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Show t Lpt. Young, Now of OASC, ; Jntes uye-witne- ss Raid on Ploesti Oil Fields story Saturday November 6, 1943 Captain John S; Young, who participated in the now tone raid on Ploesti, Rumanian oil center, last Aue-nldwho has spent 14 months with the U. S. Ninth Air ce in the middle east, was transferred recently to Hill ield. He has been assigned to the inspector general section, Hasc. . . . . . r w rk i i u. it. Captain loung noras me isunguisned Flying Cross ith one oak leaf cluster and the Air Medal with four oak f clusters. Witn Col. John K. (Killer) Kane, he piloted the d plane of the lead element in that spectacular raid, the as it appeared in the November issue ory of which follows - g- f r Air Forces: 1'" ill -- nd Sub-Dep- ot Second Air Force Withdrawal Cause of Move de- that the Ploesti oil layed action fuzes. Tou might say ri New At Salt Lake Is Inactivated , with jr Force J VT r$ The Salt Lake City Army Air designated as the 437th was inactivated as of 1st, R has been learned, and official order to the effect is expected here shortly. Nearly 100 workers employed there some recruited ln the Salt Lake area and others transferred from headquarters have been back to work at Hill Field. This1 will be accomplished with no loss of time to the individual em ployee, officials declared. Activated Oct 1, the was set up for the supply and maintenance of planes used by the Second Air Force pilot training program. Withdrawal of the Second Air Force tactical training program from the Army Air Base at Salt in Lake City made the stallation unnecessary. Major L. A. Johnson, assistant control officer, OASC, served as commanding Base were dc- ,flnerii in Rumania African desert, long Myed on the fore the real raid. Thft actual aitauH. on aubwi. u only the conunuauon .which began lix .weeks our advanced bases in at ,hp arth Africa. A routine announce-l-f sub-dep- ot Weather conditions were perfect when we took off at 0710. We crossed the Mediterranean at 2000 feet At our initial point we ran into thick cumulus clouds at 10,000 feet and lowering. Over Yugoslavia COLUMBIA REFINERY IX FLAMES . . . Attests to the accuracy (A) above is the the clouds started settling in and of the bombing mission over the Ploesti fields. boiler house; (B) is the power house. we had 1000 visi177 about feet of only was made that al- - bility over the 9,500-fomounould fly 2,400 miles for a low m.r- - tains. As we came into the Danube feet high, so we had to climb to "What the hell are you doing, re uur ,tA nrec is on attacK. C- Ploesti's cracking-- , distillation valley, we dropped down to 2500 about 250 feet to drop our bombs. decorating?" " feet and followed the Danube river Flames were We finally got up to 6600 feet ind power plants. biting in through the but to our target. chase we needed 7,000 feet to cross had We already helped fSommel across Africa. Ours had All the way across the Medite- bomb bay doors, the heavy smoke the mountains. By picking our way rranean and over part of occupied fires made visibility difficult, and through canyons and ravines, and been the nrst oumi w wmo We had hit Greece and Crete and Europe, we didn't even see an enethe flak fire was beating a hellish with some lucky updrafts we manwe had hunted convoys all over my plane. It was Hue a practice tattoo all over our shp, but with aged to get over. But this raid mission but, naturally, we mainThe plane was hobbling along the Mediterranean. tained radio silence. In that long the practice under our belt we had now at 130 miles per hour and we was going to be different. our tar- knew that it might stall around 125 On previous missions, we had ride, I don't think anybody said a no difficulty, picking out word. the mph. It was still flying, however, down find. tombed whatever we could gets. We laid our bombs About 35 minutes from our target middle. and we kept plugging along. We We had gone out with general inelewe to off lowered feet our the 48 had a choice of putting her down in of and to the Rommel find twenty planes ductions Forty And I mean twenty feet. ment got over the target. One on land or flying across open wa- officer. jive him hell. When we hit rfce ground. and sev- ter to the nearest allied landing Inrooean mainland, we had made a We were coming in so low our cracked up on the take-oIn the future the base will be plane actually had to pull up to en others turned back with me- field. The colonel and I realized used solely by transient aircraft the But for lot of saturation-raidswas a good chance the with Ploesti mission, every plane in avoid hitting a man on a horse. chanical troubles. The rest of us that there existing facilities entirely ship would flop into the water, adequate every element was given a pinpoint That horse probably is still run didn't miss. for their maintenance. too to come far worry After the bombs were away, we but we had --and he had to find it There were ning. While the inactivation was effec we As the about crossed and we feet The to that , fun started when back R. twenty spotted dropped w secondary targets. Col. John tive Nov. 1, withdrawal wiU be ME-10and 110s coast, Wheland gave us an ETA of (Killer) Kane, our group CO, was a freight tram sided at a railroad about fifty until all personnel, equipgradual 2110 airfield. selected for the sot being dramatic when he said, junction. There must have been jumped on us from the right. We ment and supplies are returned to withon nose was to