Members:
 
What ever became of the commanders of the 1 August 1943 Ploesti mission, especially Col. Keith Compton, Brig. General Uzal Ent, Col. John "Killer" Kane, after the raid?  What happened with their AAF careers for the remainder of the war?  These officers seem to fall off of the USAAF history radar after the mission. 
 
And with no disrespect for the men who flew the mission (especially the enlisted men and junior officers), what about the Catch-22 aspect of the mission?  By this I mean that it seems that instead of busting people for screwing up the mission, they were awarded medals instead.  Is this because of the PR angle that the bad publicity of busting the mission commanders would hurt the war effort?  From what I have read it is evident that after all of the meticulous and thorough planning and training for this specific mission that the mission commanders (Ent and Compton) messed up the mission by turning for the IP too soon and that even the greenest of 2nd Lt. navigators realized at the time that the lead airplane was making the wrong turn.  Ploesti expert and author Michael Hill has exploded the myth that the lead navigator was lost when the B-24 "Wongo Wongo" crashed into the sea (See "Black Sunday: Ploesti" by Schiffer Books). 
 
Such a PR scenario was hinted at in a magazine article published in "World War II Magazine" several years back.  Can't find it right now but I have it somewhere.  The article had some holes in it.  It seems to have a beginning and an end, but no middle.  In the article, one veteran is quoted in a series of letters that he did not want to attend the mission reunion because (I am paraphrasing here) he did not want to look certain people in the eye and pretend that they had done a good job.  These questions have always intriged me.  B-17 Group Commander Col. Dale Smith related an incident when a B-17 commander was relieved of command and sent home after turning his formation into another and causing a mid-air collision.  Were Compton and Ent sent home after the raid because of the wrong turn?  I would like to know what the forum members think of this mission, the wrong turn and the aftermath.  And I would really like to know what happened to Ent, Compton, and Kane (who came into the target as briefed and achieved good results) during the remainder of the war.  Thanks.
 
                                                     Blackie

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jrkane.htm
 
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/lwjohnsn.htm

ORIGINAL: Blackie Bales

Members:

What ever became of the commanders of the 1 August 1943 Ploesti mission, especially Col. Keith Compton, Brig. General Uzal Ent, Col. John "Killer" Kane, after the raid?  What happened with their AAF careers for the remainder of the war?  These officers seem to fall off of the USAAF history radar after the mission. 
 
Ent became Commander 2AF (1944?) and chose Paul Tibbets to train what became the 509BG which dropped the atomic bombs on Japan.  Post WW-II he was injured by a runaway prop on a B-25? which paralyzed him.  While hospitalized he developed a system to handle hospitalized patients similar to what is now the Stryker frame.  He died in March 1958 as a Major General.
 
While a lieutenant he was co-pilot of a gas balloon in the national balloon races attempting to qualify for the Gordon Bennett Cup.  Struck by lightning he survived the crash which killed his pilot.
 
This is from memory as I was stationed at the Base named for him, the same one where he was the 2AF Commander.  As an aside while I was there the CofS was Hub Zemke.  He called me son and I called him Colonel Sir.  Nice man.
 
Regards,
 
Tex Houston 

I remember "Killer" Kane was base commander at Gowen Field when I was there in 1944

My recollection of the story making the rounds after the B24 low level mission was, that a group made a wrong turn and then tried to rectify their error. As planned the last group over the target had delayed action bombs, the group that made the error then came over the target last. While over the target the delayed action bombs went off wreaking havoc on the hapless B24s. As stated above any errors made was by the leaders. There were 5 medals of honor issued to people on that mission
 I can't verify the accuracy of this story, other then the medals, which is a fact.

Jules Horowitz, B-17 pilot, 99th BG, 50 missions/sorties
My tour was from 7/19/43-2/13/44

Jules, that's what I have read as well.

Ken

Ken Alexander
Son of 1st Lt. Clair B. Alexander Jr.
Pilot, B-24s: 10/12/1944 - 04/24/1945
15th AF, 49th Wing, 461st BG, 764th BS
Torretta Airfield, Cerignola, Italy

Blackie,
 
The article that you are referring to can be found in the July 2001 issue of World War II Magazine and was written by Maj. Gen. Philip P. Ardery.  The article is controversial and should be read by any one interested in the mission.  The letter writer you refer to is Lt. Gen. Edward J. Timberlake.  The quote you are paraphrasing is: in conversation with Ramsay Potts: "I told [Potts] I couldn't talk to some of those people who really screwed up the mission. But yet pretend they did well."  The author of the article does seem like he is holding back a bit.  Can't put my finger on it either.  Hope this helps.  Tony Mireles

Jules,
From what I have read in the book "Into the Guns Of Ploesti' Colonel Compton and General Ent,flying in Teggie Ann did not belong in airplanes.They ordered the co-pilot at the controls to make a right turn.The navigator Capt Harold Wicklund,one of three "Halpro veterans on TIDAL WAVE,knew they had turned early and reported this to the cockpit.The general and colonel ignored his advice.Then "the silent world of muted earphones shattered by cries of "Wrong Turn" and "Not Here"from trailing,unbelieving incredulous pilots".

