It was a bit of work to get throug this book, simply because it was full of history, details, names and examples. Ironically, ploestis first refineries had been built with american backing, but nine decades later bucharest was allied with berlin. Even though the japanese pilots had never conducted an attack like that, they were extremely successful. Warfare history network page 166 of 189 the history of. In 1943 during operation tidal wave, american bombers attacked. The wave was caused by a massive earthquake along the fairweather fault which runs west of juneau along the alaska panhandle. In the summer of 1943, the usaaf decided to stage a major raid on ploesti from air bases in libya. Operation tidal wave photographs world war ii database.
The term tidal wave is frequently used for such a wave, but it is a misnomer, for the wave has no connection with the tides. Army air forces b24 bombers clearing a target at ploiesti, romania. Operation tidal wave was one of the boldest and most controversial air raids by the united states army air forces usaaf. The mission has been called the longest, bloodiest, most heroic bombing mission in history.
A storm surge, or tidal surge, which can cause waves that breach flood defences. Nearest trimet routes and stops the title wave used bookstore sells retired multnomah county library materials at discounted prices. Media in category operation tidal wave the following 12 files are in this category, out of 12 total. When operation tidal wave launched in august 1943, it was in a desperate effort to undercut hitlers power and to relieve the relentless pressure on the red army.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. It was perhaps the most spectacular american bombing mission of world war ii, the bold lowlevel air assault by over 150 b24 liberator heavy bombers on the romanian oil refineries at ploie. Tidalwave targeted nine major refineries that produced some 8,595,000 tons of oil annually, about 90 percent of all rumanian oil production, and the attack temporarily eliminated about. Operation tidal wave was one of the boldest and most controversial air. On what would later be called black sunday, us army air force bombers took off from benghazi, libya, with the mission to fly low, maintain complete radio silence. Approximate bomber route for operation tidal wave, the lowlevel bombing raid on the oil fields around ploiesti, romania, aug 1st 1943. During the night of july 9, 1958, the largest recorded wave in history occurred in lituya bay, alaska. A pair of american b24 liberator in flight over ploiesti on a background of fire 2nd wave of b. The group flew 451 missions, receiving 15 campaign awards and three distinguished unit citations for actions including operation tidal wave, a lowlevel assault on romanian oil fields in 1943. The us army air force planned operation tidal wave. Ive got all the ploesti books, including some pretty obscure ones, but you never know if a crewman has privately published something you havent heard about. Volume 2 covers the contra war from 1981 read more.
Daring world war ii raid on ploesti, the kindle edition by bradle, william r download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Operation tidal wave was an air attack by bombers of the united states army air forces usaaf based in libya on nine oil refineries around ploie. On that fateful day 178 consolidated b24d liberators of five heavy bomb groups, carrying more than 500 tons of bombs, took off from bases in libya on one of the most audacious aerial raids in history, codenamed operation tidal wave. Their targets were vital oil refineries around the romanian city of ploesti. Of the more than 150 bombers that took part in the raid, only 88 b24s returned to libya, 55 of which were damaged. Please dont tell me something is written in some book, unless its a crewmans diary or history written by a crewman. Air force historical support division books enlisted.
The refineries there were critical to the german war machine. More medals of honor were awarded for this mission than any other aerial combat enterprise in the history of the united states. Bradle earned a ba in modern european history and an mba. Ploesti, the most fateful mission of world war ii, duane schultz recreates this great battle, combining original research and interviews with survivors in order to capture the tension, drama, and heroics of the warring sides.
Nearly 180 consolidated b24 liberator bombers embark on a lengthy mission to destroy oil refineries in ploesti, romania. Im so busy with other important aspects of the tw mission that i didnt intend to get drawn into a protracted discussion about one particular. Operation tidal wave in the second world war 19391945. Operation tidalwave, the low level attack on ploesti, 1. I had a bunch of favorites but right at that time a local modeler came to me with a bunch of excellent photos of an original and very long lived 389 th ship, fightin sam. The emphasis is on operation tidal wave, but notable stories concerning halpro and the 44 raids are included, as well as background articles with relevant information about romania, north africa, etc. Just wellwritten, wellresearched, informative and interesting books for historians, history students and history enthusiasts.
The resulting operation tidal wave raid on 1 august 1943 was one of the costliest to date, losing 53 aircraft, about a third of the starting force. The unit was inactivated at grand island army air field, nebraska, on november 10. Into the fire shimmers with historical parallels and modern resonances. The airlift operation, the largest such rescue in american history at the time, was conceived in response to the failures of operation tidal wave, a 1943 air attack on the ploesti oilfields in romania. History of early enlisted aeronautics, 18621097 ssgt archibald mathies. Officially known as operation tidal wave, the ploesti raid occurred on 1 august 1943, and because it marked the second highest loss suffered by the united states army air force usaaf in a single operation, it was afterward nicknamed black sunday. Discover great selections of childrens books and largeprint items. Their target was the romanian oil fields at ploiesti, a destination that lay deep within. Operation tidal wave tells the story of the bloodiest air battle in the history of war, when1,700 american airmen set out to bomb the oil refineries surrounding the. The complex of oil facilities at ploesti was the largest individual supplier of oil and petroleum to the german war economy. Operation tidalwave, the attack on the oil refineries at ploesti on 1 august 1943 was the most famous bombing mission performed by the consolidated b24 liberator. A tsunami, a series of water waves in a body of water caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, although this usage of tidal wave is not favored by the.