Whelan the couldn't cars low so oil full of were or die we'll we fifty inviting hit Either just they flying Ploesti HiU Field, it was learned. our personal attention. Tech. Sgt, dive on us, but they did lazy eights in a minute. Exactly fourteen hours trying." Afwe left minutes and after caused forty We examined hundreds of still Fred Leard, our right waist gunner. ai over our formation and rica, we let her down: -r Ihotographs. We saw motion pict- and Sergeant Weckessler, top tur- us plenty of trouble. We had to crash land the plane, Money-Ordeures taken from the air before the ret gunner, were mighty eager boys, The housing around the propeller and was 4 the but hurt first No. our nobody war, showing us exactly what the They called Colonel Kane on the and three cylinders of area would look like from our interphone and asked if the could engine were shot out Two feet of thing I did after we got away from "test" their guns. They had gone the prop on the No 1 engine was the ship was to kiss the navigator. bombers. We attended lectures given by a former manager of one of through a routine test just after smashed, tearing a foot and a half Yes, I really kissed him. A couple of days later we got Soldiers Overseas the Ploesti plants. And we had a we left the field and everything bole in the left aileron. The motor was in proper working order. But was vibrating like a bucking bron- back to our original base were detailed relief map of the surroundiFind Trouble had a dove - and ng territory, complete with roads they wanted to make sure, and if co. And we had a wing cell leak in Major Selvey us. and even trees. Finally, a miniature a German oil train was sitting beNo. S. We (I say "we" because Col. pheasant dinner waiting for ofIu Cashing Checks is group material model of the targets, drawn and neath them well, that was just Kane and I were both flying that Major Selvey and he I suppose ficer, of figured on ter. never a degrees constructed to an exact scale, was coincidental. The colonel, airplane) put The best method of sending no more. Ten degres gives that the banquet came under his money to service, men abroad man to object to a "routine check, plays aid out on the desert and we practis ice bombed it for weeks. gave his approval and the "test you the best lift without cresting department by a postoffice money order, acthe After think I I experience, our We wings much too We ran approximately kept drag. to Edward B. Elsen, field twelve began. in position to offer some ad- cording All the other gunners decided straight by using the rudder, not am director of the Red Cross at Hill Missions over that replica of the to men who on vice sim a go may ailerons under Field. eu nelds, guns needed a check too the ailerons. Use of approaching, attacking that their were those conditions is liable to drag ilar raid. The most important thing He stated that American soldiers sure and departing to make they we intendas just to for you do is learn forma- overseas exactly down. ed doing on the marked the find it practically imposa It wing probably working. actual raid. Each tion flying to perfection. Even with sible to cash a check drawn on a We were still at twenty feet element was given a specific dum first time in history that a routine a be must able bomber, you bank in the U. S.; that Red Cross my target which had been erected gun inspection resulted in a nazi maybe less. As a fatter of fact to heavyno more than 25 feet away workers overseas report that solstay off its Lieut R. B. HubDara, our raaio op- from resemble the real thing, and we train being blown right your wing man. You ve prob diers are constantly asking them erator, called Colonel Kan and sug- ably been praticed until we could bomb it tracks. told before about flying to cash checks sent from this our aleep. When we About two miles from the target, gested that we get some altitude did formations. In combat you country which usually cannot bo finally mess a tight were we recollecting because get over the real Ploesti, our move-Men- u the flak guns bellowed out a or come back. do don't it you cashed. On the other hand, he said, cornstalks. were almost automatic. In ception comparable to none I had of branches, leaves and Don't be afraid to hug the earth, postoffice money orders Til be can be and colonel The investigated low altitude raid have to seen in 330 combat hours against damned if Hubbard didn't hand A 4 will fly ten feet off the cashed wherever there is an army raow precisely whereyou are go-n- some heavily defended targets. you ground and you'll find real safety postoffice. because you don't see stuff, with him a cornstalk! down there. Practice evasive tac For enlisted personnel who pur your tar-r- Most of it was 20 mm in and coming The until you are on kept machine of lot fighters come out of your chase postal money orders payable until tics top of it. And some 40 mm and a atthey we knew we three. for They accounted could only make one guns. The fire was plenty accurate. we ears. When the enemy peashooters to themselves in, order to protect Put. A mile and a half from the re- tacked for about twenty minutes, on the attack, keep in a turn, increasing personal funds the following regu the ship Liberators wr nuunnaii fineries, we opened up with our fif- and we just putlike and decreasing that turn, and stay latory information is submitted: hell. ran and iiderably for the . mission. on An ties aiming at the oil tanks which ground Whatever you do, Money orders are payable