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

The Lt. Gen. Edward J. Timberlake referred to was  head of the 93rd Bomb Group which partipated in that Ploesti raid. His nickname was "Ted" and the 93rd BG became known as "Ted's Travelling Circus" by the media and is also the name of the history of the 93rd BG by Carroll Stewart. On a recent visit to Hardwick AFB, home of the 93rd, I saw the home he lived in, along with some of the remaining fixtures of the old base.
 
Vic

Thanks Tony.  I finally found my copy of that magazine.  Had to dig through a few boxes to get to it.  Going to re-read this.  Thanks for posting the date of the issue. 
 
                                                     Blackie Bales

Overall, to get to the target on that mission was extremely difficult. The fact that the planes were flying at altitudes of several 100 feet made the navigation next to impossible, the only way that it was done was by pilotage with some dead reckoning (time/distance).
I can see where the screwup was possible.

Jules Horowitz, B-17 pilot, 99th BG, 50 missions/sorties
My tour was from 7/19/43-2/13/44

Blackie,

One of the truisms of the military, any military, is that "No plan ever survives initial contact".

Plans are just that - plans. One of the great attributes of the American way of doing things is that once a plan falls apart, Americans by their very nature will take what they have at hand and press it home.

Take what you like and leave the rest....

Andy

Seems like the mission was getting screwed up as soon as the force crossed the Yugoslav coast.  The force was immediately spotted by Luftwaffe spotters and other observers and then the attacking force encountered cloud cover, breaking up the force.  According to some published accounts, the Luftwaffe picked up the force on radar when they crossed the mountains.  In the article that Blackie is referring, Timberlake takes Col. Kane to task because he crossed the Danube at a spot north of briefed, alerting the Luftwaffe.  He says "Killer...really goofed."  LeMay says in his book that they could never fool the Luftwaffe because they were on the ball most of the time.  Still, Kane crossing the Danube north of briefed (seems the Luftwaffe already knew they were coming) and the cloud cover have nothing to do with Compton and Ent making the wrong turn.  And like Blackie says in his post, it seems (from what I've read) everybody knew it but the mission commanders.  It's a thorny issue.  You guys should read the article, it's worth a look (July 2001 World War II Magazine).  Tony.

Can anyone recommend a good book about this subject?  Something that also talks about the crews' experiences and not just the facts and figures.

"Ploesti" by James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

SON OF TOP TURRET GUNNER/FLIGHT ENGINEER
384TH/546TH AND 305TH/422ND

Propwash,
 
"Ploesti: Oil Strike" by John Sweetman
This is a Ballantine Battle Book (1974) and has been out of print for a while.  Pretty good. 
 
"Target Ploesti: A View from a Bombsight" by Leroy Newby
Presidio Press, California, 1983
 
"Black Sunday: Ploesti" by Michael Hill.  Pretty good blow by blow account of the mission with complete crew roster of all who flew on the mission.  Schiffer Books, Atglen, PA, 1993. 
 
"Low Level Mission" by Leon Wolff.  Published in 1957 and has been out of print for a while.  I read this one many years ago.  Haven't seen it since. 
 
There was another Ploesti book that I checked out at my local library a few years back but the title escapes me right now.  It was new at the time I read it.   I fully intended to purchase a copy but events overwhelmed me.  I'll get back to you on it when I dig up the title. 
 
The first three on the list are worth it. 
 
Tony Mireles
 
 

My suggestion would be "BURNING HITLER"S BLACK GOLD"  by Frank Way with Robert Sternfels (Pilot of The Sandman) Bob Sternfels has interviewed both Compton and Wicklund in the latest edition.
 
You can review several book titles about TIDAL WAVE on my suggested reading page WEB www.pyramidiers.com it also gives the address of most of the authors and where to order.
 
As for Col. Kane, I was at Smokey Hill AFB, KS in 1953 when he was base Commander and left the AF. There is more to this story which I will not go into now. Col Kane died 28 May 1996. I am still in contact with his son. His first wife was still alive last year.
 
Herb Harper, Former historian 98th Vets Association.

Prop,
Not taking any thing away from other books recomended,if you can get Ted ( Leroy W Newby's) book " Into The Guns Of Ploesti " ISBN O-87938-494-8 you wont regret it.

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

According to the article written by Maj. Gen. Philip P. Ardery (who was a Captain at the time of the Ploesti Mission), Killer Kane never achieved rank beyond Colonel, the same rank he held on the day of the mission, despite many years in the service following the war.  Why is this?  And again, what became of Compton after this mission, the rest of the war, and later on? 

