Ploesti August 1, 1943

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (stoyanov)

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:32:43 GMT

Regarding my message from yesterday, here is the letter itself if anyone else would like to cooperate with me:

    To Mr. Josef Fregozi.
    officer in the police station of Millbrae, California
    Hi Joe,
    Now that the book of my father will be soon reissued for 4-th time to honour his heroic wartime carrier of in Bulgarian Mil. Aviation, I need urgently back all the album's pages with photos ,which you borrowed from me about seven years ago. I want them now for enclosure in this new issue of my dad's book. I believe that you are such a honest and correct man as you promised to be in the emails sent to me to support your request(attached are some of them in brief). I also believe that with your noble profession and long service in the Millbrae police station of California you can not be unfair.

I copied my this to several US people who we both know and I hope they will be cooperating with me.
Mr. Bill Hayes ,friend of Fregozi
gen.George Loving- Mustang fighter pilot-ace ,
Mr. Herb Harper- 98-th BG, historian
Mr R Johnson-a POW , from Tx
Randall Hannum-a son of B-24 crew from NY
Michael Tinker-son of P-38 fighter from San Diego
Denes Bernad-Canada
Awaiting your reply and understanding:
Vesselin Stoyanov

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (stoyanov)

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:11:51 GMT

Hi Herb,
Nice to meet you on this forum!Hope you and your wife are doing well.
Recently I sent you a letter regarding an opened appeal for return of photos of my father from his war time carrier, hold by a californian fan of ww2 pics.Have you seen it?
Best wishes
Vesselin

Re:Ploesti August 1, 1943 (arrow1)

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 08:40:35 GMT

I am trying to determine on whether the Q flack train at Ploesti was the most unique AA
method used only at Ploesti a design adoppted by Gerstenberg or was also employed at the other
refineries of the 3rd Reich spread out throughout Europe . I am only puzzeld on that AAC
or Army Major or Lt.Col. depicted on the famous Q train photo inspecting the train in 1945 or 1946 .
There are no records whatsoever on such inspection by the Army of such facility especially that
such permission would have been needed from the Russkies who took control of the facilities
and who were not keen to share anything with their allies

Alex K

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (shooshoobaby)

Tue, 05 May 2009 18:09:19 GMT

Mark- John
# 42 - 63758 D " Little Jughaid "
Mike

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (Yunch)

Tue, 05 May 2009 16:18:08 GMT

Mark,
Could the plane name spelling be "Little Jughaid", named after a newspaper "Snuffy Smiff" comics character?.

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (MAS)

Tue, 05 May 2009 15:29:30 GMT

Prompted by just reading "Into the Fire" a Google search for my father's plane - Little Jighaid (?sp) - landed me in this forum. While I realize this post is > a year old, I can provide some information on Lt. Boyden Supiano who died in 1996 and is interred at Arlington. I am curious to know more about the "Flights to Everywhere" hero designation as well. Please let me know if you remain interested in information about my Dad.

Mark

Ploesti August 1, 1943 (arrow1)

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:02:37 GMT

DKJ93

For some reason I didnt see your post regarding the issue with KK, Ent , Wicklund , Sternfels and KK Bombordier.

Several years before his death I spoke to KK but also to his son some 18 months ago by phone , his name is also Keith Carl Compton Jr . I also
spoke often to Bob Sternfels , though never to Wicklund. KK admitted to Bob and to me too , that he was fully responssible for the wrong turn
to Bucharest , admitting of being cought in discussions with Ent regarding the frontal penetration the change of altitudes past the cleared CB's
over Juguslavia and the vanishing of the 98th , 44th and 389th at his six o'clock.

During these discussions Wicklund called the IP and put the 376th and 93rd on a wrong heading towards Bucharest .
KK told me he had no way to agree or disagree with Wicklund over the IP as he fully relied on him. Indeed KK has jettisoned himself
the bombs while the 376th turned left to NNE heading back to Ploesti , past lake of Snagov and eliminated a water clearing house.

To my questions, regardind his and Ent DSC citations won for Ploesti, whereby his flagship was fighting fierce AA and Barrage Ballons
in an area where there wasn't almost any ,versus those who made the right turns, he indicated to me that the decorations were meant
to honour his and Ent Ploesti leadership. KK refused to make any comments about "Killer " and the cruise power settings for Ploesti,
neither on why he ordered after the raid that Kane would be under restrain orders . Same about Lt. John Palm who after his return
from POW who was promoted to Captain then discharged soon after the war .

