Date: 5 April 1944
MISSION #15
BASE: San Pancrazio
TARGET: Ploesti, Romania--Marshalling Yards and Astra Oil Refinery
SHIP: Sakinshack …256
ESCORT: 30 P-38’s from the 14th Fighter Group--supposed to meet them on the way back but they got tied up with enemy aircraft over Yugoslavia and didn’t make the rendezvous.
BOMBS: 12 x 500 lb. General Purpose from 22,600 feet
ENEMY AIRCRAFT: Fighter opposition exceptionally aggressive. 50-60 ME-109’s & FW-190’s, 10-20 JU-88’s, & 10 ME-110’s
FLAK: Very Intense Volume, Accurate Aim, Heavy Caliber over target.
RESULTS: Target area well covered with much damage done. Smoke pot screen was somewhat effective but our attack caused fires and explosions from hits on storage tanks and enormous explosions from hits on refinery. Fires also caused by hits on tank car loading station and tank cars. There were several direct hits on installations at marshalling yard, on railroad overpass and north choke point.
SORTIES: 2 Total: 20
MISSION TIME: 7:00 Total: 97:00
NARRATIVE: First high altitude raid on Ploesti. We were scared of this mission because of all the known flak guns in the area. We led the high flight (second flight) of the second attack unit. The flak made my stomach churn.
The enemy fighter pilots were the best I have seen and the most aggressive. The enemy fighters flew through the heavy flak to attack our group. Attacks were made all around the clock, closing to within 50 feet before either pulling up or diving under. Coordinated attacks came from 6 o’clock low by formations of six flying two abreast, closing to 50 to 100 yards and breaking away on either side in a diving turn followed by a split ‘S’ and then raking the under side of the bombers--my side! The JU-88’s would stand off and fire rockets and then close with automatic weapons. These 6 o’clock low attacks came right at me. I tried to fire only short bursts but I was sure I would run out of ammo. Finally, a JU-88 started smoking and went down. The pilot in the ship behind us, Garland Jarvis, confirmed that I had gotten him--a kill.
Death of a German fighter shot apart by a gunner in a 15th Air Force heavy bomber
There were so many B-24’s spinning down. I was surprised how fast they spun. Some had chutes coming out. One exploded. I don’t think I’ll make it through another mission.
Our group lost five B-24’s over Ploesti. The lost B-24 from our squadron was a new bomber on its first mission (42-52474). On board as co-pilot was our squadron commander Major Beane. He had taken the place of my friend Paul Jonshoy for this mission. The plane was hit directly by flak while on the bomb run and started to lose altitude. But the pilot, Captain Robert Stone, kept the aircraft on a straight run and dropped his bombs on the target. After turning off the target this plane was aggressively attacked by enemy aircraft and set on fire. Eight chutes were seen to come from the doomed aircraft.
Blazing Liberator of the 15th Air Force 1944(early 451st markings)
Ploesti, Romania 5 April 1944
(Photo taken from ship 238--SUSAN DIANE)
The remainder of Stone’s scattered middle flight came up and formed up on our flight. All but one of the low flight in the second attack unit had been shot down, including SUPER MOOSE (42-64442), JOLLY ROGER (42-52081) and ST. PETER’S FERRY (42-7720). These were from the 727th squadron. The lone survivor came up to join us for safety. Now our flight had 12 planes instead of 6. And we were leading the second attack unit. Our pilot, Robert James, after rallying the entire Second attack unit, "cut the corner" of the sweeping right turn to take all planes into formation with the first attack unit during the intense German fighter onslaught. By joining all aircraft quickly no more planes were lost. Robert James received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the 451st received another Distinguished Unit Citation for this mission. WOLF WAGON (42-64449 of the 724th) returned with over 350 holes from flak and German fighters. John O’Conner landed her with all three tires shot out. She came to a stop in three feet of water off the landing strip. My friends in the squadron at Manduria died in an explosion/crash on take-off--their left landing gear collapsed.
450th Bomb Group B-24 over Ploesti 1944
451st B-24 crashes on takeoff, Manduria, Italy 5 April 1944
