[SAMWolf]

No Turning Back

When Kane's 98th Group and the 44th, commanded by Col. Leon W. Johnson, a 1936 graduate of the Military Academy, turned at Floresti on their bomb run, they saw ahead columns of black smoke laced with flames and torn by explosions, the result of bombs dropped by the 376th and 93d Groups minutes earlier.

Both men knew that beneath those black clouds, which hid barrage balloon cables and tall chimneys, lay many delayed-action bombs that would detonate at random. With only about half the number of bombers planned for a simultaneous attack, enemy defenses would be far from saturated. They would have been fully justified in abandoning the attack. The probability of survival was low, but the rewards of success could be immeasurably high. For those two courageous leaders there was no turning back.



Kane led 41 of his B-24s straight into a scene that resembled the background of a medieval painting of hell, losing 15 Liberators to flak and fighters in the target area and three more to fighters over Bulgaria. His own plane, with one engine out at Ploesti and fatal battle damage from flak, was demolished in a crash landing at an Allied field on Cyprus.

Johnson, followed by 15 of his 44th Group crews, flew through flak, explosions, heavy smoke, and blistering heat, avoiding by a hair some 376th Group B-24s that were coming off a target, and successfully attacked the already burning Columbia Aquila refinery. Only nine of the 16 survived the gauntlet of fire. Johnson's plane was hit repeatedly, but made it back to Benghazi more than 13 hours after takeoff. While he was attacking his target, 21 of his B-24s led by Lt. Col. James Posey had a clear shot at the untouched refinery at Brazi, which they leveled, but lost two aircraft to fighters on the way home.

Both Jonson, now a retired four-star general, and Kane were awarded the Medal of Honor for their courageous decision to press on, regardless of the consequences, against targets the planners had considered so important as to justify the loss of half the attacking force. In fact, more than 30 percent of the B-24s that reached the target area were lost to enemy action or landed in neutral Turkey with battle damage and were interned.*



There are enough other stories of heroism on that mission to fill a book. The Distinguished Service Cross, second highest decoration for valor, was awarded to several men, among them Ent, Compton, Wood, Posey, Appold, and then-Capt. William R. Cameron of the 44th Group, like John Jerstad a volunteer for the mission.

Improvisation and raw courage overcame the vagaries of war--inaccuarate intelligence on enemy defenses, unforeseen weather, human error--and a plan that perhaps demanded too much of too many in a strategy and tactic that had not been tried before. We honor the men who met the tests and trials of an historic mission and the nearly 500 who did not come back that day.

The Results.
Two of the 7 assigned targets were not bombed, and 'in the next month their oil production 'increased from 47% of capacity to 92%. Four targets were hit by planes from different groups. Two were damaged, production falling from 66% to 28%, and two were completely shut down, one for 4 months and one for 11 months. Creditul Minier was shut down permanently.

The Cost.
Of the 162 raiders to reach Ploesti (3 crashed and 13 aborted en route), 51 were lost and 22 landed (or crashed) at Allied bases on Malta, Sicily, and Cyprus. Of the 89 Liberators that returned to Benghazi that day, only 31 were flyable.

[SAMWolf]

At first light on August 1, 1943 a force of 178 B-24 Liberator bombers lifted off dusty airstrips in the Libyan desert. They were to fly a 2000 mile round-trip deep into enemy territory, bomb a heavily defended target, and return to their North African base - without fighter escort. So began one of the bloodiest and heroic missions in the annals of aerial warfare. The target - the oil refineries at Ploesti.



One third of Germany's petroleum products were supplied from Ploesti, situated deep in Rumania and well beyond the range of Allied bombers based in England. Deprived of this vital supply of fuel, Germany's mighty war machine would grind to a halt. The high command were aware of this and the installations at Ploesti were defended accordingly. To attack such a heavily defended target with the required degree of accuracy it was necessary to bomb from a perilously low level, a task for which the B-24 was notoriously unsuited. The mission called for inspired leadership, cool determination and courage beyond the call of duty - and all of these were given in plenty.

As the first wave of bombers roared into the target, some as low as 50 feet, the German defenses opened up with a barrage of fire. Within moments the entire area erupted with exploding bombs, bursting shells, gushing flames and billowing palls of smoke. One by one the gallant crews took their aircraft through the intense wall of Ack-Ack and 88mm ground fire, and into the burning inferno to deliver their deadly cargo.

Of the 178 B-24s dispatched, 52 were lost and all but 35 aircraft suffered damage, one limping home after 14 hours and holed in 365 places. Ploesti witnessed countless acts of heroism, for which the crews received more decorations for bravery than any other mission of the war.

