Flying Through Hell to Bomb Hitler's Oil | "Ploesti" the Documentary

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This is the story of Operation Tidal Wave - the famous B-24 Liberator bombing raid on Ploesti, Romania on August 1st of 1943 to strike the oil refineries of the Nazi war machine. The became a horrific disaster by the United States air force. This was made using the World War II flight simulator War Thunder. Hope you enjoy!
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[@TJ3]

Join my free newsletter to support my work so I can make more videos like this!

[@Ornelas11B]

The longer videos are cool but way too long for me. I like the shorter videos better. Guess I’ll have to see if you just do longer videos from now on. This might be a channel I’ll be moving on from. I like the short stories better.

[@TJ3]

@Ornelas11B this is by far the longest ill be doing. I'm going to be condensing them. I just took on this project and it became so large. I'm going to be aiming for about half this length I think.n

[@user-nf4lt3ff2w]

Where’s my critique? Did you delete?

[@user-nf4lt3ff2w]

@@TJ3if you’re going to do more, please get a professional narrator. The guy on this one sounds like a five year old. Horrible!

[@krashdown102]

ok better stop making them

[@gregkerr725]

My uncle William Kerr was a gunner on a B-24 on the 1943 raid on Ploesti. They flew out of some fields in North Africa. Heavily damaged over the target and afterwards, they mad it back to the Mediterranean with damaged engines and were slowly losing altitude. The pilot, feeling he could not make it across the Sea told the crew they could bail out if they wanted to. Being that was probably a death sentence over the ocean, everyone opted to stay with the plane. The pilot then told the crew to lighten up the aircraft by throwing out everything they could including guns and ammo. The men also carried flight bags containing high altitude cold weather clothes, thermoses for coffee etc. They also tossed them out as well. Somehow the flight mechanic managed to release the rear tail gun position as well. The plane made it over the beach but belly landed (near or on the airfield?). My uncle had a picture of the plane taken after it's return.. It's a black and white, but it's clear the color was desert sand colored...Bill said almost pink. Well a couple months later when my uncle drew his pay he had some money docked from his pay. Turns out it was for his personal issue .38 caliber revolver which had been in his flight bag. Everything else thrown out was considered the planes equipment over which the pilot had the authority to jettison if needed. It was a small amount by today's standards (I forget the dollar amount..12 bucks or something) but still a large amount for an enlisted man. Uncle Bill was pissed.

[@30AndHatingIt]

The pistol (and money) was a hard loss, but at least Uncle Bill got to keep his life.

[@gaborczirjak4172]

@@30AndHatingIt But still was a stupid act from the stupid bureaucrats . This poor fellows almost lost their lives and a bureaucrat who was sitting in an office , in safe place, had the nerve to punish them ! Incredible stupidity ! This happened 80 years ago, but just days ago in Ukraine a man got the military enlistment letter and when he showed up in the recruiting office , he showed to the officer that both of his hands was useless, all his fingers missing and the same was on his feet too, but the officer told him, to bring some papers about his disability ! Men stupidity endless and has no nationality ! Gabor Czirjak USA

[@amartinjoe]

that is funny and tragic at the same time. glad he made it out of there.

[@billcallahan9303]

I believe I read your Uncle Bill's story long ago or one similar. These guys were cut from granite compared to the crybabies of today. My highest respects to your brave Uncle!

[@michaeldunavant46]

😊

[@jeffnewman9735]

In 1991, I walked into a barbershop in Scranton, Pa. As Michael, the barber, was an older man and he had a framed print of a painting of the Ploesti raid on the wall, I asked if he had been on that raid. No, he replied. He had been a waist gunner and caught the flu on the eve of the raid. The plane, with his replacement, did not return. I'm here because I had the flu that day.

[@edwarddiviney5226]

I'm sure there were more than one sick that day. My dad was shot down filling in for a sick crewman on another crew.

[@maybee...]

My grandfather was called up to replace another top turret gunner who had the flu, he normally flew on the "Lil Abner", they took flak over the Ploesti Oil Fields and were going down, all other personnel on the plane parachuted into enemy hands, however, my grandfather could not get out of the turret the plane continued to fly some 30 miles away where it crashed into a corn field, the turret broke free killing my grandfather. I always thought that other guy traded my grandfather for himself. He was part of crew # 761.

[@maybee...]

@@edwarddiviney5226 , Sorry about your Dad.

