The synthetic oil refinery at Bohlen, Germany was the target for the 457th on this date and the Group was led by Col Rogner who was Air Commander. One run on the target was made but because of smoke and haze the target could not be identified and a second run was attempted. On the second run, another group almost "shuffled the deck" with the 457th and the groups bombs were dropped off the target. One Squadron dropped it's bombs on the town of Gotha. Flak was intense and accurate and two planes, s/n 42-107026 and s/n 42-31505, were shot out of the formation but managed to land in France. The lead plane, s/n 43-38583, in high element of the high box was also hit and managed to land at a P-47 airbase in Belgium.

Plane s/n 42-31505, named "Miss Cue", 751st Squadron, piloted by Lt Joseph C. Frechette, was hit by accurate and intense flak over the target at Bohlen, Germany. The pilot was able to keep the plane aloft until all the crew had parachuted. Sgt Price was killed when his parachute failed to open. The rest of the crew were taken prisoner and became POW's.

Read Joe Frechette's account of the loss of 42-31505.

Joseph E. Frechette......... Crew

The crew was as follows:
     Plane s/n 42-31505     

Pilot		Lt Joseph C. Frechette	POW
Copilot		Lt Norman W. Hanson	POW
Navigator		Lt William H. Gullette	POW
Toggleer		Sgt Ward C. Price	KIA
Aircraft Engineer		Sgt Granville F. Billingsley	POW
Radio Operator		Sgt Walter B. Lander	POW
Left Waist Gunner		Sgt James F. Hedgecock	POW
Ball Turret Gunner		Sgt Clanence R. Shepherd	POW
Tail Gunner		Sgt Salvatore M. Mastrantonio	POW