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Posted on 11/12/2003 12:00:15 AM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.
Where the Freeper Foxhole introduces a different veteran each Wednesday. The "ordinary" Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine who participated in the events in our Country's history. We hope to present events as seen through their eyes. To give you a glimpse into the life of those who sacrificed for all of us - Our Veterans.
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May 20, 1942 to February 22,1945 For the benefit, the information, and the morale of those who follow in our footsteps, this condensed history of the 376th Bombardment Group (H) is intended. It is hoped that it may, in part, instill within those persons that common spirit of enthusiasm, devotion, and jealous regard for the honor of the group we now possess. The compilation of this booklet has not been officially ordered, or approved. It is not intended as eyewash, advertising or propaganda. On the contrary, it has been attempted solely for the express purpose of upholding and maintaining the high 'esprit de corps' which this group now enjoys. We have our traditions, our heroes, our honored dead. It is, therefore, to those honored dead that we respectfully dedicate this little history of the gallant 376th........  A town in Germany, pummeled by B-24 bombers. The Heavy Bombardment Group, now known as the 376th comprising the 512, 513, 514, and 515th squadrons, were originally designated as a special task force under the command of Colonel Harry Halverson. The organization was composed of 231 officers and men with a complement of 23 B-24 Liberator bombers. They were assembled at Fort Meyers, Florida, to take off on a remarkable flight---the ultimate destination of which was unknown. Early dawn on the morning of May 20, 1942, saw this hand-picked task force wheel their heavily loaded aircraft into the rising sun. Sixty-five flying hours later the entire fleet of these "Flying Stone Crushers", (as they have been so described by many who have seen them at work), descended June 4th upon the airdrome at Fayid, Egypt. Without the loss of a single hour of flying time, or man, all 23 bombers completed the hazardous journey across the waters of the Atlantic, the fever-ridden swamps and jungles of the Gold Coast, then on into the dry, hot highlands of the Sudan. Thence, they winged on to the land of the ancient Pharoahs. Over 6000 miles of difficult, treacherous, and uncharted flying was accomplished by this organization who called themselves "The Halpros", in recognition of the outstanding personality of their leader, Colonel Harry Halverson.  Only a few days elapsed between the arrival of this force and the call for their first mission, that of bombing and pulverizing the vital Axis-held oil refineries at Ploesti and Constanza in Roumania. This was a far different target than many of the unit had anticipated, for it was generally known that the "Halpros" were destined to fly on to China and from a securely hidden air base, conduct harassing and annoying raids on the forces of the Japanese Mikado. Their first combat mission was a 13 bomber attack on the Ploesti refineries, on June 12, 1942. Little did they realize that more than two years were to elapse before Ploesti was finally eliminated as a high priority target. Like later missions to Ploesti, this initial one was costly. Five bombers failed to return and were believed to be lost or interned in neutral countries. The dramatic escapes, the exchanges, the diplomacy exercised on the behalf of the fever-ridden survivors of this, the first of a long series of missions against big "P", will some day form a volume of brave deeds in itself.  Thus, their first mission accomplished, the "Halpros" were eager to get on with the business in Asia. But, disaster faced the heroic British Eighth Army as Field Marshall Rommel and his devastating Afrika Korps, flushed with success, threatened the last stronghold of the Allies in Eastern Africa. Here, close at hand, was urgent need for the pregnant destruction contained within the belly of the B-24. The extreme pleasure of pulverizing the abode of the Sacred Son of a Heaven could come later on. That pleasure was mentally filed under "unfinished business." So, "business before pleasure", was the thunderous roar omitted by the spitting engines as they warmed up for the take-off on the morning of June 15, 1942.  It was only their second combat mission but it was, perhaps, the most sensational of any bombing attack ever performed to date. The entire striking power of this small handful of bombers directed towards the powerful Italian Fleet who were causing trouble in the Mediterranean Sea just east of the Straits of Gibralter. Seven (imagine that!) Liberators taking off to do battle with the entire Italian Fleet! How pitiful! How inspiring! How audacious! Yet, so business-like was their performance that day that the proud Italian Navy licked their terrible wounds as they streaked for home and the safety of Taranto Bay. They were never to emerge again as a fleet until their surrender over a year later. So many hits were scored that day that the 376th bombardiers coined the famous expression: "'Twas just like shooting fish in a rain barrel." All our aircraft returned.  