[@derin111]

@@maybee...Sorry for your Grandfather. My Grandfather fought in the Germany Army having enlisted in 1938 until wounded in Russia in 1943. So many people killed and maimed. War is terrible.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

....that's why you should never start one....took Germany awhile to learn that lesson......@@derin111

[@jimfinlaw4537]

Very nice documentary video. Thankyou for sharing. My father flew on that Ploesti raid as a co-pilot for the 512th Bomb Squadron, 376th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force based in Benghasi, Libya in North Africa. My father suffered from PTSD after that mission after witnessing so many bomber crews get slaughtered by flak and fighters near the target area. He did not like talking about what he saw. Little did they know there were two German spies at Benghasi that had tipped off the Germans to the upcoming raid. These two spies were eventually caught, tried and executed for their actions. This mission was so messed up that there was no coordination between bomber groups so the 376th decided to bomb targets of opportunity and get out of there as fast as they could. Over the target area, even my father's B-24D was hit where an 88mm shell went clear through the right wing, puncturing a fuel tank. The flight engineer at the time was busy helping the ball turret gunner because his gun turret had jambed due to desert dust getting inside the electric motor causing it to short out. Fortunately, my father was cross trained as a flight engineer and he quickly transferred fuel from the damaged fuel tank to another fuel tank onboard to conserve as much fuel as possible. Once fuel transfer was complete, he resumed his co-pilot duties. To conserve even more fuel my father pulled the mixture controls back beyond limits to what the tech orders had recommended. My father had all four engines running on the verge of detonation. They crippled the rest of their way to their alternate airbase in Italy, knowing they did not have enough fuel to get back to Benghasi. By the time they landed safely in Italy, all four engines on their Liberator were junk, but the airplane got them home safely with very little fuel to spare. Dad returned home to the states after this mission where he became an instructor pilot in B-24 Liberator bombers at Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama in 1944. He also taught B-17 training at MacDill Field in Tampa, Florida and also taught B-17 and B-24 training at the gunnery school at Buckingham Field in Ft. Meyers, Florida in 1944. By January 1945 he was in B-29 school and he became a B-29 pilot-in-command in July 1945 with orders to report for combat duty at Guam. As it turned out, he and his assigned B-29 crew missed the war in the Pacific Theatre of Operations by only two weeks. The war with Japan was over.

[@SuperNova-nr3tb]

That's a really cool story! I'm suprised the flak 88 didn't explode. Must have thought it was as if God wanted him to live. Glad everyone in it got back home! Even if hes not with you any more, thank you for his service.

[@robertwaid3579]

Congratulations 👏👏too You Sir. Your Father was most Definitely a Hero for what He gave to His Country and His fellow Countrymen. I'd like too relate similar Stories, or Experience's of My Father? But ahhh Unfortunately He wasn't Physically able to be Voluntary or be Drafted? As it Turned Out, He had a Perforated Left Ear Drum from a Servere Illness at Sixteen. So when He was Refused Service, He then Directly went too Work in the Oil n Gas Drilling industry, Roughnecking as His next Career Choice, which Turned Out to Be His Lifetime Career. Man was He Good at That as Well. As for Other Family in the Service My Uncle's or My Mother's Brother & also Her future Brother in-law were. Both Serving in Africa or Southern Italy at that Time. Both were US Army Air Corp Fighter Mechanic, and the Other was US Army Armor or Tank's Corp. Both Mom & Her Older sister were Rosie The Riveter in the Shipbuilding Industry, as Welder's for the Kaiser Shipyards. Established in Vancouver, Wash. throughout the Entire Duration of the War. God Bless Your Father and My Family Members. As they were All from The Greatest Generation. And I Fully believe Myself, that in My POV. This Nation Never would have? Ever Attained it's Greatness, Prestige or Standing in The WORLD Theatre 🎭🎭 of Thing's. Without the Effort's & thus the Combined Result's of all those Millions of Americans Who Worked Together for the Benefit of All too Succeed. For Them All. May GOD BLESS Them All, and All of Us on This Wonderful Planet of Ours, and Keep US Safe From Evil. Wherever it May Appear From. Thank You so Much.

[@kennethjackson7574]

Speaking of “didn’t want to talk about what he saw,” it was only at my great-uncle’s memorial service that anyone found out he had received a DFC. He had been the chief engineer on two B-29s in the 444th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy Special in the CBI. The first had been hit over China with the loss of three lives.

[@kennethjackson7574]

@@SuperNova-nr3tbOne of our bombers had been hit in a fuel tank, but wasn’t downed. After returning to England 4 20mm rounds were found in that tank. Crew members wanted them as good luck charms, but they were collected for analysis. After opening them they found tiny bits of paper where the explosive should have been. No one could read them, though. Finally someone identified the langugae as Czech, but couldn’t read it. Once someone was found who could read them, they were translated to something like this- “It is a very bad idea to use Jews as slaves in a munitions plant.” Perhaps the 88mm round was also inert.

