Target: Road Junctions at La Haye du Puits and Saint Sauveur, France
Time Of Take-Off: 19:35 / Time Over Target: 21:18 / Time Landed: 22:20
36 B-26 aircraft were dispatched to attack enemy Road Junctions at La Haye du Puits and Saint Sauveur, France. Aircraft were loaded with 2x2000LB General Purpose bombs with bombing to be done by flights of 6 aircraft below the cloud layer. Allied aircraft will again be providing area cover.
Weather conditions enroute were 10/10ths clouds at 8,000 feet. Weather at the targets was 20 miles visibility over St. Sauveur with clouds of 10/10th at 9,000 feet, 8 to 10/10th clouds at 8,000 feet over La Haye Du Puits.
The 1st box was scheduled to attack a road junction at La Haye du Puits. After making 2 runs, the bombs dropped by the 1st flight fell in a tight concentration 450 feet north of the aiming point. Bombs fell across two roads and in open fields with near misses to two buildings previously damaged. Results were rated as GOOD. No photographic coverage was available for the 2nd flight, but after making 2 runs, the observed results were reported as POOR. After making 3 runs on the target, the bombs from the 3rd flight fell in a tight concentration on the aiming point. Hits were observed in a residential area. Results rated as EXCELLENT.
The 2nd box was scheduled to attack a road junction at Saint Saveur. There was a lack of photographic evidence which, although it was possible to determine the results of the bombing, made it impossible to determine which flight it should be attributed to. One flight's bombs bracketed the desired aiming point; 6 buildings were destroyed, 8 buildings were over half destroyed, and 2 roadways were also hit. Results were rated as EXCELLENT. Another flight's bombs landed in two parallel strings about 425 feet north of aiming point; 1 bomb hit in roadway on approach to bridge and 2 buildings were over half destroyed. Results rated as GOOD. The remaining flight's bombs landed in a long string west-northwest of aiming point; 2 hits in Rail Marshalling Yards destroying at least 5 goods wagons, 7 buildings were over half destroyed, and 1 bomb hit in roadway. Results were rated as FAIR. Results overall were rated GOOD to EXCELLENT.
Heavy, Moderate, Accurate FLAK was encountered enroute to the target which resulted in 4 aircraft in the lead flight sustaining battle damage.
1/Lt. Wayne H. Hesterley, Schirmer's Bombardier in aircraft 833, was slightly wounded by flying plexiglass.
Crews reported seeing a large explosion near the island of Alderney shortly after a B-24 passed below the formation. Many critical comments were made about the mess Sergeants and the food, including the Logan crew who commented that they were gassed up after eating beans and wieners !