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on January 27:
1546 Joachim III Frederick elector (Brandenburg)
1556 Abbas I "the Great", shah of Persia (1587-1629)
1592 Pierre de La Barre composer
1662 Richard Bentley Oulton, scholar/controversialist
1679 Jean-François de Troy French painter
1701 Johann N von Hontheim German church historian/suffragan (bishop)
1715 Vaclav Kalous composer
1720 Samuel Foote England, actor/dramatist (Mirror)
1723 Johann A Cramer prime minister/poet
1756 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Austria, musical prodigy/composer (Figaro)
1775 Friedrich von Schelling Germany, philosopher (Views on Christianity)
1775 Manuel del Popolo Vicente Rodriguez García Spanish tenor/composer
1784 Martin-Joseph Mengal composer
1805 Samuel Palmer London, painter/etcher (Valley of Vision)
1806 Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga y Balzola Spanish composer
1808 David F Strauss Germany, theologist (Jesus' Life)
1822 Thomas Leiper Kane Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1883
1823 Edouard-Victoire-Antoine Lalo France, composer (Symphonie Espagnole)
1824 Jozef Israëls Dutch painter
1826 Richard Taylor Lieutenant-General (Confederate Army), died in 1879
1828 Louis Schubert composer
1828 Samuel Allen Rice Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
1830 Georg Hellmesberger composer
1830 William Henry Fitzhugh Payne Brigadier General (Confederate Army)
1832 Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], author (Alice in Wonderland)
1834 Dmitri Mendeleev chemist (discovered periodic table of the elements)
1834 Robert Sanford Foster Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
1836 Leopold von Sacher-Masoch Austrian writer (masochism)
1850 Samuel Gompers Dutch/US, 1st president-American Federation of Labor
1851 Rafael Obligado Argentina, writer (Santos Vega)
1858 Neel [Cornelia H] Doff Dutch/French/Belgian painter's model/writer
1859 Kaiser Wilhelm II Potsdam, German emperor (1888-1918)
1867 Claude Antoine Terrasse composer
1868 Cato Engelen-Sewing Dutch soprano prima donna (Dutch Opera)
1869 Will Marion Cook composer
1872 Learned Hand Albany NY, Chief judge (US Court of Appeals)
1882 Giuseppe Prezzolini Italy, writer (La Voce, La Cultura Italiano)
1885 Jerome Kern New York City NY, Broadway composer (Showboat, Roberta)
1885 Eduard Künneke German composer (Vetter aus Dingsda)
1887 Carl Blegen Minneapolis MN, archaeologist (excavator at Troy, Pylos)
1889 Balthasar van der Pol physicist (Comparison of Van der Pol)
1891 Ilya Ehrenburg Kiev Ukraine, writer (Fall of Paris, The Thaw)
1892 Mitya Stillman composer
1894 Fritz Pollard early black NFL star (1920-26)
1895 Joseph Rosenstock Cracow Poland, conductor (Nippon Philharmonic Orchestra 1936-41)
1895 Claudio Carneyro composer
1899 Granville English composer
19-- Marc Ferrari rocker (Cold Sweat-Break Out)
1900 Hyman G Rickover US Admiral (father of modern nuclear navy)
1901 Art Rooney NFL team owner (Pittsburgh Steelers)
1901 Willy Fritsch German actor (Spies, Women in the Moon)
1903 Reginald Gardiner Wimbledon England, actor (Pruitts of So Hampton)
1903 John Eccles British physiologist/neurologist
1905 Howard McNear Los Angeles CA, actor (Floyd-Andy Griffith Show, Jetsons)
1905 Luther Diamond radio personality
1906 Radames Gnattali composer
1907 Henry Cotton English golf champion (won 3x British Open)
1908 William Randolph Hearst Jr newspaper publisher (Hearst Publishing)
1911 Benay Venuta San Francisco CA, actress (Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Mister)
1911 George Pope cricketer (English pace bowler, 1-49 & 0-36 in his only Test)
1912 Lawrence Durrell Indian/British writer (Private Country)
1913 Milton Adolphus composer
1913 Valery Viktorovich Zhelobinsky composer
1914 Anna Larina revolutionary
1915 Jack Brymer clarinettist
1917 Dunboyne Lord
1917 Merrivale Lord
1918 Elmore James musician (Dust My Broom)
1918 Skitch Henderson Birmingham England, orchestra leader (Tonight Show)
1919 David Seville [Ross Bagdasarian], Fresno CA, (Alvin & Chipmunks)
1919 H D Halsey Bishop of Carlisle
1919 Nina Milkina pianist
1921 Donna Reed Denison IA, actress (From Here to Eternity, Wonderful Life)
1922 Wilfrid Bourne QC/Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
1924 Alexander Georgiyevich Chugayev composer
1924 Kenneth Corfield CEO (STC)
1924 Rauf Denktasj Turkish-Cypriot politician
1924 Rix Lord
1924 Sabu [Dastagir], India, actor (Elephant Boy, Drum)
1924 William van Straubenzee British MP
1925 Geoffrey Tucker British political consultant
1925 John Bury designer
1927 Doretta Morrow New York City NY, actress (Because You're Mine)
1927 Joe Perry AAFC/NFL Hall of Fame fullback (San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Colts)
1927 Michael Craig Poona India, actor (Escape 2000, Vault of Horror)
1927 Nancy Dickerson journalist (NBC)
1928 Jean-Michel Damase composer
1929 Ingrid Thulin Solleftea Sweden, actress (Cries & Whispers, Damned)
1929 Richard Du Cann lawyer QC
1930 Bobby "Blue" Bland Rosemark TN, blues singer (Call on the Drummer)
1930 Esteban Edward Torres (Representative-D-CA, 1983- )
1930 Roger Sims British MP
1931 John Hopkins writer
1931 Mordecai Richler Montréal, author (Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz)
1931 Rudi Maugeri rocker (Crew Cuts)
1931 Vinson Lord
1932 Neville Trotter British MP
1933 Mohamed Al Fayed CEO (Harrods)
1933 Rita Hennessy matron-in-chief (QARANC)
1934 Federico Mayor Zaragoza Barcelona, Spain, UNESCO director (1987- )
1934 Donald Spiers controller (Aircraft MoD)
1934 Edithe Cresson premier of France (1991-92)
1934 Julian Ogilvie Thompson CEO (De Beers)
1935 Gillian Beer professor/president (Clare Hall-Cambridge)
1936 Troy Donahue New York City NY, actor (Surfside Six, Cockfighter, Hawaiian Eye)
1936 Ismail Kadare Albanian author/poet (Dimri i Madh)
1937 John Ogdon Manchester England, pianist/composer
1938 Kim Gardner rocker (Byrds)
1938 Timothy Elworthy Captain of The Queen's Flight
1939 Mike Hill Jackson MI, PGA golfer (1977 Ohio Kings Island Open)
1939 N R Bomford head master (Harrow School)
1939 Rawlings Baroness
1939 Tigran Yegiayi Mansuryan composer
1940 Brian T O'Leary Boston MA, astronaut
1940 Harry Kümel Flemish director (Monsieur Hawarden)
1940 James Cromwell Los Angeles CA, actor (Stretch-All in the Family, Babe)
1942 Petr Kotik composer
1943 A H Harper CEO (Baltic Exchange)
1943 Cumberlege Baroness
1944 Kevin Coyne rocker
1945 Mairead Corrigan-Maguire North Irish peace activist (Nobel 1976)
1945 Nicholas Berkeley Mason drummer (Pink Floyd-The Wall, Money)
1946 Kim Gardner England, rock bassist (Ashton, Gardner & Dyke)
1947 Nedra Telley New York City NY, vocalist (Ronettes-Be My Little Baby)
1948 Mikhail Baryshnikov Riga Latvia, ballet dancer (That's Dancing)
1948 Chuck Larsen rocker (Snuff)
1949 Lifford Viscount
1951 Brian Downey rock drummer (Thin Lizzy-Boys are Back in Town)
1951 Scott Lane New York City NY, actor (Gary-McKeever & the Colonel)
1951 Seth Justman Washington DC, rock vocalist/keyboardist (J Geils Band-Centerfold)
1952 Brian Gottfried Baltimore MD, tennis star (Wimbledon Doubles 1976)
1952 Peter Garland composer
1954 Kimberly J "Kim" Hughes Australian cricketer
1955 Mimi Rogers Coral Gables FL, actress (Paper Dolls, The Rousters)
1955 Richard Young Glasgow KY, singer (Kentucky Headhunters-Davy Crockett)
1956 Fred Quillan Portland Oregon, WLAF offensive coach (Frankfurt Galaxy)
1957 Karen Kondazian Boston MA, actress (Irene-Shannon, Mortal Sins)
1957 Frank Miller US, comicbook writer (Batman-The Dark Knight Returns)
1958 Charles Waltz rocker (Shooting Star)
1958 Alan Milburn British MP
1959 Patti Cohoon Whittier CA, actress (Molly-Here Come the Brides)
1959 Cris Collinsworth NFL wide receiver/TV sportscaster
1959 Keith Olbermann TV sportscaster
1960 Sarah Kennedy Coquille OH, comedienne (Laugh in)
1961 Charlotte Kemp Omaha NE, playmate (December 1982)
1961 Karen Velez Rockville Center NY, playmate (December 1984)
1961 Martin Degville rocker (Sigue Sigue Sputnik-Love Missile F-111)
1961 Gillian Gilbert Manchester England, rocker (New Order-Round & Round)
1961 Jean-Paul Banos Lavelanet France, Canada sabre (Olympics-9/10-88, 92, 96)
1961 Margo Timmins singer (Cowboy Junkies)
1962 James F Doehring Santa Barbara CA, shot putter (Olympics-silver-1992)
1962 Michael Collins clarinettist
1964 Migi [Miguel Drummond] rock (Curiosity Killed Cat-Keep Your Distance)
1964 Bridget Fonda Los Angeles CA, actress (Scandal, Single White Female)
1964 Cathy Podewell California, actress (Dallas)
1964 Inga Thompson Reno NV, US cyclist (Olympics-8th-88, 84, 92)
1964 Jack Haley NBA center (Chicago Bulls)
1964 Woody Austin Tampa FL, PGA golfer (1995 Buick Open)
1965 Igor Matoushkin NHL defenseman (Belarus, Olympics-98)
1966 Michael De Angelis hockey defenseman (Team Italy 1998)
1966 Tamlyn Tomita Okinawa, actress (Karate Kid 2, Ming Li-Santa Barbara)
1967 Carrington Garland Los Angeles CA, actress (Kelly Capwell-Santa Barbara)
1967 Alfred Oglesby NFL defensive tackle (Cincinnati Bengals)
1967 Dave Manson Prince Albert, NHL defenseman (Winnipeg Jets)
1967 Laura Golarsa Italy, tennis star
1967 Sue Palmer Collingwood Ontario, cyclist (Olympics-96)
1968 Anthony Pleasant NFL defensive end (Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons)
1968 Eric Wedge US baseball catcher (Boston Red Sox)
1968 Matt Stover NFL kicker (Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens)
1968 Mike Patton Eureka CA, rocker (Faith No More-The Real Thing)
1968 Reggie Johnson NFL tight end (Philadelphia Eagles)
1968 Rusty Meacham Stuart FL, pitcher (Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners)
1968 Tracy Lawrence Atlanta TX, country singer (Sticks & Stones)
1969 Kristen Danihy Lawton OK, team handball circle/wing (Olympics-1996)
1969 Phil Plantier Manchester NH, outfielder (San Diego Padres, Red Sox, A's)
1969 Shane Thomson New Zealand cricket off-spin all rounder (since 1990)
1970 Carlos Javier Bernardo Dutch prince
1970 Dario Brose Queens NY, US soccer halfback (Olympics-92)
1970 Dean Headley cricket (grandson of George, England ODI quick 1996)
1971 Mark Noordlander soccer player (Sparta)
1971 Patrice Brisebois Montréal Québec Canada, NHL defenseman (Montréal Canadiens)
1972 Bryant Young NFL defensive tackle (San Francisco 49ers)
1972 Chad Askew NFL wide receiver (New York Jets)
1972 Mark Lawrence Burlington, NHL right wing (Dallas Stars)
1973 Eddie Davis CFL cornerback (Calgary Stampeders)
1973 Margot Bourgeois Miss Trinidad & Tobago-Universe (1997-3rd place)
1975 Chaminda Vaas brilliant Sri Lankan cricket pace bowler (1994- )
1976 Haimish Karrasch Australian rower (Olympics-96)
1976 Mike Ferrier Suriname/Dutch soccer player (FC Volendam, Salernitana)
1976 Rhett Warrener Shaunavon, NHL defenseman (Florida Panthers)
1979 Jessica Lynn Ferdinand Miss New York Teen-USA (1997)
1981 Jonny Lang blues musician