Then began the many and tiresome raids (they were called 'raids' in those days) carried on against harbor installations and enemy shipping in Tobruk and Benghazi. These raids became so much of the daily life of this pitifully small U.S. Air Force that a bombing mission to Benghazi was called the 'mail run'. That to Tobruk was called the 'milk run'. But both the 'mail' and the 'milk' were delivered on time, and when most needed. The fact that both 'milk' and the 'mail' were carelessly camouflaged as 500 and 1000 lb bombs does not alter the general picture. Benghazi first received its quota of 'mail' on June 21, 1942. On the 23rd, Tobruk got its 'milk'. Neither liked it, but, like spinach, it was good for what ailed the Axis. Then on and on, unceasingly from June 21 to Halloween Night on the 30th of October. Tobruk, Benghazi, enemy convoys and tankers in the Mediterranean Sea, airdromes and landing grounds in Crete and Greece, were all equally pounded, harassed, and blasted without fear or favor.  However, during this time, the enemy under the leadership of Marshal "Desert Fox" Rommel was not unduly lax in their military prestige and endeavors. The advance of the "Desert Fox" towards the rich cities of Alexandria and Cairo made it seem wise for the U.S.A.A.F. to get the hell out of Egypt and head for Palestine. Unbeaten, their shield of battle untarnished, they gracefully withdrew (not retreat, mind you) to an excellent air base at Lydia, Palestine. Here, in Palestine, was, for the first time in history, raised The Stars and Stripes. And raised, neophytes all, by the puling, squawking, lusty infant which was, later on after a diet of sand, sweat, blood and guts, to be known as the 376th Bombardment Group.  A plane is hit in the fuel tanks during a bomb run over Blechhammer, Germany. Six crew members escaped, but the pilot was killed on the ground later that day Operations were carried on from this new base. But, after the mission of July 1st, 1942, the "Halverson Detachment" was reformed into a new unit, The First Provisional Bomb Group. And, (this may surprise some of you) their numbers were augmented by the arrival of several B-17's (Flying Forts) with their eager-beaver crews. These new arrivals, the 9th Squadron, hot off the plains of India, received a hotter welcome at Lydia Airport. Things went on and on from the new Palestinean base. The 30th day of October witnessed the last mission performed by the 1st Provisional Bomb Group when a formation of 9 B-24's and 6 B-17's started out on their 62nd and 63rd mission to bomb the airports of Maleme and Tymbaki on the island of Crete. Although theresults of this attack were unobserved due to poor visibility, all the planes returned to their home air base after fighting off ambitious Axis fliers equipped with the best (at that time) fighter planes.  Came the morning of November 1st, 1942. Out of the loins of the pregnant 1st Provisional Bomb Group came the 376th Bombardment Group, sired by the now-famous Halpros. It was a lusty, husky, trouble-making, and highly destructive infant. No time was lost in celebrating the birth of the 376th. Though young in name they were already veterans of almost six months desert fighting. That same morning of Nov.1,1942, saw them winging their way to make another successful attack on the Malome, Crete, airdrome with 8 B-24's.  Conditions becoming more and more favorable in the progress of the Libyan campaign, the 376th was moved to Abu Sueir, Egypt, on November 8, 1942. The ceaseless pounding at harbor installations, fortifications, enemy shipping and convoys, as well as Axis airdromes at Benghazi and Tobruk continued on an ever increasing scale. After the fall of Tobruk on Nov. 15, 1942, and Benghazi shortly after, the 376th began again their old systematic and methodical bombing of enemy targets. This time it was conducted in newer fields and waters. The enemy had been chased westward to Tripoli, Soussa, Sfax, and Bizerta. Here they held their last stand in North Africa, punch-drunk, but still as vicious and dangerous as a wounded panther. These strongly held installations, harbors, pill-boxes and airdromes were bombed consistently until the capture of Tripoli. One of the most successful missions carried out during this period was the "sharpshooting" of the bombardiers when they attacked the harbor of Sfax on December 16, 1942. This was a feat, now at that time, in precision bombing. Sixty-nine bombs out of 72 carried were dropped exactly in the bull's eye.  The next base of the 376th was into the Western Desert of Libya where they were based at Gambut Main Landing Ground #139 on February 6, 1943. Here the lusty, healthy, and rapidly growing 376th continued to show its ill manners by causing wholesale destruction and devastation when visiting over the mainland of Italy and Sicily. During the month of February 1943, punishing and destructive missions were carried out against shipping and harbor installations at the ports of Naples, Palermo, Crotrons and Messina. Many hundreds of tons of shipping and vital military stores were destroyed by these raids upon the enemy's dwindling supplies and resources.  On the 27th of February, 1943, the group again moved, this time farther west into the Libyan Desert to a little town of Solluch. This native town was once an important Italian military outpost, now it had reverted back to its rightful owners. They were of the Senussi tribe and soon came back to town from their hide-outs in the hills and deserts. Solluch was about 30 miles south of Benghazi, the largest city and only port in Libya. Despite the adverse winter weather conditions and the big cloudburst at Solluch, operations were continued against the high priority target of that time-the Messina Ferry Terminal on the north-west tip of Sicily. Due to its strategic value in being the funnel through which troops, arms and supplies were shipped from the mainland of Italy to Sicily, and thence to North Africa, every effort was made to destroy it.  