'If it is granted that the
successful destruction of the target would warrant the possible expenditure of
the entire force . . .'
So wrote Major General Lewis Brereton, the
US Ninth Air Force commander in the Middle East, as the planners contemplated
the options of a high or low level attack on the oil refineries at Ploesti in
Rumania.
If this source of 40 per cent of Germany's oil could be
eliminated, it would deal a vital body-blow to the Third Reich's ability to wage
war, and a surprise attack by heavy B-24 Liberators flying at tree-top height
was considered the best method of achieving success.
Three bomb groups
from the Eighth Air Force based in Britain flew out to join two groups of the
Ninth already in North Africa, the combined force of 179 aircraft destined to
carry out the first massed low-level heavy bomber mission in history.
The
Ploesti Raid took place on Sunday, August 1, 1943 and, but for a navigational
error which put the leading formation on a course away from the target, the
operation might have resulted in the destruction of the seven chosen targets.
However, by the time the mistake was realised, the defences were on the alert
and over 20 Liberators were brought down in and around Ploesti. A further 35
aircraft were lost. Although the operation resulted in the award of five Medals
of Honor - America's highest decoration for bravery - the cost was high: 308
airmen lost their lives and 208 were taken prisoner or interned. Out of the
1,753 men who are known to have set out on the mission, a total of 516 had
failed to return.
ISNB 1 870067 55 X
Size 8½" x 12"
160
Pages
300 Illustrations
£24.95.
CODE F056
Oil and the 'Halpro' Raid
From 'Statesman'
to 'Soapsuds' Planning for Operation 'Tidalwave'
The Plan
Personnel
on 'Tidalwave'
Destination Ploesti
Post-raid Analysis
Disposition
of Aircraft on 'Tidalwave'
The Awards
The War Goes On
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