The Aug 1 43' raid on Ploesti was flown on the deck by B-24's and they paid the price from flak and fighters.
Posted on 08/01/2018 9:01:45 AM PDT by fugazi
1914: As France begins mobilization of its army, Germany crosses into neighboring Luxembourg and declares war against Russia.
1943: 177 B-24 Liberator bombers of the Ninth and (newly formed) Eighth Air Forces depart Libya to conduct a low-level strike the Axis oil fields at Ploiesti, Romania. A massive German air defense network inflicts heavy casualties on the Americans, shooting down 53 B-24s and damaging another 55. One bomber manages to limp back to the Benghazi air field with an incredible 365 bullet holes. Over 310 Americans are killed with over 200 captured or missing. Five raiders earn the Medals of Honor – the most ever awarded for a single mission.
In the Solomon Islands, the Japanese destroyer Aragiri rams the motor torpedo boat PT-109. Two sailors are killed by the nighttime collision. Lieutenant (junior grade) John F. Kennedy and his remaining 11-man crew swim over three miles to a nearby deserted island and are rescued days later. The future president is awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for gallantry.
1944: Gen. George Patton’s Third Army becomes operational and forms the right flank of the Allied force sweeping across France.
(Excerpt) Read more at victoryinstitute.net ...
Any other skipper would have been in front of an admiral’s mast for dereliction of duty. But when daddy’s that highly placed and paid off that many people......
Screwing up and getting your boat sunk can get you elected President.
If you family has money and connections.
Almost worked twice but the Nuanced One failed to sink his boat.
Today is also the anniversary of the beginning of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising.
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The Aug 1 43' raid on Ploesti was flown on the deck by B-24's and they paid the price from flak and fighters.
Awesome photo
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