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Deaths which occurred on January 27:
0098 Marius Cocceius Nerva Emperor of Rome (96-98), dies at about 67
0672 Vitalianus pope (657-72)/saint, dies
0847 Sergius II pope (844-47), dies
1164 Abraham ibn Ezra poet/philosopher, dies
1540 Angela Merici Italian monk/monastery, dies
1565 Robrecht de Berghes prince-bishop of Liege (1557-64), dies
1612 Maarten van Valckenborch Flemish painter, buried at about 77
1625 Adriaen Valerius notary/Netherlands Gedenck-clanck, dies at about 49
1629 Hieronymus Praetorius composer, dies at 68
1669 Gaspar de Crayer Flemish painter, dies at 87
1699 William Temple statesman, dies
1731 Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori Italian piano builder, dies at 75
1763 John Theodor of Bavaria prince-bishop of Liege/cardinal, dies
1802 Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg composer, dies at 42
1814 Johann Gottlieb Fichte philosopher, dies
1814 Philip Astley theatre manager, dies
1816 Samuel Hood 1st Viscount Hood/admiral, dies
1850 J Gottfried Schadow German sculptor/cartoonist/writer, dies at 85
1850 Philipp Roth composer, dies at 70
1851 John James Audubon conservationist (Audubon Society), dies at 65
1851 Karl Moser composer, dies at 77
1857 Dorothea von Benckendorff Baltic monarch of Lieven, dies at 72
1858 Gerrit van der Linde Jz Dutch "Principal", poet, dies at 49
1859 Carl A Agardh Swedish botanist/bishop of Karlstad, dies at 74
1860 Janó Bolyai Hungarian mathematician (parallel), dies at 57
1864 Franz von Klenze German architect (palace Leuchtenberg), dies at 59
1866 John Gibson sculptor, dies
1889 Ivan S Aksakov Russian journalist, dies at 65
1893 James G Blaine US minister of foreign affairs, dies at 62
1901 Giuseppe Verdi Italian composer (Rigoletto/Traviata/Aïda), dies in Milano at 87
1904 Adam Minchejmer composer, dies at 73
1919 Endre Ady Hungarian poet (Margita élni akar), dies at 41
1922 Giovanni Verga Italian writer (I Mala Voglia), dies at 81
1928 Marie Verstraete actress (Frou-Frou/Nora), dies at 74
1930 Jean Hure composer, dies at 52
1941 Iver Paul Fredrik Holter composer, dies at 90
1949 Boris Asafiev composer, dies at 64
1953 Martinus Nijhoff Dutch poet/interpreter/linguist, dies at 58
1954 Paul-Marie Masson composer, dies at 71
1955 Ernst Penzoldt writer, dies
1956 Erich Kleiber Austrian conductor, dies
1963 John Farrow actor/director (Botany Bay), dies at 58
1964 Lieb Glantz composer, dies at 65
1965 Theo Uden Marsman Dutch orchestra leader, dies at 63
1967 Roger B Chaffee astronaut, dies at 31 in Apollo I fire
1967 Virgil I (Gus) Grissom astronaut, dies at 41 in Apollo I fire
1967 Alphonse Juin French marshal, dies at 78
1967 Edward Higgins White II Lieutenant-Colonel USAF/astronaut (Gemini 4), dies in Apollo I fire at 36
1969 Charles Winninger actor (Charlie Farrell Show), dies at 82
1969 Hanns Jelinek composer, dies at 67
1970 Ed Ford comedian (Can You Top This?), dies at 72
1970 Probir Sen cricket (20 catch & 11 stumpings, 14 Tests for India), dies
1972 Mahalia Jackson gospel singer (He Got the Whole World), dies at 60
1972 Richard Courant German/US mathematician, dies at 84
1974 Georgios Grivas Greek General/opposition leader on Cyprus (EOKA), dies at 75
1974 Paula Ludwig writer, dies at 74
1977 Walter Baldwin actor (Gay Amigo), dies at 88
1978 Marguerite Canal composer, dies at 87
1978 Oscar Homolka actor (7 Year Itch, Ball of Fire), dies at 79
1981 Leo Collard Belgian minister of Education (1946/54-58), dies at 78
1982 Iris Korn actress (Widder-Palmerstown USA), dies at 60
1983 Louis De Funes actor/writer (Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacobs), dies from a heart attack at 68
1983 Paul "Bear" Bryant US football coach (Alabama), dies at 69
1983 Robert Christian actor (Bustin' Loose), dies of cancer at 42
1984 Lou Crosby TV announcer (Mayor of Hollywood), dies at 72
1986 L Ron Hubbard novelist/founder (Church of Scientology), dies at 74
1986 Lilli Palmer [Lillie Marie Peiser] German actress (Boys from Brazil, Kinder), dies at 71
1990 Helen Jerome Eddy actress (Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm), dies at 92
1992 Francesca Primus columnist (Back Stage), dies at 45
1992 Gene Harris entertainer, dies after long illness
1992 Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies British actress (The Master Blackmailer, Eliza Dolittle), dies at 101
1993 Andre "the Giant" Roussimoff WWF wrestler, dies of heart attack at 49
1993 Erik Mörk Danish actor (Europe), dies at 67
1994 Claude Akins actor (Rio Bravo, Lobo), dies of cancer at 75
1994 Eddie Calhoun jazz Bassist, dies at 72
1994 Joe Mays actor (Mr Saturday Night), dies of AIDS at 44
1994 Stanley Adams songwriter, dies at 86
1995 Halsey S Colchester British SAS/MI6-spy/priest, dies at 76
1995 Jean Tardieu author, dies at 91
1995 Willem R "Wim" van der Zee General-Secretary Council of Churches, dies at 64
1996 Barbara Skelton writer, dies at 79
1996 John Patrick Sutton Ludlow actor (Agatha), dies at 93
1996 Julian Hill research chemist, dies at 91
1996 Olga Havlova political activist, dies at 63
1996 Ralph Webster Yarborough politician, dies at 92
1996 Tommy Mitchell cricket (Derbyshire leg-spin, 5 Tests for England), dies
1997 Cecil Lewis airman/writer, dies at 98
1997 Matthew Coady journalist, dies at 73