[@nj81499]

There’s a REALLY good book about that mission. “Into the Fire”. Although it was stated that they didn’t take any ball turret gunners on that mission because of the low altitude. That’s what the book stated but I believe your father over that book. 👍

[@johngeverett]

If the pilots received the Medal of Honor, their crews should have, also. They also performed their duty with extraordinary courage.

[@SoloRenegade]

that always bothers me as well. same for ship and submarine crews.

[@foxtayle446]

Because the officers single handedly won the war =/ The caste system was alive and well in the US too.

[@SuperFriendBFG]

I mean, it's not as if the Medal of Honor isn't given to crew members either. Although it seems to happen, and sometimes crews get left out. In such cases, it would be nice to see at least some recognition. if not for the Medal of Honor, then perhaps another commendation of note, or perhaps something entirely new, tailor made to recognize the crew members of those MoH recipients who more likely than not contributed in their own way to the goal.

[@SoloRenegade]

@@SuperFriendBFG the best example of crew getting decorations was Old 666. But that is an outlier. The pilot got it for making the decision, but he committed the crew to their fates as well, and they had no say in it. so to fail to recognize them is rather dishonorable. when a crew member does something heroic or self sacrificing, then it definitely makes sens for them to be individually recognized (which isn't the case here). it's about nuance. It's like when a sub commander gets the MoH for something, when it was his crew that did all the work, not him. They may have done a fair amount of the work while h was asleep (shift changes), and the captain only came in near the very and to take the shot. No sub captain accomplishes anything himself.

[@Manco65]

​@@SoloRenegadethe idea is IMHO a crew is a TEAM and an integral part of a smoothly operating machine vehicle ship or aircraft. All human cogs in a machine of war. All in that team deserve equal recognition.

[@rayfl502]

A friend of mine that was much older than me passed away in 2014, his name was James Mervin Rossman and he was the co pilot on the Heaven Can Wait B 24 with the 44th, Flying Eight Balls and he use to tell me stories about this raid. He gave me a German Soldiers belt buckle and he was o e of the finest men that I have ever had the honor of knowing. Jim is buried about 15 minuets from me with his dear wife Elizabeth and once in a while I stop by to pay my respects. God Bless all of the men who gave all for our country, we sure could use them today!

[@larrybone4565]

My former Boss was a Captain in Army Air Corp. He watched as his B 24s left to go bomb the target. He always reminded me of how many men died . R.I.P. William J Myers. Lived to see 100 years.

[@desperadolighfoot8534]

My father was a Romanian fighter pilot, actually an ace. He flew the battles of Ploesti and downed several bombers. On that specific raid, not only did he defend Ploesti, but actually went also to defend Bucharest as his family lived there, as the Americans diverted some bombers over Bucharest as well. At the time he flew the IAR80, the plane in your animation.

[@_Fennix]

Whoa, thats really cool. My grandfather was a B-24 pilot during the war. Unfortunately he passed a few years ago, but we recently found his box of photos and medals that he had stashed away in his attic! I dont think he flew over Romania much. Mostly Germany and Austria, I believe. Take care, and wishing you good health!

[@captainhurricane5705]

Perhaps you could tell us the correct way to say Ploesti, thanks.

[@steppenwolf1872]

​ployeshti i think should sound like in English.I'm Romanian too.

[@gs637]

Respect!

[@morbidvoy]

No matter what side were you on during the war, let's just hope we won't go through anything like this anymore...

[@edwarddiviney5226]

Awesome video! My dad was shot down on a later mission, he was filling in for a nose gunner that was sick that day. I was told that it was the Co Pilots responsibility to get the nose gunner out of the nose ball. The Co pilot panicked and jumped leaving dad in the turret Dad had to somehow dislocate his shoulder to get himself out. The plane was very close to the ground by then. He opened his parachute and threw it out trying to get it deployed before jumping, it tore on the damaged fuselage. He broke his pelvis when he hit the ground. He was sent to a German Aid station, put in a cast from his waist down and kept there for 3 weeks being shelled by allied artillery. Later sent to a civilian hospital until the country was liberated.

[@toddmichaeljohnson7139]

Do you know what his plane name was called?

[@rjwintl]

My Dad’s best friend in flight school in Texas , Robert Thomcheney was on a B-24 during the raid on Ploesti … he was declared MIA until townspeople in the early 21st century found buried crash victims in a massive grave that the Nazis had forced wartime residents to dig … the DoD contacted living relatives after positive identification of the Allied crash victims … yes sir , the greatest generation made our peacetime freedom possible for millions through their extraordinary courage and sacrifice !!!

[@dsgp7835]

As the generation that fought fascism dies, fascism is raising it's ugly head. Shame!

[@alfredfabulous3640]

A dead man is a dead man...

