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Melun-Villaroche Aerodrome,
France
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Melun - Villaroche in 2007
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Melun-Villaroche Satellite
Photo 2007 (Google Earth)
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Left: "We crossed the Channel in
a English LCT, at least the crew were English. Lt. Jim Abbott
found out later
that our bacon ration was gone when we reached shore.
Jim took both photos."
Right: Capt. Bob Kehres touching his toe
on European soil at Omaha Beach, Normandy
as the 416th transferred to Melun — September 17, 1944.
"Some of the ground echelon of the
670th had just landed. Since we had some time while unloading
I browsed the German gun emplacements in the distance, then we set out
for Melun by making the wrong turn
and going thru St.Mere Eglise. St. Lo was still smoldering.
We wanted to get some apples,
but were ordered not to leave our vehicles as were in "Calvados"
country and they may have been boobytrapped.
(photos and comments courtesy of Bob Kehres)
Capt. Bob Kehres using sand to
clean his mess kit during initial bivouac at Melun-Villaroche,
September 1944
(photo courtesy of Bob Kehres)
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Left to right: Capt. Hugh
Evans, Capt. Carl Stanley, unknown (photo courtesy of Phil
Stanley)
"In September 1944
the 416th moved from
Weathersfield,
England to Villaroche Airdrome, France (a few miles north of Melun,
France.)
The pilots flew the A-20 Havocs over, pitched their Pup Tents and
waited
for the rest of the Group to arrive. Then the big eight man tents were
put
up and we packed up the Pup Tents and moved into them. On the
edge
of the 668th Bomb Squadron area was the wreckage of a German
aircraft.
Here is a photo of it and some 668th pilots playing the Hitler salute."
(Text submitted by Wayne E. Downing)
Msgt Patrick and
Capt. Kehres with a battle damaged B-17 that landed at Melun-Villaroche
(photo courtesy of Bob Kehres)
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Installing Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) at Melun, France 1944
Digging PSP out of the snow - Melun, France 1944
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Studying a situation map at
Melun-Villaroche - 2 Oct 44 (NARA photo)
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Left to right: 1st Lt.
Lilburn
S. Rogers, Capt. Robert C. Bailey, Maj. William Thomas, Msgt Kenneth
Froelich
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- "Pretty Baby" parked in Squadron
Maintenance area,
Melun-Villaroche Aerodrome, 2 October 44 (NARA photo)
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Bombs ready to load at Melun-Villaroche (photo courtesy of Joanne Tripp)
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Cpl Norman W.
McTier of Wrens,
Georgia
getting a haircut
2 oct 44 at Melun-Villaroche, A-20
in background
(NARA photo)
Formerly a German Air Base, bombed by the Allies - October 1944 Melun-Villaroche (NARA photo)
A French shepherd
and son tend
their flock
at Melun-Villaroche Aerodrome, France 2 Oct 44.
A-20s and squadron quarters in
background.
(NARA photo)
668th Bomb Sq. A-26
aircraft at
Melun-Villaroche
(photo courtesy of Phil Stanley)
- Capt. Bob
Kehres stands in a former German gun emplacement at A-55
Melun-Villaroche, France
- Winter of 1944/1945, 670th living quarters
in background (photo
courtesy of Bob Kehres)
Lt.
Bob Singletary reading Life magazine
in the snow at Melun-Villaroche, France
(photo courtesy of Wayne
Downing)
Lts. Gruning and Abbot change
a Jeep tire while Captain Harold "supervises"
Melun - Winter of '44/45
(photo courtesy of Bob Kehres)
Doc Reichert
and Bob
Kehres at the "well",
Melun-Villaroche, France
Winter of 1944/1945, 670th living
quarters
in background (photo
courtesy of Bob Kehres)
