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

I can't explain all these discrepancies...though I have it confirmed that Clestino Garcia on the photos posted by me was the one who got killed while impacting after bailout the other aircafts wing

Alex

The only thing i believe could resolve the mistery of Garcia is to get combat missing aircraft crew report ( MACR ) for the B-24's ( 456BG) lost on 5 may '44 and check the crew members name. But someone must pay around 30 $ to get that information from the US archiv. I heard that american vet. had acces free to this kind of sources.

Here is the photo of the crew of the LIL ABNER which was shot down after the target by either ARR or Luftwaffe fighters. The gunner kneeling 2nd from the right shot down 2 fighter aircrafts prior the airplane has carshed...all bailed out and survived except him. From the book " Target Ploesti "

Al

This post has been edited by Victor on February 09, 2006 06:45 pm

CIP, the smoke trails behind the B-24 you questioned on my posted photo were of newly developed chemical bombs at that time , leaving behind them smoke trails to pint point the target and the hits . I discovered the explanation in one of my books about Ploesti and I am not aware that they had the need to do so

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 21, 2004 10:52 pm

thanks for the information, oance again great photos!!!

On 6 june '44 the 376BG lost only one B-24 over Romania. Probably Sgt.Celestino was one of the crew member who died that day.

B-24 Sn 42-78075 376BG lost 6/6/1944 MACR 5829

So i think 2 americans both named Garcia lost their life over Romania. Bill P. Garcia from 456BG on 5 mai'44 ( Ardennes Cemetery list) and Sgt. Celestino Garcia from 376 BG on 6 june '44.
All the documents and photographs show that the one who hit the B-24 "Taboo" lost on 5 may'44 is Sgt.Bill P.Garcia from 456BG.
The other version with Garcia Celestino is based only from memories of vet . who mixed the names, the dates and the story about this B-24 shot down by a jumper.

Ok Alex i'm impressed. But how about a picture with a rara avis. An original Tidal Wave B-24 compass. The last direction indicated by this compass was "Festung Ploesti".



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And german O.W. Wagner goggles used by IAR 80 pilots.


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And a german Junghans cronograph used on IAR80-81 fighters.


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And a pressure gauge from german planes.


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Cantacuzino, I tried to get info on the TABOO which Garcia hit ( Bill Garcia) and yet none of the huge data base I have and my resources have one inch of lead which may enable us to untungle this futile knoted issue. Bellow the photo of the YO YO of Garcia , though we was later on added to the crew. Where did you get the photo of the Sgt who photographed the inverted flat spin of TABOO ?

ALex

Here are new and yet unplubished photos taken from TUPELO LAS over Ploesti at TIDALWAVE and in one of them it can be seen a crash of one of his wingmans. All these photos are sole courtesy of the TUPELO LAS vets

AL

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 22, 2004 10:34 am

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Here is again a photo from TUPELO LAS, taken from the copilot sea...the smoke of a crashing B-24 can be seen at 3 o'clock

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 22, 2004 10:37 am

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Last phoro from Tupelo Las over Ploesti at very low altitude over the target, at 11 o'clock a huge tank explosion from one of the Ploesti refinaries can be seen

Al

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 22, 2004 10:39 am

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