[@CuttySobz]

"forced"

[@toddmichaeljohnson7139]

Do you know what his plane was called?

[@7575dwilson]

My grandson was in the honor guard for a funeral in Mississippi a few months ago for an airman that was shot down on the raids. He was finally identified and brought home from Romania. He knew how important it was to bring the man home. I am very proud of him. 10th Mountain Division.

[@TJ3]

Very cool!

[@lt.petemaverickmitchell7113]

It’s simply impossible to imagine the bravery and discipline that these men displayed how...impossible. God bless the GREATEST GENERATION!

[@familylines52]

Another bit- Julian Darlington was the pilot of "The Witch" a 98th BG plane. He and his crew were from the 389th, though. He crash landed in Yugoslavia and all of his crew survived. He was a math professor at the university I attended in the early 70's (Furman University) but I didn't know it at the time. What great conversations we could have had if I had only known he was there. I made a detailed model of "The Witch"

[@warrenfoster8535]

If this ever becomes a movie it better be insanely action packed because that’s how it was in reality!

[@mickthompson9681]

There was a movie,

[@johngetty3839]

I've always thought it would make a great movie. Especially with the special effects they have now.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

....Title?...@@mickthompson9681

[@tomelder1803]

My dad was the co-pilot of a B-17 that went down. Spent three days on the run before being captured by some citizens and turned over to the Germans. Spent 1 1/2 years in a POW camp outside Barth Germany.

[@almehaffey1353]

I had the honor of knowing Wayne Kincannon who was a bombardier and participated in the big raid over Ploesti. He said they flew so low the flames went up at least the height of the planes. Wayne was 74 when he and a group of people rode their bicycles across the United States. Ride all day… party all night. The Greatest Generation, hell yeah!

[@3seidel]

Wow! Just wow. I’ve read about this raid many times and believe it should be made into a movie. You, sir, have accomplished just that. Your attention to detail and perfect narration knocked it out of the park.

[@kevinc8387]

A couple of films did get made. I may be wrong but one might be called a wing and a prayer. Sorry can't remember the other. I do remember I enjoyed both and learned a lot on the raid.

[@JohnSmith-nx7rx]

Movie 🍿? This is it. LoL.

[@Wutzmename]

You have a little bit of something brown on your nose Sir.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

if they can make a movie out of "A Bridge too Far"...something that ended equally disastrously.....they can make a movie about this mission...all i've seen so far have been documentaries.....believe "A Wing and a Prayer" was about something else....of course, rounding up enough flyable B-24's might be a problem...i've actually seen only one....they only had a few B-17's for "Memphis Belle" and one of them crashed during production...did get a chance to get inside the "movie Belle" as she was being repaired at a small airport close to home...you can almost push the skin of that plane in and out with your finger....not much protection!@@kevinc8387

[@JamesTierney]

My grandfather, Robert C Tierney was on the Hail Columbia b24 liberator on this mission. I can see his picture standing next to the plane right here. Thanks for making this. It puts it all in perspective. My grandpa always told me that his plane survived by angels holding them up and now I can see why he said that.

[@TJ3]

Very cool man!

[@JamesTierney]

@@TJ3 he told me that he believed he must have an important mission in life because he knew angels were holding that airplane together to get him home after he lost half his crew in the plane was literally Swiss cheese

[@JamesTierney]

@@TJ3 this puts it all into perspective like I have never thought or seen before. I’m very humbled. God guide him through that.

[@peteraustin4295]

My grandfather, Jack Kaboth, flew this mission in 'Fertile Myrtle'. There's actually a picture you can find on Google of him and his crew standing in front of the plane in North Africa. He survived 40+ missions on the wings of the same angels and received a silver star and Purple Heart during his tour. Sadly he died at only 50 - decades before I was born - from liver failure caused by alcoholism, alcoholism that was no doubt brought on by the horrors of WW2's air war. Thanks for sharing your grandfather's story.

[@JamesTierney]

@@peteraustin4295 nice to meet you. We’re both blessed through their experience or we wouldn’t be here.

[@meanstavrakas1044]

My father's best friend, Professor Roy Moose PHD UNCC, was the man who gave the final briefing to these Pilots & Crews before they went on this very mission. Roy was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He was a graduate of Oxford University and was tutored in Shakespear by JRR Tolkien from 1937-1941. Roy joined the US Army Air Forces in 1942. US Military Intelligence expected light opposition to this raid, and this is what Roy conveyed to these Pilots & Crews during the mission briefing. When these Crews returned from the mission they almost beat Roy to death with their fist. He spent the next 3 months recovering from the beating he received from these "noble" pilots & crews. Roy, aka Dr Shakespear, taught English at UNCC in Charlotte, North Carolina until the mid 1990s. I had the honor of taking him to see The Two Towers in 2002. Roy passed away in December 2003. He was one of the very best men I have ever met. He did not deserve to be beaten almost to death for Army Intelligence's failing.

