TARGET: PILOTLESS AIRCRAFT SITES
HAUT-MAISNIT BLANGERMONT, FRANCE
8 JULY, 1944

A return was made by the Eighth Air Force to tactical targets in northern France. Bridges, railroads and pilotless aircraft launching sites were objects of attack. The 457th was required to attack two of these V-i launching sites with two 12-plane boxes. One was located in the orchards of the small rural village of Haut-Maisnil, six miles distant from Hesdin. The other, similarly hidden in orchards, was five miles to the east. Both were the Belhamin type sites and had been spotted as being active in launching V-I’s on London.

The twenty-four plane formation required no wing assembly and each proceeded south to depart from the English Coast. Captain Dozier led the A box and Captain J. L. Smith the B box. The Channel was clear, but clouds were encountered as the French Coast was approached. These increased to ten-tenths over the two targets and no bombing could be accomplished. The A box then proceeded on the return route home. The B box flew around in the Abbeville area on various courses, looking for a target of opportunity. A break in the clouds was found over the Poix airdrome and bombs were released on this target. All the bombs fell on the field and across a runway in a concentrated pattern. The targets remained untouched.

Sgt. Paul A. Birchen, whose action on the 14 June mission, earned him the award of the Silver Star, was flying as top turret gunner, flight engineer for Lt. George J. Bennett. Paul said, “They briefed us for three guns in the target area and the third one got me”. The top turret was shattered and combat was over for Paul. He spent two months in hospitals in England and an additional twelve months in the States, before being discharged. Paul’s Silver Star award caught up with him in the hospital in the States and was presented to him in a hospital ceremony.