Also to Bob he admitted the same stuff he admitted to me . While speaking to his son by phone, he elected to not assist towards my
Ploesti book with photos and memories of his dad because according to him " the Vets would nail his dad anyways " . Last but not least,
it's the irrony of circumstances, would KK made the right turn into Ploesti , the toll would have been substantially higher and as predicted
by Ent --70 - 75 aircrafts , coze the flack train was already alerted by Col. Woldenga and Maj. Pitcairn , the 7th AA Regiment was in battle
state condition and most of the fighters from Mizil ,Turgusorul , Bucharest and Constanza were already on the air .

The Rumanians air defense scrambelled fighters in wrong directions unable to determine on wheter Ploesti or Bucharest
was the target . Indeed KK won the Bendix trophee on F-86 Sabre , was later the promoted all the way to Lt.General and today the
376th has been reactivated and be based in one of the former Soviet Republic as a Air Mobility Wing carrying KK tribute all along the way.

As we speak the world has never learned from past mistakes , it would still accept KK type "wrong turns "
which would cost somany lives because the idea is to act according to what the others wanna hear and
not those who tell the truth and fight for their men lives .
Alex

Alex

Re:Ploesti August 1, 1943 (arrow1)

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:40:56 GMT

Hi Steven

I greatly appreciate your comments and your further support

Alex

Tidal Wave Historian

Re:Ploesti August 1, 1943 (WillowRun)

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:26:08 GMT

Alex, I was fascinated by your post and the extensive work on Ploesti. You will notice that it became a separate "Thread," and I have added it here to Blackie Bale's Thread as I thought it most appropriate and timely to the Thread. To be honest, the only survivor to date with whom I have corresponded directly is Bob Sternfels. I am looking for a VET of the AAF who lives here in the area, but I believe he took part in the "high level" 1944 raids. As of now I don't even have his name.      Best Regards! Steven

Steven

I have been working on the Ploesti '43 book for the last 10 years , my book will be published by the end of 2009
once I have decided which publisher / priniting company will produce it. My book will update Mike Hill , Roger
Freeman , Cal Stewart , Bob Sternfels,Group Captain Patrick McDonald ( Through Darkness To Light ) and basically
all books and studies written about Ploesti sofar . My book will reveal many photos not published yet , obtained
from Maxwell AFB, Rumanian Military Archives, 2nd Air Division ,Luftwaffe Archives in Belin and Freiburg in Breisgau
from Vets I've interviewed while some are no longer alive , past 14 years including Bob Sternfels,
Julian Darlington ,Walt Stewart, Keith Compton,and family , Lt.Gen.Ramsay Potts,Gen.Smart,
Capt .John Lockhart , Brig Gen Traintafelu , Gen Phil Ardery, Maj.Norm Adams, Col. Harold James ,
Earl Zimmermann, Killer Kanes family,Capt John Palm, etc etc and many of the Ploesti vets family members .

Additionally I have reconstructed the nose arts of most of the TW aircrafts and I came up with almost 98
colored airtworks phots of these planes . Finally talking about motion pictures , I may need your and the members
help during the final stages of my book with additional info on the threads I've posted previously .

Talking about motion pictures, the Bombardier of " The Vulgar Virgin " Lt.Robert Austin of Capt Wallace Taylor plane
( still trying to get a hold of Wallace Taylor son in Cali ) who flew to Ploesti with a Silver Star awarded to him
for bravery on one of his last missions in Italy '43 ...has shortly participated in a Hollywood motion picture
named " THE BOMBARDIER " shot in 1943 .Lt. Robert Austin was shortly with the producers . Have you heard about
this movie ? I've been trying to get this movie at Amazon , B & N and other though no longer available.
Can you help ? Lt.Robert Austin remains were never identified and is MIA at Ploesti with the rest of "The
Vulgar Virgin " crew listed on the Tablets of Missings at Florence Italy .