In the middle of April 1943, the 376th again moved their base to within a few miles south of Benghazi, to the field called Bonina No.2. From this new base the sensational and successful bombing attack on the airdrome at Bari, Italy, was carried out on April 26. This mission was led by Colonel Keith K. Compton who had been assigned as the new group commanding officer on February 20, 1943. Previously the group had been commanded by Col. George F. McGuire, who, since July 30, 1942, had succeeded in welding his little unit into a hard-hitting, hard-fighting, combination Task Force, Desert Air Force, Tactical and Strategic Bombing Force, and almost every other designation that could be imagined. No job was too tough, no job was impossible for the 376th. Just let one of the "brass hats" mention a nasty little job that had to be done and the 376th boys would actually be "peed-off" if they were not allowed to take a crack at it.  Under Colonel Compton, some of the most audacious and adventuresome missions were conducted. Col. "K.K." thought so much of the versality, and the destructive potentialities contained in the B-24 that it could, in the hands of expert pilots, be used for almost anything. No one before had thought of using B-24's for low-level bombing. If ever this thought had crept into their minds it had been instantly dismissed as suicidal. Every one except Col. Compton, who thought it could be done, and done well right, IF the right men were available. And he had the right men for the job. Any job! These men of the 376th were willing to try anything once, so, when it was suggested that in order to destroy the Messina Ferry Terminal, "skip-bombing" should be tried, they were all for it. The Ferry Terminal was the receiving end of ferries carrying freight and passenger cars across the Straits of Messina. Upon arriving at the Terminal they passed under the Terminal into a tunnel protected by many feet of re-inforced concrete. Impossible to blast from above and thus reach the mechanism that controlled the hauling of the freight trains from the ferries on to the land tracks, it was decided to fly in low and try and skip the bombs into the open mouth of the tunnel. Due to the intense and highly accurate anti-aircraft fire protecting the Straits of Messina, the original "ack-ack alley", it was decided best to make the attacks at sundown, coming in low towards the Ferry Terminal with the sinking sun low on the horizon to blind the ground gunners.  It would take many pages to describe these hair-raising, low-level missions against Messina and we have only room for one or two incidents. Jerry DuFour was piloting one of the big Liberators for the entrance of the Ferry Terminal opening on one occasion. He had just skidded his bombs into the tunnel's mouth when he saw, dead ahead of him, a flight enemy Junkers cruising his way. Both were surprised as it was an accidental meeting. There was nothing else for DuFour to do but plow straight ahead with all his machine guns firing right and left. Right into the middle of the enemy planes he flew, shooting down one and scattering the rest. The enemy was so caught by surprise at seeing this terrible, spitting monster coming at them where none was supposed to be that not one shot was fired at Jerry's Lib! Then there was the time when Major Norman C. Appold got bored with just merely skip-bombing the Messina Terminal and made a one-plane, low-level strafing attack on a chemical plant, airdrome and railway yards at Crotone, Italy.  The installations at Messina were entirely wrecked by these daring attacks. Came next the systematic pounding of Reggio di Calabria (across the Straits on the toe of Italy), and softening-up and pulverizing of all the supply dumps, harbor installations and airdromes in preparation of the invasion of Sicily. Other notable missions followed, the bombing of the Littorio Railway Yards in Rome is one in particular. The day before the Rome mission British planes circled over the Eternal City and dropped leaflets telling the inhabitants to get up on their roof-tops next day at noon and see a good example of the American's precision bombing. The leaflets told the natives to keep away from the Littorio rail yards as that was to be the target for the coming day. The next day, July 19, 1943, at high noon the drone of B-24's could be heard over Rome. Swinging surely towards their assigned target, with all the confidence in the world in their ability to squarely hit their objective, the bombs were sent hurling downwards with such grace and precision that the yards were rendered entirely useless for further movement of enemy supplies towards the Americans, Canadians, and British forces. Veterans Association - Click on the B-24  |
One Liberator came home with cornstalks wedged in the engine cowling, while parts of some black and white bird were found in another. It was either a chicken or magpie with the odds being in favor of chicken. Other Liberators came home with hay and small tree branches and leaves decorating the cowling. Many of the Liberators didn't come home that night.