[@30AndHatingIt]

You have to remember, those pilots and crews watched hundreds of their countrymen go down screaming in flames and had their friend’s brains splatted on their flight suits…

[@Tam0de]

That's unfortunate. But at that time, those returning survivors were looking for something, anyone, to blame for that disastrous raid. Although it wasn't Roy's fault at all, they saw him as someone they could physically get ahold of & release all their pent-up anger & frustration on. I'm sure Roy would himself agree that although he disagreed with what they did to him, he understood why they did it.

[@jamesburns2232]

Nah! 🥸

[@terrysmith4831]

When I was growing up our neighbor across the street had been a Liberator pilot during WWII. He was on this bombing mission, in the 2nd. wave. His name was Bill Foster. 🇺🇸

[@davy1458]

My grandpa's brother died in this raid....he was a b24 pilot.

[@UlpianHeritor]

My grandfather witnessed the bombing of the oilfields as a child. His house was right next to the refinery and while everyone ducked for cover, he simply stood outside in awe of the American planes. He thought the explosions were so cool that it inspired him to fly airplanes. He flew the MIG 21 and MIG 23 for the Romanian air force during the communist era. Despite the bombings of Ploesti and him representing communist Romania, he always had a deep admiration for the Americans who fought that day. On paper, communist Romania and the US were adversaries, but in reality the real enemy were always the Soviets. After the fall of communism, my grandfather would say that he was defending Romania against the Soviets because they were more likely to invade Romania.

[@victors4333]

My dad was a bit further South of Ploiesti. He saw a few planes flying at tree level. He was a kid too.

[@gregorydahl]

My grandpa was in the plane your dad saw and said he saw an fbi agent and ukranian liar standing there looking stupid . No not really . Selling war is so stupid .

[@victors4333]

@@gregorydahl Yes you are.

[@kuryakin2483]

I think it’s amazing that these days people from all over the world with different backstories can come together on a forum like this and share those stories. Thank you.

[@UlpianHeritor]

@@kuryakin2483 This event touched many lives, so I am glad to share my family's side of the story.

[@echohunter4199]

I’m just a retired Army Infantryman but I can say from experience how bad oil fires are, during the Gulf War I was a Tank Destroyer in the 101st ABN DIV and when the Iraqis destroyed the oil wells, it was nasty as hell! I still have my hat with drops of oil from the rain we got, it was oil everywhere! You have to remember that raw oil isn’t deadly but breathing it in is another issue. Thankfully we were pulled out quickly so we weren’t exposed too long. We did get a lot of small exposures to Sarin nerve agent (nerve gas) during the air campaign before we rolled into Iraq/Kuwait. But my time in the Army (1983-2009) was nothing compared to WWII Grunts.

[@glendoer3880]

Sold to Iraq by the USA companies,

[@alfredfabulous3640]

Did you eventually find the weapons of mass destruction you claimed that the Iraqis had.....war monger?

[@jamesburns2232]

Thank you for your 26 years of service to the United States Army. My Dad served in the 129th Infantry 2nd Battalion, Ohio Buckeyes, Army Infantry, from 1941-1945. Dad fought the Japanese in the Pacific theater. He fought in Bougainville, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Luzon. He was wounded 3 times and the last time was medevacked and had 5 surgeries on his arm. His arm was mostly useless after that and he was considered a disabled veteran. I never understood how much pain he suffered until I found out he had a multiple refill prescription for Opium. He told me he was just happy to be alive and have a wife and kids. His platoon wasn't as fortunate. They were killed by the crack 9th Japanese Infantry fighting in Baguio, Philippines. 🪖

[@lilytea3]

0:00: 🛩 The story of Operation Tidal Wave, a disastrous and costly mission in American history where B-24 bombers attempted to bomb the Ploiești oil fields in Romania. 6:36: 🛩 The raid on Ploiești was a heavily defended mission by the American bombers in 1943. 12:56: ⚠ The lead navigator crashes into the ocean, causing separation and misdirection among the bomber groups. 19:25: ⚔ The 93rd Bomb Group faces challenges and losses while attacking the refineries in Ploesti. 25:10: 🔥 The 98th Bomb Group faces heavy losses and an ambush as they approach their targets. 31:08: 🔥 Bomber groups face chaos and heavy losses as they fly through intense fire and smoke to attack their targets. 37:47: 🛩 The raid on the Nazi war machine in Poies was a disastrous mission for the United States Air Force. 43:25: 🔥 Operation Tidal Wave was a daring and costly American bombing raid on Romanian oil refineries during World War II. Recap by Tammy AI

[@spikespa5208]

1:20 In '43 Germany wasn't doing much expanding by that time.

