On this date the 8th air force launched 1257 bombers to attack many targets in Germany. The targets were primarily synthetic oil and the weather over the continent was CAVU. Fifty (50) heavy bombers were lost on this date. The 457th supplied two boxes of 18 aircraft. Bombing results were excellent. The flak was extremely heavy and accurate and sixteen aircraft sustained damage. One plane s/n 42-31615, named "Snafusk Shamrock" and piloted by Lt William Bonner was lost to flak and exploded.

Plane s/n 42-31615, named "Snafusk Shamrock," and piloted by Lt William G. Bomer was flying tail-end-Charlie in the low box. With their bomb bay doors open they were hit by flak over the target. The plane lost two engines, was set afire and had major damage to the tail section. The plane left the formation and immediately went into a spin. At about 5000 feet the plane exploded. The tail gunner was in the plane when it exploded but was thrown clear. As Lt Bomer descended in his parachute, people on the groung were shooting at him. He could see holes open up in his parachute and when he landed he was brutalized by an antiaircraft crew. All the crew became POWs.( See William Bomar's account of this incident in "Black Puff Polly" by Roland Byers)