Operation Halpro losses over Romania

[Fratello]

I found in archive that ARR and Luftwaffe were credited each with one B-24 during Haplro raid. The victories were given to adj. av. Vasile Pascu from Grupul 8 Vt. (credited wit a B-24 shot down over Viziru area) and slt. German Peltz from Luftwaffe (credited wit a b-24 shot down în Brăila area)
(Source: fond-Inspectoratul General al Jandarmeriei)

[Victor]

No B-24 was lost over Romania on 12 June 1942. Two B-24s landed at Alep (Syria), seven in Irak and four in Turkey. One pilot and one machine-gunner were wounded in a fight with a fighter identified as a Bf-109.

The claim of adj. av. Vasile Pascu wasn't confirmed and remained a probable. It seems he and Peltz attacked the bomber together (at least according to Vanatorul IAR-80 by Dan Antoniu and George Cicos). Btw, I don't believe that the first name of Peltz was "German".

[Fratello]

But the same night (11/12 june 1942), soviet raids and even parachute drops were signaled over Romania.Is it possible that the shootings were in fact soviet planes?

[Victor]

I veru much doubt there were any Soviet bombers over Romania that night. The front was too far away by then, for Soviet bombers to attempt such a daring raid. The only possible airfield that could have been used was at Sevastopol, but which at that time was under heavy siege and was pounded into submission by Fliegerkorps VIII. The only bomber units that I know of there were the 18th ShAP/VVS-ChF (Il-2s), 116th MRAP/VVS-ChF (MBR-2s) and 23 AP/VVS-ChF (U-2s). hardly any aircraft capable of night raids over Romania.

[Fratello]

About the soviet bombers over Romania in the same night with Halpro raid (11/12 june 1942) Legiunea de Jandarmi Ismail, în nota telefonică nr. 383/1942 către I.G.J.-Bucureşti proves: <<SUNTEM INFORMAŢI CĂ ÎN DIMINEAŢA ZILEI DE 12 IUNIE 1942, AVIOANE SOVIETICE CE VENEAU DINSPRE NISTRU LA O ÎNĂLŢIME FOARTE MARE, AU TRECUT PE DEASUPRA JUDEŢULUI CAHUL, MERGÂND SPRE JUDEŢUL CONSTANŢA. LA FRUMUŞICA AU FĂCUT CÂTEVA VIRAJE, DAR NU AU APUCAT SĂ BOMBARDEZE, ÎNTRUCÂT DE LA GALAŢI AU VENIT DOUĂ AVIOANE DE VÂNĂTOARE ROMÂNEŞTI ŞI, LA VEDEREA LOR, AVIOANELE INAMICE AU LUAT-O SPRE CAHUL, FIIND URMĂRITE DE APARATELE NOASTRE. BĂNUIM CĂ ACESTEA AU LANSAT PARAŞUTIŞTI. MAIOR ANDONE>>

[Fratello]

In May 1942 Colonel Harry A. Halverson led 23 factory-fresh B-24s from Florida on an epic flight that was supposed to finish in China. Known as HALPRO (Halverson project) the unit was going to bomb Tokyo in a follow-up to the Doolittle raid. When HALPRO reached Egypt however, the crews were ordered to stay put and prepare to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti. The mission (the first US raid of the European war, top secret at the time and later overshadowed by the disastrous low-level Ploesti raid of 1943) was set for June 12th.
The aircraft took off individually between 10:30 and 11:00 pm on June 11th, arriving over the target at dawn the following day. Ten bombers hit the Astra refinery at Ploesti, one B-24 attacked the port area of Constanta, the remaining two B-24s struck unidentified targets. Three ended up interned in Turkey, the rest manage to reach friendly bases in Iraq. Damage turned out to be minimal but the mission was considered a success.

[Fratello]

This was found to http://www.ww2guide.com/oil.shtml

[Victor]

Operation Halpro has been discussed several times on the forum. See this older thread for a detailed description:
http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=543

I know about the gendarmes report, but still that doesn't proove much. The B-24s passed over Galati also and I doubt the gendarmes could make a difference between bombers at high altitudes. For them any hostile bomber could be Soviet, as this was the very first US raid over European territory.

A Soviet bomber needed to fly at least 1,800 km from the front line in the Ukraine to Galati and back. And since heavier bombers weren't placed near the frontline, I would suggest an all-round trip of 2,000 km over hostile territory. Such daring raids would have probably been mentioned in published works, especially since it coincided with Halpro. My personal opinion is that there were no Soviet bombers over Romania that night and the reports are the results of the confusion created, but I may be wrong.

[Fratello]

Below is a photo with adj. av. Vasile Pascu from Grupul 8 Vt., credited with a B-24 shot down over Uriziceni-Viziru area (Source: Dosarele Istoriei Magazine)

Attached Image

[alexkdl]

Fratello , I would appreciate knowing more clear details about the HALPRO detachment bember being shot down over Rumania in 1942 as I have no records of such loss of Halverston detachment. Possible the ARR pilot fired at a bomber and credited with something unconfirmed. Thats completly new to me therefore I would like to know more

Alex

[Victor]

Alex, the claim was not confirmed.

[alexkdl]

Fratello as Victor stated I checked all my records and asked my B-24 friends and historians but also a person who was at HALPRO and is still alive...no B-24 whatsoever was lost by HALPRO in Roumania ..and the pilot named must have shot down something else but a US plane or not all .

Alex

[Fratello]

Victor you are right, none of 2 B-24 shot down by ARR and Luftwaffe in that night (11/12 june 1942) was confirmed. But one of the 4 B-24 landed in Turcia to Izmir was heavy hited with 2 damaged engines and ridled with bullets.

[Fratello]

And we don't know exactly the real number of the B-24 that taken off on this raid.
Just we know that 4 B-24 landed in Hablania, 3 in Irak, 2 at Alep (Siria) and another 4 at Izmir (Turkey).

[Dénes]

Besides Adj. av. Pascu, there were two Luftwaffe pilots who claimed B-24s on the night of August 11/12, 1942: Lt. Peltz of JG 52 and Lt. Berres of JG 77.
Any additional info is welcome.

Gen. Dénes