[@TJ3]

Historical notes - I have truly done my best to be accurate in everything. Obviously, in such a large raid and video, there are a few things that I could not get perfect. I'll try to summarize them quickly. First, the skins of background aircraft are not all perfect. This is a limitation of my simulator. Second, I spent like $200 to have all these custom nose art skins made lol - so they should be spot on! The only one that is not technically accurate is Ole Kickapoo, as we could not find any actual photos of this aircraft. Also, I pronounce "Ploesti" as I have heard most other historians pronounce it in documentaries, rather than the way it is said in the newsreels. Also, here is a fun fact - at the end in the newsreel, American bombers claimed 51 planes shot down - they actually shot down only 6! Haha. I couldn't fit that in the video though. When you guys tell me whatever other things I missed, I will add them here. Thanks everyone!

[@romulusmare]

It is in fact, Ploiești. Not sure how to explain how to pronounce it, but at least write it as it should. Prononciacion is like "ploieshti", except you say last "i" almost silent, w/o accent on it.

[@aserta]

I heard the word from a Romanian coworker a few years ago (his hometown). He explained it as plo (as in plo from di - plo - ma), ie (as in ye from ye-ah) s (as in sh from sh-ift) and finally ti (as in ti from ti-nned) because i kept tripping on my tongue trying to copy it. Essentially plo-yesh-ti.

[@romulusmare]

@@aserta that is correct, with the strong mention that accent is on middle Y, not on last I how usually english speakers are tempted to pronounce. Last I is almost silent, no accent on it.

[@romulusmare]

@@aserta but the way it is written, is without doubts "Ploiești" even if you do not use Ș still it is Ploiesti, not Ploesti.

[@victors4333]

accurate pronounciation here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZWrqHispt-ifc0

[@raymondyee2008]

Too bad Hollywood can’t make a movie of this scale especially when airworthy B-24s are damn hard.

[@ruehl3853]

You can, technically you can pull off what they did in dunkirk for the dogfighting scenes where they build rc planes to get external shots of crashes etc without using cgi. Technically you can build a lot of b24 rcs and only have 1 or two real ones for crew shots

[@fighterjetsteve]

I think there are only 2 flying B-24's left.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

both a B-24 and a B-17 often showed up at air shows to give people a ride....not cheap!......the B-17 part of that duo actually crashed at the nearby airport and the local guys jumped in to repair it and get it flying again remember them scrounging the local auto parts stores to find what they needed.......@@fighterjetsteve

[@vincent7520]

you mean damn hard to find ?

[@thomasm9384]

Ronald Reagan was your narrator in those old clips. That's kind of hollywood.

[@marklopez8378]

Such brave young men, this must of looked so terrifying from both sides. Thanks for such a in depth recreation of this raid

[@Rajordan]

I showed this video to an old Marine today. He is a history buff, but he wasn't familiar with Operation Tidal Wave. He really appreciated the photos of the air crafts and the quality of the other images. He already knew about the oil fields and refineries and the impact on the war, but this really put a new light on the story. Thank you for making my life easier. Now it is easy to point to this video when someone asks about my family's participation in WWII.

[@raymondyee2008]

"To the Fallen of Ploesti": *To you who fly on forever I send that part of me which cannot be separated, and is bound to you for all time. I send to you those of our dreams that never quite came true, the joyous laughter of our boyhood, the marvelous mysteries of our adolescence, the glorious strengths and tragic illusions of our young manhood, all of these that were and perhaps would have been, I leave in your care, out there in the blue*

[@roberthemingway7691]

You really are a true professional and bringing this story too many people who do not know. I applaud your professionalism and your appreciation of history. Kudos my friend

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@EagleOneM1953]

The amount of research must be tremendous and the footage so realistic, even the detail on the landing gear is very accurate... KUDOS!

[@frankpienkosky5688]

...sometimes chaos reigns in an actual combat situation...you just carry on and try to make the best of it....

[@victors4333]

My father was a 13 year old boy living in the countryside near Ploiesti, about 15 miles away. He told me he saw scattered bomber planes flying at tree level. A couple crashed nearby; some of the villagers tried to hide the pilots, others were captured. Eventually, the pilots became prisoners of war in a prison run by the romanian military, as they were not relinquished to the germans. Other documentaries say they were treated well while in captivity. The only reason Romania allied with Germany and attacked the Soviet Union was to regain lost land to the Soviet Union in 1939 and Hungary in 1940.

[@VictorLonmo]

Thanks for this video. It is hard to appreciate just how much people sacrificed in war but you have done a great job.