Attached the movie cover

Alex

PS. is there any way you can get a hold of Richard Butler the Co Pilot of " Earthquake " whos in charge with
      a museum of the 44th at Savanah ? I miss info on the crew ....additional the pilot of that aircraft
   Capt Bunker Bunker received a Silver Star for Ploesti

for the Ploesti mission
Attached Image(s)

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (arrow1)

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 05:29:27 GMT

Dear Herb

Nice to hear from you again and hope everything is well . Was wondering is the 98th history preservation at Nellis still ? Also for my records pertinent my book which is in final prepartion ,I need some info , perhaps you may have an idea :

1. Where was the TTG TSgt James Van Ness( CHUG A LUG ) burried , was it in Lybia or US ? I didnt find
    any records on him

2. I understand that both Nespor surviving crews have died lately ?

3. Regarding Cap Wallace Taylor his military records & debriefing indicating that he thrown clear of the Vulgar
     Virign in the air other say he parachuted any idea what has really happened then ? also
     was he a USAF careerist after WWII ?   his son lives in Cali..do you by chance have his email address ?
     Wallace Taylor died some 15 years .

4, Do you have any photos on the " BABY " crews or aircraft , I was in touch 4 years ago with Francis Weisler
daughter though have lost her email addy.   ?

5. What happened after WWII to Lt B.Supiano the famous " Flights to Everywhere " hero ....? The records
     says he fought later on with ground forces in Italy , was history professor and a USAF careest .What did
     he do later on at USAF and why did he join for so long US ground forces in Italy

Finally did Norm Whalen leave you any records and photos on Kane , Korg and himself prior his death ?

Hope questions werent too long my friend, and looking forward to gather your precious comments

Best Regards
Alex

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (Herb Harper)

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:13:26 GMT

Back to COL. KANE:

I was at Smokey Hill AFB, Kansas in 1953 when he was Base Commander. As far as I know this was his last Air Force assignment.

Herb

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (cbiboy)

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:02:54 GMT

On a recent visit to Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA, I discovered a tree-lined walkway ("Pliny's Allee"), bench, & vestibule named in memory of S/Sgt. George Pliny Allen, tail gunner on the 93rd's Baker-Jerstad lead ship Hell's Wench. A plaque & photo of Sgt. Allen, taken just two weeks before his death in the Ploesti raid, honor the 21-year-old from Spencer, MA. The gunner's remains are buried at Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium.

Despite numerous hits on his plane, Lt. Col. Baker led his force to the target before jettisoning his bombs early to stay in the air and then crashing in a nearby field. All aboard died. Both Baker & Jerstad received the Medal of Honor posthumously.

Allen's sister had the walkway planted on the 50th anniversary of her brother's death. I am attempting to contact the family through the Tower Hill facility so if anyone has any additional info, photos, etc., about her brother, please e-mail me (see my profile) & I'll respond.

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (arrow1)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:08:05 GMT

Hugh

Yeah I reffered to mid air over Broad Macedonia, Ropper aircraft was in bad airworthy shape
and both aircrafts penetrated IMC ( IFR) still in formation. Ropper had langitudinal and latitid.control
problems ,it was hit on wings surfaces , elevator and rudders by AA . According to Walt, Victor Oliffe
was a tall robust guy and far from being a rocky pilot ....Would greatly appreciate your answer
regarding the 376th pilot

Best Regards
Alex

Re:Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (Skyguy5)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:46:46 GMT

Alex,
RE: 1 I have a distant friend who was in the 376th; I'll see if he can shed some light on D. Macrae. Don't know if my friend is still living, unfortunately.

RE: 3 All I know about Oliffe is that he was a rancher from Napa, Cal. I assume you are referring to the mid-air with Hugh Roper. I understood the collision occurred as they were both climbing though the clouds in tight formation.

Good luck on the book.
Hugh

John Kane Jr dad war diaries (arrow1)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:50:53 GMT

Herb

I hope you are well bud. Last year when I spoke to Donna she wasnt able to
convince John to discuss with me and let him interview him . However she
promised me some material which I never got . I got however some help from
Freeman prior he passed away.

As you know John is not very talkative and I had the chance just to exchange
a few words with him. Maybe you can ask her on my behalf on how I could buy
or have lended to me a copy of "Killer " war diaries " Out in the Blue " .
I've got Brereton & Ent war diaries and Killer diares would help me a lot coze my
book is dedicated to 98th Bmb Grp and John Kane.

Interesting to mention, I have attempted again this year to convince KK Junior
to break his silence and help obtain material for the book . I tried this also with
Tegwinn Ann....no one inch further . KK Jr share the feeling that the vets wont
change their mind anyways as they have nailed his dad for last 65 years
so no need for him to assist me.