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On this day...
0672 St Vitalian ends his reign as Catholic Pope
0847 Sergius II ends his reign as Catholic Pope
1302 Dante becomes a Florentine political exile
1538 States of Gelderland accepts Willem van Kleef as viceroy
1556 Willem of Orange becomes knight of Guilder Flies
1593 Vatican opens 7 year trial against scholar Giordano Bruno
1662 1st American lime kiln begins operation (Providence RI)
1671 Pirate Henry Morgen lands at Panama City
1710 Czar Peter the Great sets 1st Russian state budget
1736 Abdication of Stanislas, last king of Poland
1778 Piccinni's opera "Roland" premieres, Paris
1785 1st US state university chartered, Athens GA
1823 President Monroe appoints 1st US ambassadors to South America
1864 Civil War skirmish at Kelly's Ford VA
1864 Battle of Fair Gardens, Tennessee
1870 1st sorority (Kappa Alpha Theta) (DePauw University in Greencastle IN)
1870 Manitoba & Northwest Territories incorporated
1870 After accepting 15th amendment, Virginia is readmitted to Union
1880 Thomas Edison patents electric incandescent lamp
1886 1st British government of Salisbury resigns
1888 National Geographic Society organizes (Washington DC)
1891 Mine explosion kills 109 at Mount Pleasant PA
1894 1st college basketball game, University of Chicago beats Chicago YMCA 19-11
1894 Midwinter Fair opens in Golden Gate Park
1896 Tasmania bowl out Victoria for 65 for their 1st ever innings victory
1897 British troops occupy Bida Gold Coast (Ghana)
1900 Social Democrat Party of America (Debs' party) holds 1st convention
1902 5 workers killed on explosion during IRT subway construction (New York City NY)
1905 Maurice Rouvier forms government in France
1906 Rudolf Gundersen skates world record 500m at 44.8 seconds
1908 Pasiphaë, a satellite of Jupiter, discovered by Melotte
1915 US Marines occupy Haiti
1916 Communist party "Spartacus Letters" 1st published in Berlin
1917 Coen de Koning wins 2nd official 11 cities race (9 53) (record)
1918 "Tarzan of the Apes", 1st Tarzan film, premieres at Broadway Theater
1924 Egyptian king Foead nominates Saad Zaghloel Pasja premier
1924 Lenin placed in Mausoleum in Red Square
1926 US Senate agrees to join World Court
1927 Harlem Globetrotters play their 1st game
1933 Otto Meisnner dines with British ambassador Rumbold
1934 27th Australian Men's Tennis Open Fred Perry beat Crawford (63 75 61)
1934 French government of Chautemps falls (Stavisky Affair)
1934 VARA refuses to hire after commemoration of Marinus Van de Lubbe
1940 -17ºF (-27ºC), CCC Camp F-16, Georgia (state record)
1941 Peruvian agent Rivera-Schreibér warns of Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor
1942 -19ºF (-27.4ºC), Netherlands' coldest day since 1850
1943 1st US air attack on Germany (Wilhelmshafen)
1944 Casey Stengel, manager of the Boston Braves since 1938, resigns Lou Perini, Guido Rugo, & Joseph Maney buy control of Boston Braves
1944 Leningrad liberated from Germany in 880 days with 600,000 killed
1945 Nazi occupiers forbid food transport to West (The Netherlands)
1945 Russia liberates Auschwitz & Birkenau Concentration Camp (Poland)
1945 S Romberg, H&D Fields' musical premieres in New York City NY
1945 Wally van Hall, "banker in defiance", arrested
1948 1st locomotive to carry 1,000,000 pounds (450,000 kg) operates
1948 1st tape recorder sold
1949 Chinese liner "Taiping" collides with a collier off south China
1950 2nd Emmy Awards Ed Wynn Show & Texaco Star Theater win
1951 "Peter Pan" closes at Imperial Theater New York City NY after 320 performances
1951 US begins 126 nuclear tests at Nevada Test Site
1953 Netherlands end Marshall aid
1955 "Plain & Fancy" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater New York City NY for 476 performances
1956 NFL's New York Giants switches games from Polo Grounds to Yankee Stadium
1957 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Lake Worth Golf Open
1958 Ferenc Münnich follows Kádár as premier of Hungary
1961 "Sing Along with Mitch" [Miller] premieres on NBC TV
1962 "Family Affair" opens at Billy Rose Theater New York City NY for 65 performances
1963 Jevgeni Grishin skates world record 500m in 39.6 seconds
1963 Sam Rice, Eppa Rixey, Elmer Flick, & John Clarkson elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
1964 "Introducing the Beatles" album released in US
1964 Margaret Chase Smith (Senator-R-ME) tries for Republican Presidential bid
1964 Barlow & Graeme Pollock complete 341 stand at Adelaide Oval
1965 1st ground station-to-aircraft radio communication via satellite
1965 Ground breaking for "Dragon Gateway" at Grant Avenue
1966 Wisconsin State Circuit Court Judge Elmer W Roller rules either the Braves stay in Milwaukee or National League must promise Wisconsin an expansion team for 1966
1967 Apollo 1 fire kills astronauts Grissom, White & Chaffee
1967 Beatles sign a 9 year worldwide contract with EMI records
1967 New Orleans Saints sign their 1st player (Paige Cothren-kicker)
1967 Treaty banning military use of nuclear weapons in space, signed
1968 "Darling of the Day" opens at George Abbott Theater New York City NY for 31 performances
1969 Actress Thelma Ritter suffers a heart attack (she dies Feb 4th)
1969 14 spies hung in Baghdad
1969 9 Jews publicly executed in Damascus Syria
1969 Noordiers vicar Ian Paisley sentenced to 3 years
1970 Movie rating system modifies "M" rating to "PG"
1971 Montgomery St Station, last link in BART, `holed thru'
1973 UCLA's basketball team wins 61st consecutive game (NCAA record)
1973 US & Vietnam sign cease-fire, ending longest US war & military draft
1973 US female Figure Skating championship won by Janet Lynn (her 5th consecutive win)
1973 US male Figure Skating championship won by Gordon McKellen Jr
1973 William Rogers & Nguyen Duy Trinh sign US-N Vietnam treaty
1974 "Lorelei" opens at Palace Theater New York City NY for 320 performances
1976 "Laverne & Shirley" spin-off from "Happy Days" premieres on ABC TV
1976 9th ABA All-Star Game Denver 144 beats ABA 138 at Denver
1976 Morocco-Algeria battles in Westerly Sahara
1976 Viv Richards scores his 1st Test century against Australia
1977 President Carter pardons most Vietnam War draft evaders (10,000)
1977 1st broadcast of "Roots" mini-series on ABC TV
1979 Islanders ends 23 undefeated games at home streak (15-0-8)
1979 36th Golden Globes Midnight Express, Jon Voight & Jane Fonda
1980 "Comin' Uptown" closes at Winter Garden Theater New York City NY after 45 performances
1980 10th NFL Pro Bowl NFC beats AFC 37-27
1982 "Joseph & the Amazing Dreamcoat" opens at Royale New York City NY for 747 performances
1982 Mauno Koivisto installed as President of Finland
1982 Philadelphia trades Larry Bowa & Ryne Sandberg to Cubs for Ivan DeJesus
1982 Roberto S Cordova installed as President of Honduras
1982 West Indies beat Australia 3-1 to win World Series Cup
1983 World's longest subaqueous tunnel (53.90 km) opens, Honshu-Hokkaid
1984 John & Yoko release "Milk & Honey" album
1984 Los Angeles Kings end Wayne Gretzky's NHL-record 51-game scoring streak
1984 Michael Jackson is burned during filming for Pepsi commercial
1985 15th Space Shuttle (51-C) Mission-Discovery 3 returns to Earth
1985 "Doug Henning & His World..." closes at Lunt-Fontanne NY after 60 performances
1985 Hollis Stacy wins LPGA Mazda Golf Classic
1985 Mark Mckoy cycles world record 50m hurdles indoor (5.25)
1985 NFL Pro Bowl AFC beats NFC 22-14
1986 13th American Music Award Whitney Houston, Huey Lewis & Crystal Gayle
1987 Midnight Rockers beat Buddy Rose & Doug Somers for AWA World Tag Team
1988 Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approves nomination of Judge Anthony M Kennedy to US Supreme Court
1989 Kevin Johnson (Phoenix) begins NBA free throw streak of 57 games
1989 Oklahoma's linebacker, Mark VanKeirsblilck assaults an Oklahoma grad student
1989 German war criminals Fischer & Austrian der Fünten freed
1990 Dissolution of Polish communist party
1990 64th Australian Open Women's Tennis Steffi Graf beats Mary Jo Fernandez (63 64)
1991 79th Australian Open Men's Tennis Boris Becker beats Ivan Lendl (16 64 64 64)
1991 Dutch PSP, Pacifist Socialistic Party, disbands
1991 Nadine Strossen is 1st female president of the ACLU
1991 Super Bowl XXV New York Giants beat Buffalo Bills, 20-19 in Tampa; Super Bowl MVP Ottis Anderson, New York Giants, Running Back
1992 Mike Tyson goes on trial for rape (he is found guilty)
1992 "Crazy He Calls Me" opens at Walter Kerr Theater New York City NY for 7 performances
1992 19th American Music Award C & C Music Factory, Michael Bolton win
1992 Jane Fonda undergoes arthroscopic surgery on her right knee
1992 Presidential candidate Bill Clinton (D) & Genifer Flowers accuse each other of lying over her assertion they had a 12-year affair
1993 DC-3 crashes in Kinshasa, killing 12
1994 "No Man's Land" opens at Criterion Theater New York City NY for 61 performances
1994 Carlos Reina succeeds President Callejas in Honduras
1994 Romanian social-democrats form government with anti-Semites
1995 69th Australian Open Women's Tennis Mary Pierce beats A S Vicario (63 62)
1996 15 day old siamese twins separated-Sarah Morales survives, Sarahi dies
1996 70th Australian Open Women's Tennis Monica Seles beats Anke Huber (64 61)
1996 Catherine Roskam becomes the 1st New York female Episcopal bishop
1996 France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island
1996 Germany celebrates its 1st Holocaust Remembrance Day
1996 Shiv Chanderpaul scores 303* for Guyana vs Jamaica at Kingston
1997 "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" opens at Gershwin New York City NY
1997 24th American Music Award Toni Braxton & Alanis Morissette win
1998 Crane crashes into Roosevelt Is (New York City NY) Tram, injuring 10
1998 Roland Clarkson discovers 2^3021377-1 (37th known Mersenne prime)
1998 WNBA begins filling rosters of Washington Mystics & Detroit Shock