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@familylines52]

An excellent documentary. A couple of points- Lloyd Hughes (and the 389th) were tasked to bomb red target at Campina, northwest of Ploesti. Hughes did not lead the group, it was led by the group commander, Col. Jack Wood. Their attack was a complete success. Steau Romano refinery at Campina was put out of production for the rest of the war. The 389th. lost only 3 aircraft (including Hughes' plane) Minor point- the bombs fell straight out of the bottom of the plane, not the sides. I attended a symposium on Tidal Wave in Florida in the summer of 1987. Col Smart (who did not fly on the mission) was on the panel. He expressed sorrow and regret for having come up with such a "bad plan." There were 5 or 6 other veterans of the mission there including (then General) Leon Johnson. They all spoke up and said, "It wasn't a bad plan, we just screwed it up." You could see the relief on Smart's face. Keith Compton and Uzal Ent were the ones who screwed it up.

[@laakona8381]

My uncle, John Griffin, was a B-24 ball turret gunner on this raid. He never mentioned it to any of us until about 1998.

[@nate61]

A great honor your uncle is a true USA hero as everyone who served on this mission.

[@GoHARD99]

As a Vietnam Vet I really enjoy watching your channel ww2 is the reason I was one who volunteered to join the Army and go to Vietnam keep up the good work

[@LancelotChan]

Human make mistakes, and despite all the mistakes they had made, I was surprised that no one pull out from the massacre. Such incredible bravery deserve praise and recognition.

[@TJ3]

Agreed

[@LancelotChan]

@@TJ3 Man, I'm still watching. So far none of them gave up the mission, none of them gave up the brothers, all risking their own life for others. This is so touching beyond any rational meaning!

[@TJ3]

@@LancelotChan yep and there's tons of bombers I couldn't even cover!

[@ramonzzzz]

Actually, one pilot of the 389th BG refused to fly the mission at the last moment before his scheduled takeoff. Source: Black Sunday Ploesti by Michael Hill.

[@dukecraig2402]

​@@ramonzzzz He's talking about none of them giving up during the mission once things started going sideways.

[@alphonsotate2982]

Brought me to tears such bravery an sacrifice God rest all the lost fliers

[@thewey]

Outstanding effort! My dad helped to train one of the air groups that flew to Ploesti. They were truly courageous. May God Bless Them All.

[@danbernstein4694]

My father joined the 512 Bombardment Group in 1944 as a replacement navigator for all the losses suffered the the 512th at Ploesti. He had been trained by Pam Am Airlines for long range maritime patrol in the Pacific using VLR B-24s, but the acute shortage of aircrew meant he sent to Italy instead, using his naval navigational skills flying over the Alps!

[@pufferfish0567]

My uncle was in that raid and he is still alive at 98

[@sd906238]

My high school chemistry was a bombardier in a B-24. He flew on a later raid over Ploesti. Told me how they would they would aim for the target point when the target was obscured by smoke that the Germans set.

[@dukecraig2402]

