Tidal Wave Footage Photos, 15th AAF and Luftwaffe, 'Black Sunday', 1 August 1943

Denes, when I post messages as far as I am concerned , its on the pool of free public opinion and I am prepared for arguments and counter arguments as long as they stay focused and people dont get personal .

From my point of view no historian , crew members and people who flew at TW ever confirmed and homologated what Anastasescu claimed and who ever else fabricated the myth about he the 2 B-24 brought down by Mr Anastasescu .

Quite contrary , the role of the historians is to verify and change the things which were seen in the past as obscure into transparent as possible and with this statament I am off the topic of the 2 B-24 victories of Anastasescu which never took place . However by no means people should be detered in further in expressing their free opinions about it on here ..All I am saying is , that I am out of this childish topic, period.

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 09, 2005 08:28 pm

Dan

Here's Joe message for you

Alex



Alex,
I've known for sometime but haven't mentioned it much,
but years ago I got word from the Air Force that Milo
Nelson was the only one identified, and recovered
after the war. So Mr Grigorescu is correct about this.
I have heard that Gene White's remains were also
identified and recovered but I have not been able to
verify this information. Tell your friend Dan that
Jose Carioca was a cartoon character in the 1943
Disney cartoon movie short titled, SALUDOS AMIGOS. He
may be able to find a copy of the DVD to find the
color for it.

FLORINE JO JO of the HALPRO Detachment who flew over Ploesti in 1942 become the BLUE STREAK for TW . She flew 110 missions,than returned home for a bond tour

Alex

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Alexkdl

This is the requested crew liste of the Jandarmeries with all american POW register from Tidal Wave


Pilots
1. William Henry Yaeger Jr.
2. Clay V. Ferguson
3. Wallace C. Taylor
4. Nenry Lasco Jr.
5. Milton Telstar
6. Elmer H. Reinhart
7. Melvin E. Reef
8. Warden Weaver
9. Robert O’Reilly
10. Hubert H. Womble
11. Sindley P. Hussey
12. Albert Aronson
13. Theodore Helin
14. John Dudley Palm
15. Worhy A. Long
16. Willard R. Beumont
17. Robert R. Snyder
18. Joseph Francisc Kill
19. Wilmer Basset
20. Carl N. Larson
21. Ernest L. Poulson
22. Richard H. Pendleton Jr.
23. Loyd W. Reese
24. William F. Love
25. Charles A. Smith
26. Norman C. Adams
27. Lawrence H. Lancashire
28. Arthur W. Thopmson
29. Clifton C. Foster
30. Jerome D. Savaria
31. Charles D. Cavitt
32. John O. Lockhart

Navigators
33. Gareld J. Totten
34. Maynard G. Hubard
35. Walter M. Sorensen
36. Richard W. Britt
37. Raymond P. Warner

Bombardiers
38. Charles N. Wallace
39. Albert A. Romano
Photographers
40. Charles P. Decreval
41. Thomas G. Mc. Grath
Radio Operators
42. Jesse L. Ninley
43. Howard O. Ford
44. Harold Block
45. Russel D. Muntley
46. Robert E. Coleman
47. William W. Schiffmacker (and also photographer)
Engineers
48. Frak D. Garret
49. Albert L. Schaffer
50. Albert A. Mash
Gunners
51. Glell B. Riffle
52. Mack Fitzgerald
53. Fred D. Randall
54. James J. Sedlack
55. Edmond T. Terry
56. Harry C.O. p.p.
57. Arthur W. White
58. William E. Treichler
59. Alexander P. Rockinson
60. Robert F. Mead
61. Robert Wolfe
62. Bernard G. Traudt
63. Luis G. Medeiros
64. Charles A. Reed
65. Jack R. Bowker
66. James N.R. Vest
67. Geroge N. VanSon
68. Arthur C. Kensit
69. Earl C. Westcott
70. Albert A. Bailey
71. Troy O. Mc. Crary
72. Philip A. Rurak
73. Michael J. Cicon
74. Edmond Howard Smith
75. Thomas Albert Hoff
76. James W. Barker
77. Harold T. Godwin
78. Harold N. Yost
79. James Brittain
80. Paul Breedlove
81. Frank. J. Suponcic
82. James E. Turner
83. Austin D. Chastain
84. Joseph Brown
85. Harry O. Baugh
86. Delbert R. Wagner
87. Jack Reed
88. Raymond A. Heisner
89. Charles T. Bridhes
90. Raymond C. Walaczka
91. William E. Thompson
92. Ignatius J. Diecidue
93. Peter Passalacqva
94. Zerril J. Steen. Jr.
95. Clay E. Snyder
96. Laurance A. Yates
97. Dallis R. Robertson
98. Robert Rans
99. Delmar D. Schweigert
100. Wilbur W. Zeger
101. Clark S. Fitzpatrick
102. John R. Ross
103. Donald G. Wraight
104. Leo Sharp
105. James R. Waltman
106. Francis W. Doll
107. Robert T. Locky
108. Jack J. Reed
109. Nick A. Allen
110. John P. English

Thank you Fratello, unfortunately I cant start very much with because I would need the orginal reports, stating Staus ( KIA or WIA) as well aircraft and bmb grp...perhaps you still can find them , If not thanks anyways