The war progressing favorably to a point where it was believed the 376th should again move forward, about the middle of September this movement was started. The new base was near Enfidaville, in southern Tunisia, at the base of a range of purple and gold mountains. One of the things most distinctly remembered about this new base was the hunting of chukkar partridges, the beautiful sunsets reflected on the mountains, and another of those terrible, desert cloudbursts.
"Early today, echoing the thunderous blast of exploding 2000-lb bombs aimed at four enemy-held bridges, came Colonel K.K. Compton's terse radio message back to his home air base: “All bridges busted beautifully!”
“Many times in the past have Colonial Compton's Liberandos been called upon to perform skillful, hazardous and hair-raising jobs. This morning's raid, carried out 'on the deck', or just skimming the crest of the waves, was no exception.
“Briefed to destroy these four bridges, vital links in the only railroad on the east coast of Italy, and the destruction of which would cut off reinforcements to the hard-pressed enemy, the Liberandos struck at dawn.
“Sweeping in from the sea in a surprise attack they skidded their huge bombs into the piers and abutments of four separate bridges, some spanning miniature 'Grand Canyons', and swept out to sea again to escape the awful upheaval that followed. From this operation all our planes returned safely."
On January 8, 1944, the 376th welcomed its new commanding officer, Colonel Theodore Q. Graff. A few years more mature than Colonel Compton, still he had that exhuberance of youth about him, combined with a quiet dignity, that endeared him to all. He was the type of man the 376th had been accustomed to, and wanted. First of all they wanted a leader, a combat pilot willing to lead them on any of their "rough" assignments. They also wanted a confidant; a "tough" but "fair" boss; a "brass hat" without too great a show of brass. They got all these qualities in Colonel Graff. Lucky, indeed, has been the 376th in getting the "cream of the crop" for its commanding officers.
In January 1944, the 376th reverted to the close ground-air support tactics developed and conducted a year or more before in the Western Desert. Almost the entire month of January was spent in an extensive training program in preparation of the coming Spring offensive when these tactics would be used.
376hbgva.com
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 The 15th crippled the enemy's transportation system over half of once-occupied Europe with repeated fighter and bomber attacks. On occasion it helped disperse enemy counter attacks and spearheaded the advances of our own armies. The 15th dropped 303,842 tons of bombs on enemy targets in 12 countries of Europe, including military installations in eight capital cities. Its combat personnel made 148,955 heavy bomber sorties and 87,732 fighter sorties against the enemy. It lost 3,364 aircraft and 21,671 personnel killed, wounded, missing and taken prisoner -- 20,430 bomber crewmen and 1,187 fighter pilots. The 15th fought four broad campaigns: against enemy oil, enemy air force, enemy communications, and enemy ground forces. Most vital of the 15th's oil targets was the Ploesti complex of refineries, which contributed about 30% of the entire Axis oil supply and an equal amount of gasoline. Ploesti was protected by 150 first class fighters and 250 heavy flak guns when the 15th, with the cooperation of the RAF 205th Group of night bombers, began a series of attacks against it on April 5. The campaign continued until Aupust 19. 15th and RAF bombers flew 5287 sorties, dropping 12,870 tons of bombs. The cost was 237 heavies (15 of them RAF), 10 P-38 dive bombers and 39 escorting fighters. More than 2,200 American Airmen were lost. But results were good. At the end of the campaign the refineries were reduced to only 10% of their normal rate of activity and during the entire period from April to August the average production rate was reduced by 60%. The 15th followed up the Ploesti attacks by dropping 10,000 tons of bombs in attacks on three synthetic oil plants in Silesia and one in Poland, reducing their combined production by February of 1945 to 20% of what it was in June of 1944. By devastating attacks on Weiner Neustadt and Regenshurg, two of the three main enemy fighter manufacturing complexes, the 15th helped materially in the attainment of European air supremacy. By May 1944, estimated actual production stood at 250 aircraft a month within range of the 15th against a contemplated production of 650 aircraft per month. Throught the counter-air force and oil campaigns, the 15th was also attacking enemy communications and transportation systems far behind the front lines, disrupting supply movements from industrial centers over an 8OO mile radius from the ItaIian airfields. The 15th also supplied Allied Army cooperation bombing targets at Salerno, Anzio, and Cassino in the Rome campaign. On April 15, 1945 the 15th put up a record smashing 93% of its available aircraft to soften up the approaches to Bologna in one of the final missions of the Italian campaign. A unique sidelight of the 15th's operations has been the rescue and repatriation of air crews shot down in enemy territory. No other air force has undertaken escape operations in so many countries. The 15th has returned 5650 personnel by air, surface vessel and on foot through enemy lines. In more than 300 planned "reunion" operations, men have been brought back safely from Tunisia, Italy, France,Switzerland, Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Austria and Germany.
