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

Hi Alex,


The information from my dad is sketchy at best. His memory is poor. As I said, he went over seas with Halpro's expedition in 1942. He rememembers leaving Florida for South America and from South America across the Atlantic. They refuled somewhere along the coast and proceeded NorthEast. The flight was scattered enroute because of severe storms. My dad was an FE. In those days the FE's also served as the Mechs for the aircraft. When the 98th BG was formed, Halpro's group was incorporated and the 415 SQ was formed. I think most of Halpro's group made up the 415th SQ. He flew with the 415th out of Bengazi from 1942 through early 1944. My father crashed returning from a raid on Naples I think. The plane was damaged and they overshot the base and crased inland. My Dad says sometimes at night you couldn't tell the ocean from ripples in the desert sand. I might be able to make a few copies of some of his photo's. Do you have any information you can share about Halpro or the 415th?

Ed
USA

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 16, 2005 06:19 pm

To all my TW mates and sport fans ...here is something ...the STRAWBERY BITCH near FLACK ALLEY somewhere at my flat

Alex

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Hello Alex,

I very much appreciate you uploading the profile of my uncles plane,
'Margie', and including his photo. What a terrific tribute. Would it
be possible to obtain a full size copy of it? Could you send a copy
directly to me? Please extend my Thanks to Dan for all his efforts....

Also, has there been any progress on locating 'Margie's' crash site?

Regards,

George
================================

Hello George

Dan and I hope we were of help to you mate , I think Dan will respond to you directly regarding the original poster, I very much doubt that after somany years the crash site has preserved any evidences at all...neither in Roumania
remains of the wrackage were preserved. MARGIE crashed within the municipal area of Ploesti and like in the other crashes within the city of Ploesti not very much was left to be found due to obstractions and nature of the impact,following post crash explosions.

Thanks
Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 17, 2005 01:17 am

Dan

There are various mates of mine interested to buy from you the originals of your B-24 profiles per specifica aircraft name on high quality photo paper,,,,,email me please the cost on A-3 and A-4 formats

Thanks
Al

Alex,
I got this one from Art Ferwerda. I don't know if you
already have it. Charles Young is on the left and Jake
Epting is second from right.

Joe Gonzales
San Antonio, Texas


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Alex,
Here are three unidentified airmen from the 409th Bomb
Squadron. I got this photo from Bob Peterson. It is
not known when this photo was taken or where. It
appears to be in England though. Maybe someone will
recognized them and tell us if they were on TW
mission.

Regards,
Joe Gonzales
San Antonio, Texas

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Nice and rare picture of "Tupelo Las". Btw.the nickname of Charles Young written under right window is "Buck head" or something like .
Thanks Joe, for sharing .

Dan.

Interesting is the first name written over squadron patches.
One is Ray ( Pilot ???)

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on February 18, 2005 11:55 am

Joe

I am about to buy Gen .Ted memoires , geeze is expensive over 2200 buks...in there there's a crew photo of Jose Carioca taken prior departure......I am awating purchase confirmation
Al

Good news, I am waiting for the Jose Carioca crew picture.

PS: Why it's so expensive? It's handwritten Gen.Ted memoires ?

Alex,
Below the right cockpit window, it looks like it says, Mr Five By Five Buckhead Young. Young was nicknamed "Five By Five". Towards the front of the plane, it says, "Yardstick" and something like, "Map". Maybe someone else can make it out. Best Regards,
Joe Gonzales
San Antonio, Texas

PS: Looking foward to those JOSE CARIOCA crew photos.

This post has been edited by jjg449 on February 18, 2005 09:48 pm

Howdy Joe

Nice to seya on here mate......the cost of Timberlake memoires are rather very expensive...in excess of 2'400 buks.....I need to gear up my resources and see if I can cope with the stuff

Best Regards
Alex

It's great to hear from Art Ferwerda again. I was hoping he might comment on something not directly related to Tidal Wave but something he may have experienced.

Recent reference to the crash of "Texan" indicated a vulcanized tire blew out on take off. When I was a youngster I would help my dad in his tire store. People would bring in tires that were badly punctured and he would vulcanize the tire. It consisted of curing a patch under high heat. It was an unreliable process to say the least and often the patch failed. It made me shudder to think that aircraft tires were vulcanized. Does Art remember if they did a lot of tire patching on their aircraft? I know there were tire problems in the desert and was it necessary to fix tires that normally should have been thrown on the junk pile. All of this emphasizes the fact that ground crew and flight crew labored under great stress to get these ships in the air. I hope Art (or the other vets on the list) may have some thoughts on this. Thanks.

Blaine

PS Art, great progress is being made on getting Ben Kuroki the Distinguished Service Medal!

Ed,
I couldn't find any reference to your father on the original Halpro crew lists. I did find him in the orders for the 98th to depart Florida:
"Pursuant to instructions contained in Hq. LAA, Lakeland, Florida, S.O. #57, Par. 1, dated June 27, 1942, the following personnel constitutes the Flight Echelon of the 415th Bombardment Squadron".

The document goes on to list the crews of nine aircraft of the 415th. Crew #4 consisted of:
2nd Lt. Wilbur R. Everett
2nd Lt. Seymour G. Knight
2nd Lt. John D. Nicks
2nd Lt. Harold R. Taylor
S/Sgt. Edward R. Lowe
S/Sgt. Frank J. Mickus
S/Sgt Earl R. Barnette
S/SGt. John E. Blue
T/Sgt Ward E. Martin
1st Lt. Herbert I. Shingler
T/Sgt Adam (NMI) Genga 11033145

It looks like Adam Genga was in the original cadre of the 415th. Maybe you could check with him if he remembers any of these names. I will check through some of my records for any info on the Everett crew. Was your father ground crew who was drafted into flying combat or maybe visa versa or both?

It goes without saying that all of us on the TW list would love to hear more about your father's pictures and memories! I will keep digging through the files for any more info on your dad. Best wishes.

Blaine

A rare picture with romanians taking out a crew member left in Brewery Wagon after the crash. From the book " Ploiesti- Low level strike" authors Corneliu Nastase and Razvan Bujor.

Dan.

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