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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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Posted on 01/27/2003 5:37:14 AM PST by SAMWolf
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are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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Losses on the first large-scale Ploesti raid were staggering, heroism unsurpassed.  Why did Ploesti merit that unprecedented effort? In mid-1943, seven refineries in and near the city were producing an estimated 35 percent of Germany's oil and an equal proportion of her aviation gasoline. Some Allied planners thought that destruction of the refineries might even force the Nazis out of the war. The task force put together for Ploesti was composed of two Ninth Air Force B-24 groups--the 376th and 98th--based in North Africa and three B-24 groups from Eighth Air Force--the 93d, 44th, and the recently arrived 389th--that were moved from their UK bases to fields in North Africa near Benghazi, Libya. The attack was set for Sunday, Aug. 1, in order to minimize casualties among impressed workers at the refineries. It was meticulously planned and thoroughly rehearsed, including two full-scale practice missions against a simulation of the Ploesti targets, laid out in a remote area of the desert. In concept, if not in execution, the plan of attack was simple, its essence: surprise and precision. The bomber stream would be led by the 376th Group under Col. Keith K. Compton, followed by the 93d, 98th, 44th, and 389th in that order. Specific buildings within the five refineries in Ploesti; the refinery at Campina, 18 miles northwest of the city; and one at Brazi, five miles to the south, were assigned to elements of the five groups.  The task force, totaling 177 B-24s with Brig. Gen. Uzal Ent as mission commander flying in Compton's aircraft, would take off between 4 and 5 a.m., fly north in a tight column of groups to Corfu (off the coast of Greece), then climb over the mountains of Albania and Yugoslavia to the Danubian plain, where they would descend below enemy radar coverage. At Pitesti, the first Initial Point (IP), the 389th would break off to the left and proceed to the refinery at Campina. The four leading groups would drop to 500 feet and continue to the final IP at Floresti, where they would begin a 13-mile bomb run on five refineries in the city and the one at Brazi, descending to treetop level for bomb release. All six refineries would be hit almost simultaneously by a single wave of bombers, flying line-abreast, that would saturate the defenses. That was the plan. Winston Churchill is credited with observing that "in war, nothing ever goes according to plan except occasionally, and then by accident." Ploesti was no exception. In the long flight over the Mediterranean, the column lost some of its cohesion, with the 376th and 93d Groups slightly ahead of the other three. Then, near Corfu, the lead aircraft with the route navigator went out of control and crashed. (Ent and Compton were not in the lead bomber, but in a position to assume the lead when a final turn to the bomb run was made.) A second 376th aircraft bearing the deputy route navigator followed down to look for survivors. Unable to climb back in time to rejoin the group, it returned to Benghazi. Now ahead of the formation towering cumulus clouds rose above the mountains. The two lead groups threaded their way through or under the clouds, while the 98th, 44th, and 389th penetrated the cloud line at varying altitudes. By the time those three had reformed a column and resumed a heading for Pitesti, the first two groups were 29 minutes ahead of them. Because of radio silence, Ent and Compton could not contact the trailing groups. Not knowing whether or not those groups had turned back, they decided to follow the operations order even though they might have to go it alone. Thus, the five groups actually proceeded toward Pitesti as two widely separated forces. A surprise attack on the refineries in Ploesti by a single wave of some 140 bombers, that dominant key to success at an acceptable cost, was beyond redemption.  The chain of circumstance was not yet complete. The 376th and 93d Groups made their turn at Pitesti and headed for the final IP at Floresti. Halfway between the two IPs lay the town of Targoviste, which closely resembled Floresti. Flying at very low altitude, the 376th mistook Targoviste for the IP and turned southeast on the briefed bomb-run heading, which took the two groups to the west of Ploesti--an error that wasn't discovered until they were on the outskirts of Bucharest. At that point, Ent broke radio silence, ordering the two groups to turn north and attack targets of opportunity in the complex of refineries. The 93d Group, led by Lt. Col. Addison E. Baker, a National Guard officer who had been called to active duty in 1940, caught a glimpse of refineries off to the left. He and his pilot, Maj. John Jerstad, who had completed his combat tour but volunteered for the mission, bored in on an unidentified refinery, which turned out to be Columbia Aquila, a 44th Group target. Enemy defenses, much heavier than anticipated, were thoroughly aroused. More than 230 antiaircraft guns, supported by many barrage balloons and smoke pots, surrounded the refineries, with perhaps 400 fighters in the area. Into a maelstrom of ground fire, Baker led the group. Short of the refinery, his B-24 was hit and burst into flames. Baker and Jerstad could have bellied in on open fields or pulled up to bailout altitude and probably saved themselves and their crew. But this was a mission on which some thought the outcome of the war might hinge. Without wavering, they led the bombers straight on to the refinery before crashing into the ground. Both Baker and Jerstad were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. Off to the right of their funeral pyre, a second element of the 93d bombed two refineries assigned to the 98th Group. Meanwhile, five B-24s of the 376th Group led by Maj. Norman C. Appold hit the Concordia Vega refinery, originally assigned to the 93d, and "emerged covered with soot" as other 376th bombers unloaded on various segments of the Ploesti complex.  While the 376th and 93d were making the best of a bad situation, the other three, led by veteran pilot Col. John R. "Killer" Kane, commander of the 98th, turned at Pitesti as planned. The tail-end 389th under Col. Jack Wood broke off to the northeast, bombing the refinery at Campina to complete destruction. Four aircraft were lost to flak, one of them piloted by 21-year-old 2d Lt. Lloyd H. Hughes, who was on his fifth combat mission. His B-24, hit by ground fire, leaked streams of gasoline from wing and bomb-bay tanks. Below lay wheat fields, where Hughes could have landed, but instead he drove on through the smoke and flame created by the bombers ahead of him, struck his target, and came out with his left wing sheathed in flame. His desperate attempt to save the crew by crash-landing on a lake bed failed when one wing of the blazing B-24 hit a river bank and the plane exploded. The mission's third posthumous Medal of Honor was awarded to Hughes.