---

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Mauritius : Cavadee
Vietnam : Vietnam Peace Day (1973)
Australia : Australia Day (1788 - 1993) - - - - - ( Monday )

---

Religious Observances
Buddhist-Laos : Buddhist Holiday
Christian : Devote of Monte Carlo
Lutheran : Commemoration of Lydia, Dorcas & Phoebe
Roman Catholic : Feast of St Julian
Anglican, Old Roman Catholic : Commemoration of John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople
Roman Catholic : Memorial of St Angela Merici, virgin (opt)
Moslem : A Night of Remembrance (Sha'ban 14, 1414 AH)

---

Religious History
1343 Clement VI's bull "Unigenitus" officially ratified the belief that Indulgences owed their potency to the Pope's dispensation of the accumulated merit of the Church. (In 1518 Cardinal Thomas Cajetan accused German reformer Martin Luther, 32, of challenging the validity of this Catholic doctrine.)
1774 Pioneer American Methodist bishop Francis Asbury wrote in his journal: 'If my labours should be in vain for the people, the Lord gives me a gracious reward in my own soul.'
1839 Birth of John Julian, famed English authority on sacred music. His undoubted masterwork is the monumental "Dictionary of Hymnology" which he published in 1892 (later revised, updated and reissued in 1957).
1842 Scottish clergyman Robert Murray McCheyne wrote in a letter: 'Call upon the name of the Lord. Your time may be short... The longest lifetime is short enough. It is all that is given you to be converted in. They are the happiest who are brought soonest to the bosom of Jesus."
1972 In Columbia, the white and black United Methodist conferences of South Carolina -- separated since the Civil War -- voted in their respective meetings to adopt a plan of union.