Further, in response to my own question, the five men who received the Medal of Honor for this mission (Kane, Baker, Johnson, Jerstad, Hughes) had nothing to do with making the mistake of the wrong turn for the IP.  Ardery states that the request for the Medal of Honor awarded to Lt. Pete Hughes was made by Gen. Ent over the objection of the commander of the 389th BG, Col. Jack W. Wood, because he (Wood) was hoping that "he [Wood] might get the medal."  Ouch. 

Lt. Gen. Edward Timberlake states in his letter to Ardery:
"Keith Compton...had a scheme.  He trained one crew to lead the mission to the turning point (IP).  In other words, navigate to the IP and initiate the turn to the target.  When they made the turn, Keith was to slide into the lead position to the target.  All well and good (over planning) except the Navigating Crew's plane exploded over the Adriatic.  This made Compton take over the navigation and recognize the IP." 

Can this really be true?  Is this the way it was done?  According to Michael Hill's book, Compton was leading the formation over the Adriatic.  Read on. 

Statement by B-24 pilot Lt. Guy Iovine:
"A signal was given by Col. Compton for a climb.  [Ship # 23 piloted by Iovine] was a little behind at the time.  Ship # 28 [Wongo Wongo], piloted by Lt. [Brian W.] Flavelle, was wobbling and made a sharp turn to the left, missing ship # 36 piloted by Lt. [John D.] Palm.  [Ship # 23, piloted by Iovine] turned to the right.  It seemed as if a/c # 28 stalled the top wing, in turn went into a dive to approximately 1,000 feet.  [Ship # 28 Wongo Wongo]...attempted to pull out and went into a tight spiral to the right.  He [Flavelle] attempted to pull out of this but went straight into the sea and exploded.  A few seconds before the ship hit, three objects come off or out of the ship and struck the water.  The plane burned and sank immediately.  Smoke rose 900 feet or more.  No sign of survivors." 

If this account is true, quoted from the mission sortie report of aircraft 41-24258 "Desert Lilly" piloted by Lt. Iovine, then Col. Compton was leading the formation and not trailing Wongo Wongo, as is suggested by the letter written by Timberlake to Ardery.  Furthermore, the ship # 28, Wongo Wongo, apparently was leading the second element of six (seven with extra ship) and if ship # 28 was leading the whole formation, then Flavelle would have given the command to climb the formation and not Compton.  According to Compton's own mission report he was flying "lead ship in first flight of 'A' section".  I'm guessing, from this info, that Compton was leading the mission and not Lt. Flavelle when Ship # 28 Wongo Wongo crashed into the sea.  There is no mention in Compton's mission report that the "lead ship" had crashed into the sea. 

Some have suggested that Compton's ship was "buried" in the second element of the formation to protect General Ent, who was not supposed to be on board.  It should be pointed out that all other Group commanders were flying in the lead ship of the lead elements of their respective formations. 

As for the mission going bad, Timberlake says: "I put my finger on the bad guys and the good guys", but Maj. Gen. Lewis H. Brereton said it was too late to bust people because all the requests for medals have been put through to Washington.  Timberlake finishes up his letter to Ardery: "I saw no reason to wreck a bunch of lives when it was already too late.  How could I have talked to those guys forty-three years later?  I keep my bad dreams to myself."  Man, this is heavy. 

I'd like to type the letter here on the forum, but I don't want to get in trouble with the publishers WWII Magazine.  The letter as it appears in the magazine is probably heavily edited.  Ardery leaves all of us hanging with his incomplete accounting of the letter and surrounding conversations.  When Ardery describes the Ploesti Mission meeting organized by the Eighth Air Force Historical Society, and attended by General Leon Johnson, Maj. Gen. Ramsay Potts and General Jacob Smart (Timberlake refused to attend), he says: "At the meeting there was much discussion [about the mission], but several important questions went unanswered."  He then fails to outline what those questions were and the context and content of the discussion. This is frustrating.  Ardery then takes another shot at Col. Kane and then goes on to describe how good he feels about his own group's performance on the mission and neglects all of the disturbing points brought out by the letter and his own observations. 

I'm not out here to slam any Ploesti veteran or their performance, just looking for the truth and looking for insight from the members of this forum. 

                                                  Blackie

Blackie,
 
Went to the library and checked out the James Dugan book "Ploesti: The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943".  Dugan says that Flavelle was the lead ship.  He also gives the name of the airplane as Wingo-Wango rather than Wongo Wongo.  But the Mike Hill book checks out like you post "Wongo Wongo."  Some one is wrongo wrongo.   The Ballantine Battle Book "Ploesti: Oil Strike" by John Sweetman also says the ship is Wingo-Wango and also states that Flavelle was the lead ship.  But Sweetman says that the AAF stated that the loss of Flavelle's ship was of "no special significance" to the events that followed and that Compton was unaware of its loss.  Tony Mireles
 
Herb,
 
Give us the low down on Col. John "Killer" Kane instead of teasing us with your post.  Tony Mireles