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Col. Walter Stewart
Walt Stewart, a native of Benjamin, Utah (left) with Dan Metcalf KO7R (right), February, 2001. Col. Stewart is 83 years old in this picture, taken beside his home, the house he was born in.
Walt is the great-nephew of John M. Browning, the famous gunmaker, and is a hero in his own right.
In WWII, as pilot of the B-24 "Utah Man" he was the leader of a crew of ten men on his plane. There were over 160 planes and 1600 men who conducted the surprise bombing raid on Hitler's oil fields in Ploesti, Romania on August 1, 1943.
Over 50 of these planes didn't return. Col. Stewart and his crew were the last of the raiders to land back in Benghazi, their home base, with all tanks empty and the plane shot up so badly that their maximum speed was about 125 MPH. This was his 31st mission (with only 25 being required in order to retire from bomber duty). He was belatedly awarded the Distinguished Service Cross a few years ago for his part in the mission (it had originally been wrongly awarded to someone else, due to a paperwork mix-up).
His story is available on the video "Wing and a Prayer, the Saga of Utah Man" for $20 plus postage. Anyone interested contact KO7R at 801-768-9144, or email ko7r@juno.com. KO7R gets no profit. Col. Stewart is still very active, does farming and speaks to scout troops, youth groups, and church meetings, etc. on a regular basis.
Meeting him and listening to his stories and experiences were a highlight of my life. We should never forget Walt nor all the others like him---many of whom never returned---because of all they gave and were willing to give, when asked by their country's leaders. These WWII vets are dying at the rate of 1,100 a day now, and won't be around much longer. If you know one, thank him while he is still alive.
Dan Metcalf
3 March, 2001
BOMERANG
This plane took part in the 93rd Bomb Group's first mission on 9 Oct
1942 and was shot up so badly it was going to be used for parts, however
it was put back into flying condition and went on to become the first
8th Air Force B-24 to complete 50 missions, including Ploesti, and in
fact did go on to 53 after being flown by three different assigned
crews. On 4 Apr 1944, Walt Stewart flew it back to the states with a
picked crew of guys from all four 93rd squadrons who had completed their
missions and went on to do a war bond tour.
Walt shaking hands with General Timberlake
General
Timberlake signing his name to the planes nose
All B&W pictures above Copyright: Rob Clayton
Bomerang, flying low over the Ploesti oil refineries.
Picture Copyright: Kent Jaquith
Walt holding his Distinguished Service Cross
Memorial to veterans of all U.S. wars from Benjamin, UT.
Walt's wife Ruth played a major role in organizing this memorial.
Ruth Stewart
Above 4 pictures Copyright: Dan Metcalf
In the latter part of May 2002 I stumbled upon a documentary airing on television called, “Wing and a Prayer, The Saga of Utah Man”. I have always been interested in World War II and especially the USAAF. This video was about Walter T. Stewart and the 1 Aug. 1943 raid on the Rumanian oilfields of Ploesti. I sat through the whole of it completely mesmerized and knew I had to have a copy of this film. One thing led to another and with the help of Dan Metcalf (mentioned above), I was able to meet Col Stewart. Actually I was able to meet Walter not only once, but twice while in Utah visiting family. It was a very enjoyable time and I will treasure the memory of the visits. Not only do I admire Col. Stewart for what he did in the performance of his duty during his military career; I admire him for the life he has led since. He is a devoted family man and has served his church with great diligence since before he was in the military. I was able to take my son on the second visit and I hope he will remember Walt and the things he said. My son won’t ever serve in the military, but if I and men like Walter Stewart have anything to say about it, he will know what has been done for him by men and women who when called upon, made many serious sacrifices, up to and including their lives.
I enlisted in the army after high school and served 21 years both on active duty and in the reserves. I never saw combat, but I knew many who did. We need to appreciate those who have put their lives on the line over these many years, going where they were told to go and doing what they were told (or asked) in the service of their country. Most of these men and women don’t like to be called heroes, the heroes are those who didn’t come home.
Thanks,
Steve Hall KB3IOJ
Walt with model of B-24
Copyright: Steve Hall
Mostly I love the fact that due to radio silence and a navigation error we ended up coming at the oil fields from two different directions with a minimum of clearance and while that horrified the pilots that had to deal with it dumped into their laps, the Gerry's thought we were insane geniuses for pulling off a manuever like that!!
It reminds me of the dichotomy of the Pacific War, the Japs would always scream their heads off trying to scare the Marines and yet they were terrified by our Marines creeping silently through the jungles to get them!
At any rate, God Bless all the men and women that stood tall and saved Freedom for the United States of America and the world!!
I would like to stay informed though, so keep me on the list!
My husband's uncle was killed at Ploesti...Louis Girard.
I believe he was a pilot. All of the boys in the family, except my father-in-law (the youngest), were Air Force pilots in WWII. I don't really know all of the details. At family gatherings, I guess I should have been paying attention to their conversations about Louis instead of doing the dishes for my mother-in-law. lol
Keep up the good work! And, please, keep me on your ping list!
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