---

Thought for the day :
" A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval. "

[CholeraJoe]

Great post SAM

No unit patch available for the 389th.

[aomagrat]

Today's classic warship, USS Gudgeon (SS-211)

Gar class submarine
Displacement. 1,475
Lenght. 307'
Beam. 27'3"
Draft. 13'3"
Speed. 20 k.
Complement. 85
Armament. 1 3", 2 .50 cal, 2 .30 cal, 10 21" tt

USS GUDGEON was launched by the Mare Island Navy Yard 25 January 1941, sponsored by Mrs. William S. Pye, and commissioned 21 April 1941 at Mare Island, Lt. Comdr. Elton W. Grenfell in command.

After shakedown along the California coast, GUDGEON sailed north 28 August, heading for Alaska via Seattle. On her northern jaunt the new submarine inspected Sitka, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor for suitability as naval bases. Continuing to Hawaii, she moored at the Pearl Harbor submarine base 10 October. Training exercises and local operations filled GUDGEON's time for the next 2 months. When the Japanese struck at Pearl Harbor 7 December she was at Lahaina Roads on special exercises, but returned to base immediately.

America's Pacific Fleet had been seriously damaged by the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor but powerful strength remained as GUDGEON and her fellow submarine soon offered convincing proof. On 11 December GUDGEON, in company with PLUNGER, sailed from Pearl Harbor on her, and America's, first submarine offensive patrol of World War II. When she returned some 51 days later, GUDGEON had contributed two more impressive "firsts" to the Pacific submarine fleet. She was the first American sub marine to patrol along the Japanese coast itself, as her area took her off Kyushu in the home islands. And on 27 January 1942 GUDGEON became the first U.S. Navy submarine to sink an enemy warship in World War II, Japanese submarine I-173. The Japanese submarine had just returned from a patrol which took her well into American water off the coast of California and Washington.

On her second war patrol, 22 February to 15 April 1942 GUDGEON scored kills on two unknown marus, both freighters, 26 and 27 March. She then checked into dry-dock for overhaul, but undocked 3 weeks early and readied for sea in a remarkable 40 hours to participate in the momentous Battle of Midway. Departing Pearl Harbor 18 May, GUDGEON took station off Midway as part of the submarine screen which encircled the two giant fleets clashing there. Although she had a ringside seat for the action, which saw Japan handed its first naval defeat in 350 years, GUDGEON was prevented from offensive action by the confusion of battle and the possibility of mistaken identity. She returned to Pearl Harbor 14 June.

Departing for her fourth patrol 11 July, GUDGEON sank 4,858-ton NANIWA MARU in a night submerged attack 3 August, her only kill of the patrol. An aggressive attack on a four-ship convoy 17 August seriously damaged two marus before the patrol ended at Fremantle, Australia, 2 September. Now a part of the Southwestern Pacific submarine forces, GUDGEON sank 8,783-ton CHOKO MARU 21 October during her fifth war patrol, 8 October to 1 December, and carried out a daring attack on a seven ship convoy 11 November, torpedoing several ships but sinking none. The submarine's sixth war patrol (27 December 1942-18 February 1913 ) was unsuccessful terms of ships sunk, but she carried out two special missions. On 14 January 1943 GUDGEON successfully land six men on Mindanao, Philippines, to carry out the vital guerrilla resistance movement there. Returning from her patrol area, GUDGEON was diverted to Timor Island 9 February, and the following day rescued 28 men-Australian, English, Portuguese, and Filipino-for passage to Fremantle.

GUDGEON's seventh war patrol (13 March April) netted her two more Japanese ships before she ran out of torpedoes and had to return to Australia. On 22 March she sank 5,434-ton MEIGEN MARU as well as seriously damaging two other ships in the convoy. Five days later GUDGEON took on 9,997-ton tanker TOKO MARU in a night surface attack punctuated by bursts of gunfire as the Japanese ships spotted and fired on the submarine. It took five torpedoes to sink TOKO MARU, and most of GUDGEON's crew enjoyed the rare treat of watching her slide into the depths.

On her eighth war patrol, conducted as she sailed from Australia to Pearl Harbor 15 April to 25 May 1943, GUDGEON chalked up three more kills. Her first came 28 April as she sank KAMAKURA MARU, a former ocean liner. The 17,52-ton transport was the largest Japanese transport, and one of the largest enemy ships sunk by an American submarine. Special operations interrupted GUDGEON's patrol as she landed six trained guerrilla fighters and 3 tons of equipment for the guerrilla movement on Panay 30 April. After sinking a small trawler, NOKO MARU, with her deck guns 4 May, GUDGEON battle-surfaced again that same day and left a coastal steamer burning and settling. Eight days later, 12 May, she torpedoed and sank freighter SUMATRA MARU. Returning to Pearl Harbor, the veteran submarine was sent to San Francisco for badly needed overhaul, her first since commissioning 2 years earlier.

A refreshed sub and crew departed Pearl Harbor for their ninth war patrol 1 September 1943. Before returning to Midway 6 October with all torpedoes expended, GUDGEON had sunk TAIAU MARU and seriously damaged several others. Heading along the China coast for her 10th war patrol (31 October-11 December), GUDGEON chalked up two more marus. Early in the morning of 23 November she spotted a convoy of four ships and closed for attack. GUDGEON fired a spread of six torpedoes with gratifying results. Frigate, WAKAMIYA, hit by one of the deadly "tin fish" broke in two, sinking almost immediately. A tanker and a freighter were also hit but managed to escape. GUDGEON closed in to administer the kill to transport NEKKA MARU.

Several attacks but no kills highlighted GUDGEON's 11th war patrol. On 2 February 1944, she sighted a damaged carrier with two escorts. GUDGEON closed for attack, but the escorts spotted her in the glassy smooth sea and attacked. A down- the-throat shot with four torpedoes temporarily discouraged the destroyers and allowed GUDGEON to seek deep water and safety, but when she surfaced the Japanese men-of-war were gone. Later in the same patrol GUDGEON was forced to try another down-the-throat shot at an enemy escort, but no hits. She returned to Pearl Harbor 5 March 1944.

GUDGEON sailed for her 12th war patrol 4 April 1944. The battle-tested submarine stopped off at Johnston Island 7 April, and was never seen or heard from again. On 7 June 194, GUDGEON was officially declared overdue and presumed lost. Captured Japanese records shed no light on the manner of her loss, and it must remain one of the mysteries of the silent sea.

During her 3-year career, GUDGEON earned herself a proud place in the Pacific submarine fleet. Her total tonnage sunk, 71,047, placed her 15th on the honor roll of American submarines, and she had accounted for a total of 12 confirmed kills.

For her first seven war patrols GUDGEON received the coveted Presidential Unit Citation. She earned 11 battle stars for World War II service.

[Diver Dave]

Great reading SAM. Bombing run scenes from "Memphis Belle" come to mind.

Ever find it strange how those singers on Mitch Miller sounded like they were in a concert hall vs. a studio? :) Still, I sang along with 'em.

[EdReform]

Bump!

I'm EATING my way to FReedom

[Jen]

PING to the FReeper Foxhole!

Apologies if you've already asked to be removed from this list. I've had computer troubles.

