The Costiest USAAF Operation of WW2
On 1st August 1944 the USAAF 9th Air Force launched a mission from Benghazi in Libya to cripple the key Nazi oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania. The objective was a simple one: remove the supply of oil and the Nazi war machine would grind to a halt ending the war in a single action. The pilot briefing was stark… “even if none of you return the mission will still be considered a success”. Roosevelt himself gave a final briefing to the pilots before they set out.
In spite of the attempts at secrecy the Germans were well aware the raid was taking place due to their spies around the Libyan airfield. The only question was regarding where they were headed. It soon became clear that Ploesti was the target and the Germans and their Romanian allies reinforced their flak batteries and positioned their flak train to follow the rail line along the path to the target. As the B24s flew in at treetop height they exchanged fire with the speeding flak trains suffering huge losses. All in all the USAAF lost 53 aircraft and 310 aircrew.
This diorama depicts the attack of Col. Leon W Johnson (later General) on the refinery but found that the 93rd BG had already bombed the target by mistake. The enemy were fully alerted to the arrival and under withering fire he pressed home his attack regardless of the danger. For his part in the raid he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Price: $1600 – collection from asheville only.