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Thanks quietolong
Howdy troops and veterans.
THANK YOU for serving the USA !
BRRRRRR! Anyone who knows me is aware that I will NOT EEEEEEVEN get on a plane.....and reading about what these people did has given me the heebie-jeebies! LOL!
And I never heard of skip-bombing! The things we learn here in the Foxhole. Absolutely cool!
.......FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!Microsoft released their monthly set of critical updates for Windows yesterday. If you run Windows be sure to download those updates.
Also, be sure to download the latest anti-virus information from your anti-virsu software.
Today's classic warship, USS New Hampshire (BB-25)
Connecticut class battleship
displacement. 16,000 t.
length. 456'4"
beam. 76'10"
draft. 24'6"
speed. 18 k.
complement. 850
armament. 4 12", 8 8", 12 7", 20 3", 2 1-pdrs., 4 21" tt.
The USS New Hampshire (BB-25) was laid down 1 May 1905 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; launched 30 June 1906; sponsored by Miss Hazel E. McLane, daughter of Governor John McLane of New Hampshire; and commissioned 19 March 1908, Capt. Cameron M. Winslow in command.
After fitting out at New York, New Hampshire carried a Marine Expeditionary Regiment to Colon, Panama, 20-26 June 1908, then made ceremonial visits to Quebec, Portsmouth, New York, and Bridgeport. Overhaul at New York and Caribbean exercises were followed by participation in the Naval Review by President Theodore Roosevelt in Hampton Roads 22 February 1909, welcoming home the "Great White Fleet." Through the next year and a half she exercised along the east coast and in the Caribbean. In late 1910, after her appearance had been altered by the installation of a pair of "cage" masts, she departed Hampton Roads 1 November 1910 with the Second Battleship Division for Cherbourg, France and Weymouth, England. Leaving England 30 December, she returned to the Caribbean until arriving in Norfolk 10 March 1911 to prepare for a second European cruise which took her to Scandinavian, Russian and German ports. The squadron returned to New England waters 13 July.
New Hampshire trained Naval Academy midshipmen off New England in the next two summers, and patrolled off strife-torn Hispaniola in December 1912. From 14 June 1913 until 29 December, she similarly protected American interests along the Mexican coast, to which she returned 15 April 1914 to support the occupation of Vera Cruz. New Hampshire sailed north 21 June, was overhauled at Norfolk, and exercised along the east coast and in the Caribbean until returning to Vera Cruz in August 1915.
Arriving Norfolk 30 September 1915, New Hampshire operated in Northern waters until 2 December 1916, when she sailed for Santo Domingo, where her commanding officer took part in the government of the revolt-torn country. She returned to Norfolk in February 1917 for overhaul, where she lay when the United States entered World War I. For the next year and a half she trained gunners and engineers in northern coastal waters, and on 15 September began the first of two convoy escort missions, guarding transports from New York to a rendezvous point off the French coast. On 24 December she sailed on the first of four voyages bringing veterans home from France to east coast ports. This duty completed 22 June 1919, she was overhauled at Philadelphia, then 5 June 1920 sailed with Academy midshipmen embarked for a cruise through the Panama Canal to Hawaii and west coast ports. She returned to Philadelphia 11 September.
New Hampshire served as flagship for the special naval force in Haitian waters from 18 October to 12 January 1921, and on 25 January sailed with the remains of Swedish Minister Wilhelm Ekengren for Stockholm arriving 14 February. She called also at Kiel and Gravesend before returning to Philadelphia 24 March. There she decommissioned 21 May 1921. She was sold for scrapping 1 November 1923 in accordance with the Washington Treaty for the Limitation of Naval Armaments.
Big Guns in Action!
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