to bomber freq. 5165 kc [kilocycles].
20. Bomber to fighter channel VHF "C"
21. Bomber to fighter call signs:
    1. Bombers ______
    2. Fighters - Not required all three Petro
    3. Ground - Petro
       Collective call sign - Whitepants
       Recall - Huck Finn
22. Turn on VHF [Very High Frequency Radio] at On Takeoff
23. Colors of the day:

    Time	Color	Ident.	Challenge
    1400 - 2000	RG	H	Y
    2000 - 0200	YY	C	D

24. Taxi plan for take off and landing, and spare airplanes.
25. Any questions.
    Extra ap fly other echelon from low group.
    Leave 10 miles from coast.
    Green flares for Spitz [Spitfires?]

Operational Narrative, Mission #15
1. Seven (7) Aircraft took off as scheduled. One (1) aircraft, 42-29603, failed to take-off with the Group. Aircraft 42-3046 was with the Group as a spare and left the formation as planned at the English Coast to return to base.
2. The rendezvous with the 91st Bomb Group and with the Spitfire cover was carried out exactly as planned
3. The entire trip was made over a ten-tenths undercast. As the target was completely obscured, no attempt at bombing was made.
4. There was no enemy opposition by aircraft of flak. One (1) enemy fighter was observed, but it offered no opposition.
5. The formation was broken as ordered and the Group returned to base at 2016.
6. All of our aircraft returned safely.
[Signed] Robert W. Burns, Major, Air Corps, Deputy Group Commander.

1. The 351st Group left base at 1710 on course for ELY where two (2) squadrons of the 381st Bomb Group were picked up.
2. The Group proceeded on course and rendezvoused with the 91st Bomb Group between WISBECK and SPLASHER BEACON #7.
3. The entire flight plan was carried out exactly as ordered and all points were crossed at the specified times.
4. The Spitfire cover rendezvoused with the formation exactly on time and at the place ordered and remained with the Wing until returning to the English Coast.
5. The entire trip was made over a ten-tenths undercast and the dead reckoning navigation was very good.
6. The formation was broken as ordered at Splasher Beacon #7 and the Group returned to Base at 2016.
[Signed] Lawrence P. Stover, 1st Lt., Air Corps, Lead Navigator.

1. The target was completely obscured on this mission. No bombs were dropped and no enemy opposition was encountered.
2. Due to the fact that no bombs were dropped, the following forms are not submitted:
   a. Bombardier's Log.
   b. Altitude Chart.
   c. Combat Bombing Flight Record.
   d. Group Bombing Plot Report.
   e. WD AC Form 12C modified for Combat
[Signed] Ernest L. Watts, 2nd Lt., Air Corps, Lead Bombardier.

1. Seven A/C took off at 1651 to bomb the airdrome at Tricqueville, France. One A/C returned early as planned. Although the entire course was followed and completed as briefed, the A/C were unable to drop their bombs due to 9/10 clouds covering target area. No flak was encountered and one enemy fighter was seen. The Spitfire escort met formation as planned.
2. All planes returned. There were no casualties.

[Signed] Donald A. Rempe, 1st Lt., Air Corps

1. Due to the fact that the target was completely obscured, no bombs were dropped and no photos were taken.
2. The following photo reports are not submitted:
  a. Photo Report
  b. Mission Camera Report
  c. Photo and Bomb Plotting Report
[Signed] Robert B. Stratton, 1st Lt., Air Corps, Statistical Officer

Flak Report 29 June, 1943
1. The usual form of Flak Report is not submitted for this Mission. No enemy opposition was encountered by this Group.
[Signed] Robert B. Stratton, 1st Lt., Air Corps, Statistical Officer.

1. The usual report on abortive and Battle Damage is not submitted by Group Engineering for this mission.
2. One (1) aircraft, 42-29603, failed to take-off as scheduled, the left magneto in the No. 1 engine was out.
3. There were no abortive or battle damage on this mission.
[Signed] Robert B. Stratton, 1st Lt., Air Corps, Statistical Officer.

1. Total No. A/C in each Squadron and Letters of each:

   Sqdn 508th A/C: 090 – N,	(1)
   Sqdn 509th A/C: 749 – Z,	(1)
   Sqdn 510th A/C: 948 – B, 272 – M, 152 – A, 831 – H, 046 – T,	(5)
   Sqdn 511th A/C: 603 – R,	(1)

2. Target: Primary Z-513 AP
   
3. Station call sign and Operational call sign respectively of each Squadron

   Squadron	508 Ops:	VB7		Squadron	510 Ops:	Unreadable
   	Sta:	Unreadable			Sta:	Unreadable
   Squadron	509 Ops	VB7		Squadron	511 Ops:	Unreadable
   	Sta:	Unreadable			Sta:	Unreadable

4. Taxi Time – 1st A/C 1635;     Take-Off Time 1st A/C 1650;     E.T.D. Over Field 1710

5. Time:	Height:	Place of crossing English Coast OUT:
   1825	22,000 Ft	Beachy Head

6. Time:	Height:	Place of Recrossing Enemy Coast:
   1902	22,000 Ft	Fecamp

7. Time:	Height:	Place of crossing English Coast IN:
   1922	17,000 Ft	Beachy Head

8. E.T.R.(Estimated Time of Return): 2016 Hours
9. MF/DF [Medium Frequency/Direction Finder] Section: N
10. Bomb load of Each A/C:
    Squadron: 508 16–300 pound, Fuse - Instantaneous Nose, 45 sec. Tail
    Squadron: 509 16–300 pound, Fuse - Instantaneous Nose, 45 sec. Tail
    Squadron: 510 16–300 pound, Fuse - Instantaneous Nose, 45 sec. Tail
    Squadron: 511 16–300 pound, Fuse - Instantaneous Nose, 45 sec. Tail
11. Fuel Load of each A/C: 1700 Gals
12. Actual Times Off and Return by Squadrons and A/C Letters:

    Squadron	A/C Letter	A.T.O.	A.T.R.	Squadron	A/C Letter	A.T.O.	A.T.R.
    508	090–N	1651½	2022	509	749–Z	1655	2025½
    510	948–B	1651	2021	511
    	272–M	1653	2023½
    	152–A	1652	2023
    	831–H	1654	2024
    	046–T	1654½	1934

    Report Compiled By L.A. Curley, S/Sgt.

 As a result of the hectic battles of the last few days, the Group had only eight planes and 14 crews in a condition to fly. However, seven planes, led by Major Burns and Lt. Stewart with Lt. Stover as navigator and Lt. Watts as bombardier, took off for Triqueville, France. They flew the entire route as briefed but were unable to bomb because of solid cloud cover over the target.