If you would like to be removed from this list, send a BLANK freepmail to me with "REMOVE" in the subject line. Thanks, Jen

[metesky]

My Uncle Edgar was a waist gunner on a B-24 on the Ploesti raid.

S/Sgt E.O.Hamel, a hell of a guy.

[Grampa Dave]

Our church has a stained glassed window that is dedicated to a young pilot and former member of our church who was a pilot on this mission. He never returned!

[Argus]

Thanks for this post and the ping.

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the post.

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

[AndrewC]

Thanks Sam. I'm partial to things that fly, especially heavy bombers.

[null and void]

Did someone say Pelosi Raid???

[Godebert]

My Dad's flight jacket. The leather patches are the 376th Liberandos on the right breast, 512th squadron on the left. The back of one sleeve is burned up pretty good from a fire during a mission.

[Light Speed]

B-24..B-17 Comparison

A comparison between the B-24 Liberator and the B-17 Fortress is perhaps inevitable. The Liberator was slightly faster than the Fort, carried a heavier bombload and could carry it farther and higher than the Fort. It was slightly more maneuverable than the Fort, and was much more adaptable to other missions. On the debit side, the Liberator was harder to fly, less stable, and much more difficult to hold in the tight bomber formations that were mandatory in the European theatre of operations. The Liberator was not capable of absorbing nearly the same amount of battle damage that the Fortress could handle. Any sort of solid hit on the wing of a Liberator was generally fatal, the high-aspect ratio Davis wing often collapsing and folding up when hit. In comparison to the B-17, there are relatively few photographs of Liberators returning home with half their wings shot away or with major sections of their tails missing. The Liberator was not very crashworthy, a 'wheels up' landing generally causing the fuselage to split into two or three pieces, resulting in a complete writeoff. In contrast, a Fortress which had undergone a 'wheels-up' landing could often be quickly repaired and returned to service. When ditching at sea, the Liberator's lightly-built bomb bay doors would often immediately collapse upon impact, the interior of the aircraft quickly filling up with water, causing the aircraft to sink rapidly. In spite of the Liberator's defects, Eighth Air Force records show that B-17 operational losses were 15.2 percent as compared with 13.3 percent for the B-24,which meant that a crew had statistically a better chance of surviving the war in a Liberator than in a Fortress.

[JAWs]

All Ploesti Medal of Honor Citations

*BAKER, ADDISON E. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Air Corps, 93d Heavy Bombardment Group. Place and date: Ploesti Raid, Rumania, 1 August 1943. Entered service at: Akron, Ohio. Born: 1 January 1907, Chicago, Ill. G.O. No.: 20, 11 March 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy on 1 August 1943. On this date he led his command, the 93d Heavy Bombardment Group, on a daring low-level attack against enemy oil refineries and installations at Ploesti, Rumania. Approaching the target, his aircraft was hit by a large caliber antiaircraft shell, seriously damaged and set on fire. Ignoring the fact he was flying over terrain suitable for safe landing, he refused to jeopardize the mission by breaking up the lead formation and continued unswervingly to lead his group to the target upon which he dropped his bombs with devastating effect. Only then did he leave formation, but his valiant attempts to gain sufficient altitude for the crew to escape by parachute were unavailing and his aircraft crashed in flames after his successful efforts to avoid other planes in formation. By extraordinary flying skill, gallant leadership and intrepidity, Lt. Col. Baker rendered outstanding, distinguished, and valorous service to our Nation.

*HUGHES, LLOYD H. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 564th Bomber Squadron, 389th Bomber Group, 9th Air Force. Place and date: Ploesti Raid, Rumania, 1 August 1943. Entered service at: San Antonio, Tex. Born: 12 July 1921, Alexandria, La. G.O. No.: 17, 26 February 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry in action and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On August 1943, 2d Lt. Hughes served in the capacity of pilot of a heavy bombardment aircraft participating in a long and hazardous minimum-altitude attack against the Axis oil refineries of Ploesti, Rumania, launched from the northern shores of Africa. Flying in the last formation to attack the target, he arrived in the target area after previous flights had thoroughly alerted the enemy defenses. Approaching the target through intense and accurate antiaircraft fire and dense balloon barrages at dangerously low altitude, his plane received several direct hits from both large and small caliber antiaircraft guns which seriously damaged his aircraft, causing sheets of escaping gasoline to stream from the bomb bay and from the left wing. This damage was inflicted at a time prior to reaching the target when 2d Lt. Hughes could have made a forced landing in any of the grain fields readily available at that time. The target area was blazing with burning oil tanks and damaged refinery installations from which flames leaped high above the bombing level of the formation. With full knowledge of the consequences of entering this blazing inferno when his airplane was profusely leaking gasoline in two separate locations, 2d Lt. Hughes, motivated only by his high conception of duty which called for the destruction of his assigned target at any cost, did not elect to make a forced landing or turn back from the attack. Instead, rather than jeopardize the formation and the success of the attack, he unhesitatingly entered the blazing area and dropped his bomb load with great precision. After successfully bombing the objective, his aircraft emerged from the conflagration with the left wing aflame. Only then did he attempt a forced landing, but because of the advanced stage of the fire enveloping his aircraft the plane crashed and was consumed. By 2d Lt. Hughes' heroic decision to complete his mission regardless of the consequences in utter disregard of his own life, and by his gallant and valorous execution of this decision, he has rendered a service to our country in the defeat of our enemies which will everlastingly be outstanding in the annals of our Nation's history.

*JERSTAD, JOHN L. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army Air Corps, 9th Air Force. Place and date: Ploesti Raid, Rumania, 1 August 1943. Entered service at: Racine, Wis. Born: 12 February 1918, Racine, Wis. G.O. No.: 72, 28 October 1943. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. On 1 August 1943, he served as pilot of the lead aircraft in his group in a daring low-level attack against enemy oil refineries and installations at Ploesti, Rumania. Although he had completed more than his share of missions and was no longer connected with this group, so high was his conception of duty that he volunteered to lead the formation in the correct belief that his participation would contribute materially to success in this attack. Maj. Jerstad led the formation into attack with full realization of the extreme hazards involved and despite withering fire from heavy and light antiaircraft guns. Three miles from the target his airplane was hit, badly damaged, and set on fire. Ignoring the fact that he was flying over a field suitable for a forced landing, he kept on the course. After the bombs of his aircraft were released on the target, the fire in his ship became so intense as to make further progress impossible and he crashed into the target area. By his voluntary acceptance of a mission he knew was extremely hazardous, and his assumption of an intrepid course of action at the risk of life over and above the call of duty, Maj. Jerstad set an example of heroism which will be an inspiration to the U.S. Armed Forces.