Alex

Re: RE: Ploesti August 1, 1943 (arrow1)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:46:29 GMT

Luck Partners

I red yoour post on Killer Kane , I am posting for you and the group a similar stuff about
him I've recently discovered on Hollywood data base on Internet . It depicts Kane on early
50's at an unknown AFB one of his last commands.

Alex

Re: RE: Ploesti August 1, 1943 (arrow1)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:36:45 GMT

Joe

I am not sure if you saw my previous posts, I was asking if you can help me located more
info on your uncle prior Ploesti ( Dogpatch Raider crew ) and after Ploesti and photos for
the book I am preparing. Secondly I wasnt aware that Ed Weir wrote a book, where is this
book available for sale at ?

Also I have a question . On various books is stated that Jose Carioca
was behind with a Rumanian IAR-81 fighter on his '6 prior hitting the women jail , though none
of the vets of the 93rd I spoke to past 18 years , can ever recollect this . Do you have more
info on this ?

Thanks
Alex

Questions on Ploesti August 1, 1943 (arrow1)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:15:23 GMT

Howdy Skyguy

Yes I saw all videos and DVD's ever prepared by the vets on the Ploesti '43 mission . As a matter of fact I spoke
with Walt 3 weeks ago by phone as I am preparing a book I worked on for the last 15 years on that mission .
The book will cover the entire Ploesti mission with info and photos never red and saw before .

The book will be ready by mid through end of 2009 . While watching the Walt " Wing and A Prayer " I've
got directly from him a few years ago, I saw some very .short footages he aquired from the 376th.
It depicts the lake of Snagov which is located on the other side deep in Bucharest....thats confirms all theories
that the leader has taken the entire group deep into Bucharest before initiating a left turn to NE and once
again towards an Easterly heading to avoid the PLoesti hell .Walt is still very lucid despite his age , I was
greateful I could to him and share some pieces of history I plan to include on my
book about him , Ropper and Oliffe.

Incidently and I am addressing the question to you and the group :

1. According to the 376th Bmb Grp WWII history book , Capt Donald Macrae was selected
as spare co pilot for the Ploesti mission by the 376th ....in no Ploesti mission roaster he appeared on.
Does anyone knows on what aircraft was he flying on that day as co pilot or observer ?

2. 2nd Lt Mc Loughlin John the Bombardier of Hughes Ole Kickapoo he is listed on the Ploesti mission roaster as KIA
    Classified ( he died 3 days after the crash at a Rumanian hospital ) The still alive WG survivor of the aircraft
    had no idea on why he was listed as classified. Son of Cal Stewart who prepared the roaster couldnt tell it
    either . Does anyone related to the 389th knows why was he listed as classified ?

3. Does anyone related to 93rd has any records and photos on Victor E. Oliffe wigman of Ropper, according to Walt he
wasnt a rocky pilot as was stated on most of the records . Ropper was hit several times over Ploesti and
    the mid air must be attributed to this factor , is a wonder that Ropper flight got that far anyway( Macedonia )

Thanks
Alex K. / Switzerland

Re: RE: Ploesti August 1, 1943 (Skyguy5)

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:16:09 GMT

Arrow (Dave),
I noticed you mentioned Walt Stewart: I assume you have seen his video account of Ploesti, The Utah Man. I found it quite fascinating. I also had the pleasure of briefly meeting him several years ago. He seemed to be a very sincere man.
Regards,
Hugh

Re: RE: Ploesti August 1, 1943 (93rd joe)

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:24:32 GMT

Steven

I was looking at your post with the art work of crews flying at Low Level over Ploesti. I just finished Col Edward Weir's new book (Down TO TWO FEET ALTITUDE). Ed was the Navigator for the 93Rd BG 409sq and was an eyewitness to the gallantry of so many crews that lost there lives that August 1,1943. Ed's Tupelo Lass crew followed their leader Addison Baker piloting Hells Wench into the oil fields of Ploesti. After the bomb run Tupelo Lass turned over the city and down a very wide street. As they were instructed not to shoot up the city the top turret gunner Ben Kuroki held his fire but continued to swing his twin fifties back and forth looking for flak gunners on towers and buildings.
I asked Ed how low they were flying and his responce was that in the nose of the B-24 manning his 50 cal. machine gun. He was looking into 2nd story windows! Something he will never forget.
A must read.

God Bless them all!
Joe Avendano Duran
Nephew of Capt Joe Avendano -Pilot of Dogpatchraiders Ploesti crew 8/1/43