For this mission to the area around Paris, France, the 457th put up a maximum effort of 57 aircraft. The target for the 457th was airfields and supporting facilities. The Germans put up some three hundred fighters in this region on this date. The weather was CAVU and the flack was heavy and very accurate. For reasons unknown the bombs were not dropped on the first pass and the group proceeded to do a 360 turn to make another pass. During this turn the group was attacked by about 15 German fighters that passed through the three boxes that were in trail. Bomb results were poor. Five planes were badly hit and were lost.....the worst mission yet for the 457th. For gallantry in action on this mission, Major Syptak and Sgt Birchen each recieved the Silver Star. The crews lost were 42-97579 (Allen), 42-97062 (Johnson), 42-31568 (Rogers), 42-102464 (Blackwell), and 42-31618 (La Paze).

Plane s/n 42-31568, was piloted by Lt William F. Rogers. The air commander had called for the Squadron to do a 360 over the target and come in again upwind. On the second approach the headwinds held up the planes and the flak was extremely accurate. No 4 engine was knocked out and the wing was set afire by a large hole in the right wing gas tank. The fire melted the motor mounts and the no. 3 engine fell off the plane. The order was given to abandon ship. The crew all parachuted into France. Chumuas and Quick were POW's for the remainder of the war and the rest of the crew evaded capture and returned to duty. (See William Rogers story about this mission #66 in "Black Puff Polly" by Roland Byers.