on this mission to berlin the 457th put up eighteen planes led by capt. fred spencer. the target was the v.k.f. ball bearing works. as they approached the city of magdeberg they met vigorous fighter opposition, mainly me-109's and me-210's. two crews were lost during this encounter. lt eugene whelen's plane, flying in the high box, was rammed by an me-109 fighter and his aircraft exploded and fell into the low box where it crashed into the plane of lt roy e. graves. only one of the graves crew survived. five additional planes had major damage from flak over berlin. the eighth air force lost sixty nine planes on this day.

lt eugene whelen, who was flying 42-31595 in the high box, was hit by a me-109 on the way to the target. the fighter, out of control, collided with lt whelan's plane. the plane exploded and parts of his plane fell onto the low box causing the plane of lt roy graves, flying 42-31627, to crash. the only survivor was the tail gunner, sgt eldon williams who became a pow. ( see eldon williams description of this collision in "fait accompli iii" by james bass )