Alex

Major Jerstad, CHM Recepient , Lt Col Baker Co Pilot , HELLS WENCH at Ploesti Aug 1,1943

Al

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The photo taken from RUTH-LESS shows on how low the aircraft was when the photo was taken ....I would say 15 meters or so

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 10, 2005 12:42 pm

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2nd Lt G.Grimes dispaly his navigator map against the nose of the RUTH-LESS that carried him with the 44th Bmb Grp to Ploesti. Many of the loew level photos and the pulverised BLUE target were taken from this aircraft

Alex

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TW Death and MIA ID 's Reports
=====================

Rumanian Police records show that 10 B-24 brought down within Ploesti city limits and an other dozen within a few miles to the South East. Of these the 98th Bomb Grp lost the most aircraft which encountered a tremendeous barrage of A/A fire mostly 20 mm and 37 mm. The 15-30 minutes gap between the arrival and departure of the 376th and 93rd had given ample time for the A/A teams to be ready for the following waves.

Photographic evidence has shown that some of the B-24's of the 98th were flying a hundred of feet higher than the lowest elements and as such they were more vulnerable to A/A fire . Unfortunately also the left elements of the formation were flying directly over the Rumanian manned a/a batteries. There was only one crippled B-24 from which all the crew survived , the pilots were abled to lower landing gear and land on the nearby field.

The crash sites of the North and East of Ploesti were those of the 93rd , the group were flying over the city to the regroupping point of the formation after bombing WHITE IV and V. While not escaping the flack , most of the 44th aircraft went down due to fighter activity ,South and South West on leaving their targets.

The reports states that 214 airmen were recovered which were burried in 10 diferent cemitaries.

1 airman Sinaia Cemitary
1 Busteni "
1 Nedelea
1 Slatina
3 Chitorani
4 Butimanu
6 Ogrezeni
9 Chiocioc
17 Campina
172 Ploesti Municipal Cemitary


After the war US Graves Registration unitz in Rumania , first under Captain McMillan and later under Major Jorgensen began to open the graves. They were assisted Majorul Unga of the Rumanian Militzia who provided sketch map which was initially prepared by the Royal Jandarmerie . During the process of desinterring wrote Major Unga in his report that the graves at Bolovan cemitary...we assumed that the number of coffins given for each plot conincided with what we found , except for plot C , where 5 boxes were short. The remains of the corpses were found on top of the boxes which were not accounted for . On account of the high state of putrefaction in which the remains were found on disinterrement , we can hardly say that an accurate count of the remains in account of the fact that many of these corpses were badly burned in the wrecks or waisted in the process of puterfaction..so only that a few bones remained.

In cases that more than one corpse was placed in the box ,the exact number could not be dtermined. The remains were transported from Rumania to Belgium where they were temporaily burried in the American Cemitary at Neuville pending more extensive examination for proof of identification.

Next of kin in the US were given the opportunity of having the remains repatriated an offer which was taken by aprox. 50% of the families concerned. The final analysis of the TW losses shown 308 airmen ere killed, of whom 124 are till today MIA , 12 from 376th , 90 from 93rd , 144 from 98th and 43 from 44th and 19 from 389th . A total of 208 aircrew were taken POW or interned; 18 from 376th, 47th from 93rd, 50 from 44th and 42 from 389th


frm : PTL

Alex

A certain 109G after a USAF pilot tried his landig gear


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Don't want to put any gas on the fire.
Today I visited Ion Dobran;
I asked him about Anastasescu,who was in his groop at the flying school at Otopeni and Tunari(40).
Anastasescu is/was a quite guy,to one who would tell bed time stories.
His nick name was "Charlie the ox"-because of his strong character .
He was a good pilot.His instructor,an Italian named Severini,aprecieted him.
Dobran knew about one B 24 that CA hit with his propelor blades,and explained me ,in some aviatic terms,how could the plane crash landed.
If it is an invention I quess will never know,but if it is ,I heard worst than this one.
(on this forum too..)

C-2 nice to see you back on the air I guess your car got stuck on the snow somewhere and finally you got the engine started.

As I mention before I wont go into Anastasescus stories but I never questioned his integrity as pilot, the question was about and if he brought down two B-24's one of them through Taran

The ME-109 of Cantacuzino who brought Col.Gunn to Foggia most probably was wrecked due various misshaps in Foggia by local pilots or used as spare parts

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 10, 2005 10:39 pm

I was here near by...
Due to "off road "conditions here in Buc,I drive a 4x4 so I never get stuck...
Dobran knew about ONE B 24.
About Bazu's 109,the story tells that a pilot wanted to try it,Bazu gave him,and he distroyed it in take off or landing.

Just a short question off topic, can you ask Dobran on how long had to train Buzu on P-51 before taking it to Popesti...Buzu left Foggia just after 3 days ! I can imagine that Dobran knew about the 1 B-24 , I guess everyone else knew it too....question what is Dobran personal opinion about the Taran and the fact the all 15th AF vets and historians do not account him for any B-24

Al

Dobran is a geat guy.
I love him very much.
All the things he tells about himself,he's sure about their acuracy.
Everything else he cannot be sure,if he wasn't at that particular place,at the particular time...
*That's one of the reasons I love him so much!
Some of the other reasons are that he never speaks bad things about anyone,and tells all that he wasn't satisfied about his achivmentsas a fighter pilot(and that's a rare thing to hear).