PA-419
From a 410th Bomb Group Newsletter, circa February 1997 572 words
THE 410th AND THE B-26s Saved as: Chilt410.DOC.419
THE 410th AND THE B-26s
By Carl S. Chilton, Jr.
One interesting sidelight of the 410th Bomb Group history concerns the B-26 aircraft and crews that were assigned to the group in late 1944. I joined the 410th as a B-26 co-pilot, so I was a part of that story.
After I received my wings in April, 1944 I trained in B-26s at Barksdale Field in Shreveport, then joined the 344th Bomb Group (a B-26 outfit) a r o u n d November l, 1944. I thought I had finally settled down in one place for awhile, but this was not the case. After about three weeks the squadron co called me in. He said I had been selected at random for a new assignment, and would be joining a different crew.
So on November 23, 1944, after Thanksgiving dinner with the 344th, we flew our B-26 to Coulommiers to join the 410th. We became part of the 645th squadron, and were one of eight B26 crews in the 410th. We weren't sure what we were getting into, but we learned one thing the first day—we would be living in tents!
We were told we would he flying night missions in conjunction with the A-20s, and that we should pretty much on our own, with little supervision or direction.
Finally, on February 4, 1945 we flew our first night mission. The B26s went in ahead of the A-20s and dropped flares to light the target. The group flew two more night missions during February.
Apparently higher authorities were not impressed with night missions So it was decided to use the maintain our flying proficiency and await training for the night missions.
The 410th continued to fly regular daytime missions. So we waited. And waited. We had our own B26, which we flew fairly regularly to keep in practice. Group headquarters requested us to go up and check the weather at times. But we were B-26s on regular day missions a "window ships", going in ahead o the A-20s and dropping window After those months of inactivity we flew nine missions in March on one mission we were shot up t the extent we had to crash land.
And on March 29, after only ten missions, I was astonished at being promoted to first lieutenant. The pilot of my original B 26 crew in the 344th had about thirty missions by then, and was still a second lieutenant. So I wondered how he would fee about being outranked by his ex-co-pilot.
One interesting side light of my career with the 410th was m" opportunity to fly three different twin engine bombers. The first, of course, was the B-26. Then I was told to check out in the A-20. And in May,1945 the 410th received the new A-26s which I also learned to fly.
The B-26s were eventually sent back to B-26 groups. But by then ] had learned to fly the A-20, and stayed with the 410th. My last few missions were flown as an A-20 pilot.
Following are the captions to two pictures included in the original article:
Chilton's Crew Members Survey Damage. From Left are Chilton, co-pilot; Bob Boland, Bombardier; Fred Palmer, Pilot; Harold Mclnnis, Navigator; and Sgts. Van Sweden and Ramey (In the Hatch), gunners.
Carl Chilton's B-26 on March 13, 1945, that Crash Landed After the Hydraulic System Was Shot out on a Mission as a Window v Ship over an Air-Field Near Frankfurt.
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