JOHNSON, LEON W. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Colonel, U.S. Army Air Corps, 44th Bomber Group, 9th Air Force. Place and date: Ploesti Raid, Rumania, 1 August 1943. Entered service at: Moline, Kans. Born: 13 September 1904, Columbia, Mo. G.O. No.: 54, 7 September 1943. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry in action and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 1 August 1943. Col. Johnson, as commanding officer of a heavy bombardment group, let the formation of the aircraft of his organization constituting the fourth element of the mass low-level bombing attack of the 9th U.S. Air Force against the vitally important enemy target of the Ploesti oil refineries. While proceeding to the target on this 2,400-mile flight, his element became separated from the leading elements of the mass formation in maintaining the formation of the unit while avoiding dangerous cumulous cloud conditions encountered over mountainous territory. Though temporarily lost, he reestablished contact with the third element and continued on the mission with this reduced force to the prearranged point of attack, where it was discovered that the target assigned to Col. Johnson's group had been attacked and damaged by a preceding element. Though having lost the element of surprise upon which the safety and success of such a daring form of mission in heavy bombardment aircraft so strongly depended, Col. Johnson elected to carry out his planned low-level attack despite the thoroughly alerted defenses, the destructive antiaircraft fire, enemy fighter airplanes, the imminent danger of exploding delayed action bombs from the previous element, of oil fires and explosions, and of intense smoke obscuring the target. By his gallant courage, brilliant leadership, and superior flying skill, Col. Johnson so led his formation as to destroy totally the important refining plants and installations which were the object of his mission. Col. Johnson's personal contribution to the success of this historic raid, and the conspicuous gallantry in action, and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty demonstrated by him on this occasion constitute such deeds of valor and distinguished service as have during our Nation's history formed the finest traditions of our Armed Forces.

KANE, JOHN R. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Colonel, U.S. Army Air Corps, 9th Air Force. Place and date: Ploetsi Raid, Rumania, 1 August 1943. Entered service at: Shreveport, La. Birth: McGregor, Tex. G.O. No.: 54, 9 August 1943. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry in action and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 1 August 1943. On this date he led the third element of heavy bombardment aircraft in a mass low-level bombing attack against the vitally important enemy target of the Ploesti oil refineries. En route to the target, which necessitated a round-trip flight of over 2,400 miles, Col. Kane's element became separated from the leading portion of the massed formation in avoiding dense and dangerous cumulous cloud conditions over mountainous terrain. Rather than turn back from such a vital mission he elected to proceed to his target. Upon arrival at the target area it was discovered that another group had apparently missed its target and had previously attacked ??and damaged the target assigned to Col. Kane's element. Despite the thoroughly warned defenses, the intensive antiaircraft fire, enemy fighter airplanes, extreme hazards on a low-level attack of exploding delayed action bombs from the previous element, of oil fires and explosions and dense smoke over the target area, Col. Kane elected to lead his formation into the attack. By his gallant courage, brilliant leadership, and superior flying skill, he and the formation under his command successfully attacked this vast refinery so essential to our enemies' war effort. Through his conspicuous gallantry in this most hazardous action against the enemy, and by his intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Col. Kane personally contributed vitally to the success of this daring mission and thereby rendered most distinguished service in the furtherance of the defeat of our enemies.

*KINGSLEY, DAVID R. (Air Mission)

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 97th Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force. Place and date: Ploesti Raid, Rumania, 23 June 1944. Entered service at. Portland, Oreg. Birth: Oregon. G.O. No.: 26, 9 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, 23 June 1944 near Ploesti, Rumania, while flying as bombardier of a B17 type aircraft. On the bomb run 2d Lt. Kingsley's aircraft was severely damaged by intense flak and forced to drop out of formation but the pilot proceeded over the target and 2d Lt. Kingsley successfully dropped his bombs, causing severe damage to vital installations. The damaged aircraft, forced to lose altitude and to lag behind the formation, was aggressively attacked by 3 ME-109 aircraft, causing more damage to the aircraft and severely wounding the tail gunner in the upper arm. The radio operator and engineer notified 2d Lt. Kingsley that the tail gunner had been wounded and that assistance was needed to check the bleeding. 2d Lt. Kingsley made his way back to the radio room, skillfully applied first aid to the wound, and succeeded in checking the bleeding. The tail gunner's parachute harness and heavy clothes were removed and he was covered with blankets, making him as comfortable as possible. Eight ME-109 aircraft again aggressively attacked 2d Lt. Kingsley's aircraft and the ball turret gunner was wounded by 20mm. shell fragments. He went forward to the radio room to have 2d Lt. Kingsley administer first aid. A few minutes later when the pilot gave the order to prepare to bail out, 2d Lt. Kingsley immediately began to assist the wounded gunners in putting on their parachute harness. In the confusion the tail gunner's harness, believed to have been damaged, could not be located in the bundle of blankets and flying clothes which had been removed from the wounded men. With utter disregard for his own means of escape, 2d Lt. Kingsley unhesitatingly removed his parachute harness and adjusted it to the wounded tail gunner. Due to the extensive damage caused by the accurate and concentrated 20mm. fire by the enemy aircraft the pilot gave the order to bail out, as it appeared that the aircraft would disintegrate at any moment. 2d Lt. Kingsley aided the wounded men in bailing out and when last seen by the crewmembers he was standing on the bomb bay catwalk. The aircraft continued to fly on automatic pilot for a short distance, then crashed and burned. His body was later found in the wreckage. 2d Lt. Kingsley by his gallant heroic action was directly responsible for saving the life of the wounded gunner.

*PUCKET, DONALD D. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 98th , Bombardment Group. Place and date: Ploesti Raid, Rumania, 9 July 1944. Entered service at: Boulder, Colo. Birth: Longmont, Colo. G.O. No.: 48, 23 June 1945. Citation: He took part in a highly effective attack against vital oil installation in Ploesti, Rumania, on 9 July 1944. Just after "bombs away," the plane received heavy and direct hits from antiaircraft fire. One crewmember was instantly killed and 6 others severely wounded. The airplane was badly damaged, 2 were knocked out, the control cables cut, the oxygen system on fire, and the bomb bay flooded with gas and hydraulic fluid. Regaining control of his crippled plane, 1st Lt. Pucket turned its direction over to the copilot. He calmed the crew, administered first aid, and surveyed the damage. Finding the bomb bay doors jammed, he used the hand crank to open them to allow the gas to escape. He jettisoned all guns and equipment but the plane continued to lose altitude rapidly. Realizing that it would be impossible to reach friendly territory he ordered the crew to abandon ship. Three of the crew, uncontrollable from fright or shock, would not leave. 1st Lt. Pucket urged the others to jump. Ignoring their entreaties to follow, he refused to abandon the 3 hysterical men and was last seen fighting to regain control of the plane. A few moments later the flaming bomber crashed on a mountainside. 1st Lt. Pucket, unhesitatingly and with supreme sacrifice, gave his life in his courageous attempt to save the lives of 3 others.

[Jonah Hex]

Thank you. I lost three uncles during WWII, one a radioman on SAD SACK II during TIDAL WAVE at Ploesti. I still correspond with some of the men in his unit, listening to their memories of this and other missions.

May we never forget their bravery and sacrifice.....

[Paulie]

"That mission stands as a monument not only to the skill and courage of Air Force crews but also to the ability of our combat leaders to pull together strands of a broken plan and salvage limited success from the apparent certainty of disaster."

The entire article is a good read and reminds me again how freedom is far from free, but worth the price. But most of all I love to read of how (typical of an American) we pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat...again.

[Kozak]

Well, my family had a slightly different view of this event. My dad was a chemist working in the refinery at Ploesti......

[risk]

An interesting Ploesti article evidently by John Vitkus .