at the the fighter don'tthe ground. We muddled through releasable fuel tank was held about 55,000 gallons of oil. office on which drawn or at the in a line. When fly straight from mm fa the and staggered away a fighter climbs after his first pass oriice at which issued, or at bomb bay. The top They started to explode, throwing attack, 500 feet fhA tflrcpt on two and a half en about suns in the lead flames and he has to look for you all over branches or stations of either for smoke were of planes south 200 miles About buzso that would fire into the air. There we were, 200 gines.refineries we realized again. If you are flying straight a period of one year only from the ww they mi the doing M, so the first a feet, in twenty hell be able to pick you out very last day of the month in which could zing ships incouldn't return over the Mediter- easily. issued. rTe we entire ares, with th fI. miles per hour, flying through ranean with our battered ship. We An order drawn in favor of a All aerial should prac engineers J&,ncs Prtcting their rear, tensive flak and bouncing around route going tice the EXACT member of the U. S. army, navy, or IW ilitiea Wars miMiiiM In Mia between oil fires. Play that on your decidedTheto chief hug a land conversafor procedure topic of back. of the lead bImm That can t be marine corps, is payable at harmonica some time. a good place to set transferring gasoline. was other than the one drawn tion were picking the targets think Our particular i on ourwe lostduea on, or the CblI!imb Kroups made the raid. one issuing, for a period refineries. her down. Everybody was pestering Kane and I were Romana of raid Astra and Orion couple planes Wha-ipiloting Lieut Norman of 60 day only from the date of in to the the "'P of the first element They had smoke stacks about 210 our navigator, difficulty making Issue. For mv money he's the best second group was on our proper transfer. Get rid of the gas After the periods of validity stat right the business. He finally had to in in h as bomb tanks bay quickly your fftrthJ Mt another " tell the colonel, "Look, if you guys as possible and transfer it to the ed above, correspondence will be to ll the left, and the fifth on Air Service Command while for a me alone leave required to secure payment through will just tanks to avoid having a the left. We flew a flat V, Issuance of new money order, 111 find a field." We left wing Too! maybe bomb in the blow hit chance w,n M bay for which a fee is required, or to Plane In Reads Russian, him alone. Whalen was navigating you up. a warrant for one which is ft iZ forntion was more than The Air Service Command's mot- for two other damaged planes When we returned X was asked secure more than a year old. Payment wTfc.Y?r ,rom wther plane. -rec- which were following, and the three the extent of also is 'Km we to did Flying" the to, damage Keep in these cases may require coneventif,rty-ela:P,anM n our u of us were being covered by Lieut refineries. Naturally, that's siderable ln action, of five. ognised by our Russian allies, had Ploesti Nothing LeBrecht W,.?yi.n depending on the Royden hard to figure, but I can speak first location oftime proved recently. landed at the 11 uur holder. the ecUons had ten was Russian Un his to ship. airman happened A hand of our particular targets, the w,th n elfht-plan- e Wion We crossed an enemy airfield at Orion and Astra Romana refiner Airport. Washington National err batteries flak 1500 feet and the D. C, and dashed ies. The boys in our element agree Four EM Wait for don't know who was that no German ioSS xlWlntr h,,, crrled Washington, I up. order sheet in Russian. opened oil will come from OCS Notification work a te deC for an ur- more surprised. But we got away them for with slxty-mlsome time. He then had to depart and quite Four Hill Field men have passed inuS to actlon '" the ltyconference date, was left the without trouble. the OCS board and their physical auinl U2e" . were a precaution gent In order to gain altitude to cross Whses. , M Win Awards commander examination and are awaiting asat u.re "Prions dam-P,threw out of deciphering what ofthe plane a mountain range, we eing th i. job vIn honor the plaque We competition movable. tar-ttrepairs was e signment orders from Patterson over the everything that required in the way week for warehouses in field. lc the extra gasoline tank last released mbings, we got stump- and tossed out oxygen bottles, gas branches 3, 7 and 2 having highest They are Sgt William A. McDer-mo- tt cpo the target "onKomentarily was he Hhls7e,!!,gBt soon in was slated for AAF Administraproduction, attendance, radio ratings mechanic mute equipan sec'teen nds. ed. A Russian masks, ammunition, short ment screw-drivcleanliness, and safety, warehouse tion; Cpl. Metro Karolishyn, InPcliK-rthat wcre P"Pred for found on the staff and In a start-Iand anything T 3 and warehouse 55 fantry; T5 James H. Anderson, could dismantle. I haven t 6 of branch work on the plane was his T were winners. Branch Finance; and Pfc. Irwm 8. Gold-far- b, of branch s LeBrecht in humor When the flier returned, the seen 2 selected no winner this week, had been com- - yet AAF Administration. 1580,1 P,ane unique work order remark, but he cftuea ana inquire. 5he Tu ,a.ie' of. care Omenta carried pletely taken . No-bem- ic-,ar- sal -- or-der- ed B-2- 4s ot - sub-dep- ot . sub-dep- ot ff . . . 9s Postoffice Best for EM - ' B-2- ig et rlfd post-offic- es over-stresse- m whr nt n- sub-dep- ot a" ie er f lt d, |