Ploesti - The Tidal Wave Breaks
by Stu Shepherd
Title
Ploesti - The Tidal Wave Breaks
Artist
Stu Shepherd
Medium
Painting - Digital Art
Description
"Teggie Ann Over Ploesti" August 1, 1943
Perhaps the most heroic event by a group of American Airmen in World War II, the low-level Ploesti Raid of August 1, 1943 accounted for more medals of honor than any other single action in history (including the entirety of D-Day in Normandy), as well as more than a thousand medals of other types. 177 planes took off from the deserts of Libya to try to fly across the Mediterranean, cross the Balkans and sneak in under German defenses to bomb the massive Oil refinery complexes around Ploesti at 200 feet; 88 planes returned from the 12-14 hour 2,400 mile flight- the longest bombing mission undertaken by planes other than the B-29 during the war. Over 310 airmen killed, 108 captured and over a thousand nearly a thousand wounded. Medals of honor went to Five officers: Col. "Killer" Kane, Col. Addison Baker, Col. Leon W. Johnson, Maj. John L. Jerstad, and 2nd Lt. Lloyd H. Hughes; Baker, Jerstad, and Hughes posthumously.
"Teggie Ann" was lead plane for the mission, and the mistaken early turn toward target made by the leaders in it's cockpit played a large portion in the confusion that resulted - and brought the bulk of the forces in across the most intense air raid defense belt in all of Europe (much stronger than even Berlin.)
Art created for a model kit box cover and used with permission.
Uploaded
February 1st, 2015
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