At points, i felt like i could have just been reading a bullet point list of major events on a particular issue, but it was worth the read. Operation tidal wave 1943 and raids on ploesti wwii american theater online bookshelves, books and research materials from the u. A tidal bore, which is a large movement of water formed by the funnelling of the incoming tide into a river or narrow bay. Evans, one of our foremost historians of women in america, draws on an extraordinary range of interviews, archives, and published sources to tell for the first time the incredible story of the past forty years in womens history. He has written more than 600 articles about aviation topics and 50 books, the most. Tidal wave was the code name for the joint eighth air forceninth air force mission to destroy germanys main source of fuel for its military forces, the refinery complex in. Kane would fly bombing missions with such resolve that he would be dubbed killer kane. As the formation of 178 b24 bombers lifted over the mediterranean sea and headed for romania. The name was later changed to operation soapsuds, then finally to operation tidal wave. Good photos and confirmed participation in tidal wave. Operation tidal wave was an air attack by bombers of the united states army air forces usaaf based in libya and southern italy on nine oil refineries around ploie. The ploiesti raid 1943 operation tidal wave youtube.
But tsunami waves are not the same as astronomical tide waves, nor are they caused by the normal gravitational influences of the moon, sun, and the. Title wave books is the largest bookstore in alaska, and one of the biggest used bookstores in the country. Remembering operation tidal wave at 75 years oregonians. Investigators recover over 200 firearms in massive. Operation tidal wave tells the story of the bloodiest air battle in t. Called operation tidal wave, the attack by five united states army air forces bomber. Tidalwave targeted nine major refineries that produced some 8,595,000 tons of oil annually, about 90 percent of all rumanian oil production, and the attack temporarily eliminated about 3,925,000 tons, roughly 46 percent of total annual production at ploesti. Dragged through the mouth of hell at ploesti tidal wave. Operation tidal wave takes aim at ploesti warfare history network. As a frame of reference, the empire state building is 1,250 feet tall. One of the most famous images of world war ii shows the sandman, piloted by robert sternfels, as it emerges from a pall of smoke during the operation tidal wave b24 liberator on ploiesti raid u. Operation tidal wave takes aim at ploesti in 1943 during operation tidal wave, american bombers attacked romanian oil fields, which were vital to the nazi war machine. Proper nonfiction history books, not historical fiction, about any period, event, area or topic you like.
More medals of honor were awarded for this mission than any other aerial combat enterprise in the. On august 1, 1943, an enormous armada of america b24 liberator bombers roared at nearly treetop level over the peaceful farms and villages of romania. Operation tidal wave was an air attack by bombers of the united states army air forces usaaf on nine oil refineries around ploie. Code named operation tidal wave, a total of 174 four engined b24 bombers took off in five groups for the mission. Cutting off nazi oil production war history online. The american forces operated under the illusion that a single strike could do irreparable. Only 18 japanese aviators were lost, while 840 british sailors died. Duane shultz is the author of many books, including crossing the rapido and the. Operation tidal wave reconnaissance photo of the two primary oil refineries in ploesti romania taken in preparation of the low level b24 liberator bomber attack of aug 1 1943. As a result of the emphasis placed on highaltitude, daylight, precision bombing by the eighth air force, to many the concept of using fourengine bombers at treetop altitudes was preposterous, even suicidal.
Operation tidal wave cost 54 of the 178 liberators destroyed or interned in turkeyproof that ploesti would not be eliminated in a single stroke see the truth about tidal wave, march 2012. Despite the extreme heroism of the airmen and their determination to press the mission home, the results of operation tidal wave were less than expected. Wave after wave came in, and eventually, both the prince of wales and the repulse took four torpedoes each, sinking them. Bibliography of tidal wave articles these are newspaper and magazine articles dealing with the ploesti bombing missions of wwii. Seventyfive years ago, on 1 august 1943, operation tidal wave took place. The usaaf assembled a fleet of 178 longrange b24 liberators for operation tidal wave. Tidal wave book by sara evans official publisher page. The term tidal wave was often erroneously used to describe the same phenomenon, particularly because of the sudden tidelike retreat of water from the coast as the tsunami wave closed the shore. Its targetthe taproot of german might, hitlers giant oil refineries at ploesti. On the 1st august 1943, a massive american airborne operation was about to embark on a vital mission which, if successful, would tip the balance of the second world war in the allies favour. We feature nearly a halfmillion used and bargain books in our 25,000squarefoot retail store, plus thousands of dvds, music cds, audiobooks and vinyl lps. Ent would fly from airfields in benghazi, across the adriatic sea and albanias pindus mountains. I didnt mean this to be a list of pop history, but i think its too late now, so you might as well go ahead. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading daring world war ii raid on ploesti, the.
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