<p>When this raid had been planned, it was believed that the low-level strike, followed by eight conventional bombings from high altitude, would put the refineries out of action. Not so. Ploesti continued to operate, untouched, for more than eight months following the 1 August strike. During that time, the USAAF and the RAF argued long and often bitterly about the best way to stop the Germans. The Americans wanted to bomb the oil production and storage system; the British wanted to hit transportation. When Eisenhower finally bought the transportation concept, the USAAF obediently went after railway marshalling yards, and some were in the Ploesti area. By strange coincidence, bombs often fell short or long of the yards, and hit refineries.
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<p>The Ploesti 'yards' were hit on 5, 15 and 24 April 1944; 5,6,18 and 31 May; and 6 June. But the deception was no longer necessary, if it ever was. The legitimate targets included oil, and Ploesti was being bombed for what it was.
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<p>On 10 June, the strange strike force was 46 Lockheed P-38s from the 82nd Fighter Group, each bearing a single 1,000-lb bomb. Their escort was 48 P-38s of the 1st Fighter Group. They left their home base at Vicenzo, Italy, for a dive-bombing assault specifically aimed at the Romano Americano refinery. They did some damage, but lost 22 Lightnings. It was not tried again.
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<p>On 23 June, 761 heavy bombers, the largest of the forces sent against the Romanian target, hit the refineries. On 24 June, 377 went back again. On 9 and 15 July, both raids were led by pathfinder planes, directing the bomb drop with the relatively new H2X system. More strikes followed, on 22, 28 and 31 July, and 10, 17, 18 and 19 August. On 24 August, Ploesti shut down. The Russians captured the city on 30 August.
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<p>The striking forces dispatched almost 7,500 bombers against Ploesti over 26 months of attacks. The considerably lesser number that reached the target dropped 13,469 tons of explosives and incendiaries. Perhaps as many as 12 per cent of the bombs never detonated, a chronic problem that plagued both USAAF and RAF. Ploesti's death throes cost 350 heavy bombers.
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<p>Of bravery there was no lack on 1 August 1943, or on the missions that followed. All the participating bomb groups in Tidal Wave received Distinguished Unit Citations. Lieutenant Colonel Baker, Second Lieutenant Lloyd Hughes, Major John Jerstad, Colonel Johnson and Colonel Kane received the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest award. And on the 9 July 1944, strike against the same durable target, First Lieutenant Donald Pucket earned his Medal of Honor. Baker, Hughes, Jerstad and Pucket died at Ploesti, four of the many.
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<p>Crewmen in the bomb groups called Ploesti the graveyard of the Fifteenth. It was; but it was also a symbol of living and individual heroism on a grand scale. If that is any comfort, these many years later, then remember Ploesti for that alone.