A family member of our's was a navigator on a B24 that flew 3 different missions on Ploesti after Tidal Wave, they made it through 19 missions before being shot down by flak during a run on a railroad bridge in Ferrara Italy, he was killed on that one, 3 of the crew including the pilot parachuted out and became POW's but he was the only one that survived the war, the other two died in the camps they were in before the war ended. The smoke pots the Germans used to light off to obscure targets brings up an interesting point about the Norden bombsight that most people don't know about when claiming it wasn't accurate, the truth is the Norden bombsight was incredibly accurate, but people who are biased and want to trash it and the USAAF's bombing campaign as a whole like to blame every single bomb that missed it's target on the Norden bombsight and it's malarkey doing it. First off 65% of all the bombs dropped by the USAAF in Europe weren't even aimed using the Norden bombsight but instead were aimed using the H2X ground scanning radar system instead especially during the winter months when overcast skies prevented optical sighting, which needless to say was far less accurate but the results from that get piled onto the back of the Norden bombsight and blamed on it. Other factors that led to results that unjustly get blamed on the Norden bombsight are just what you mentioned, the German's lighting off smoke pots to obscure visibility, or them camouflaging targets and setting up decoys nearby that the results from get marked as "zero bombs on target" and averaged into the math that get blamed on the Norden bombsight even though the bombardiers absolutely plastered what they were actually aiming at. There's also the subject of accuracy degradation as each subsequent bomber box makes it's run from having to aim through all the smoke and worse yet the dirt displaced from the bombs of the previous bombers, each 500 lb general purpose bomb displaced enough dirt and tossed it into the air above the target to fill 13 dump trucks, there's twelve 500 lb general purpose bombs dropped by each bomber so that's 156 dump trucks worth of dirt per bomber thrown into the air above the target, at sixteen bombers per box that makes 2,496 dump trucks worth of dirt thrown into the air above the target that the next box has to sight through, that doesn't factor in smoke from fires and debris thrown into the air above the target from possible secondary explosions. Records show that when optical sighting could be used the Norden bombsight had an over 80% bombs on target results from the first bomber box, the second box on average would have an over 70% bombs on target average down to the 5th box where results would be down in the 20% range. After studies showed this no more than 5 boxes would be assigned to target the same aiming point since after the 5th box visibility was so low that target identification was next to impossible. The Norden bombsight really was every bit as accurate as it was claimed it was, one important thing to note however is the pickle barrel myth, no one involved with the invention or manufacturing of the Norden bombsight along with the USAAF ever claimed that it could drop a bomb in a pickle barrel, no one knows where that claim got started, probably someone in the press but it's nonsense holding anyone who had anything to do with it to task over that claim, just like if someone is running around your hometown claiming that you can jump over the tallest building in town doesn't mean if you can't then you should be discredited for not being able to do it, I know I'm not responsible for what comes out of someone else's mouth, but what the Norden bombsight could do and do it consistently was to place a single bomb within 400 ft of it's aiming point when dropped from a B17 traveling at 225 MPH from 23,000 ft, no other bomber force in the world was capable of doing that in the 1940's, they couldn't even come close to it. As far as factors that contributed to bombs missing their targets like the H2X system being used to drop the majority of bombs over Europe, camouflaging of targets with decoys nearby and smoke pots being lit to obscure visibility over targets plus things not mentioned like lead navigators flying entire formations to the wrong target and the results being marked as zero bombs on target average and it getting factored into the math that way and getting blamed on the Norden bombsight even though the bombardiers plastered what they were actually aiming at those things don't speak to the accuracy of the Norden bombsight only to the circumstances under which it was used. A good comparison would be like claiming that the M1 rifle is inaccurate based on the fact that a post war study showed that for every enemy soldier killed by one over 300 rounds were fired from M1's, a trip to the shooting range will quickly show anyone that M1's are extremely accurate, the fact that over 300 rounds had to be fired from M1's for every dead enemy soldier only proves the diffuclt circumstances under which they were used, not their accuracy.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

...interesting depictions of at least some of the planes flying with exposed bomb bays....have to wonder how common that was?......@@dukecraig2402

[@joeswife]

My grandpa, Chuck Foster, was a B24 Liberando pilot who participated in the Ploesti raids. 514th Squadron, 376th Bomb Group. His ball turret gunner was killed and the landing gear was destroyed but he made it back to base and landed his plane (the Betty Baby...named after my grandma) on its belly. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

[@carspotters4944]

My great grandfather was the pilot of a B-24 and was shot down in this battle.

[@michaelfay4414]

I was invited to a German's home for a Christmas dinner in 1977. While talking I discovered he was a pilot during WWII BF109. He actually defended the city of Ploesti from that raid in 1943. I had read about it from a book I had in the barracks. I had his son drive me back to the barracks where I retreived the book. We got back and lo and behold the father's name was listed in the back of the book as one of the defenders. I nicely gave the father the book. He had tears in his eyes and thanked me. Most Germans I met in the 70's all fought the "Russians", but this man was honest as wasn't afraid to tell the truth.

[@outfield1988]

Had the honor to talk to a pilot who flew this mission. These were brave men and gave everything that had.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

...the wild gunfight between gunners on the ground and those in the air was a distinct feature of this battle.....

[@1999fxdx]

My dad was a B24 pilot. He flew one combat mission to Ploiesti but not THE mission. I don’t think they ever really clobbered that facility.

[@aaronsmith5433]

With enough welders & pipe fitters, a refinery is easier to assemble than Ikea furniture.

[@angrydoggy9170]

Production dropped significantly for months. So I figure it was a pretty successful campaign. Fuel shortages were a major problem for the German war machine.

[@ad846]

My uncle was the mayor of Ploiesti...As a doctor he saved a downed American pilot from being lynched...

[@kbomb1235]

No he wasn’t. Lol

[@taylorhollinger874]

​@@kbomb1235 😂

[@oneshothunter9877]

😂

[@redhed9776]

Leroy "Shorty" Hollis was a belly turret gunner on a B-24 in Europe. When the VA hospital decided to leave the military atmosphere and go flower paintings,etc, they threw out many historic pics turned into framed artwork. One in particular was a photo taken during this raid. I told Mr. Hollis about that and all he remarked was "I was there". He said he did his 25 missions and came home to work at the Post Office.

[@Scrat335]

My wife's grandfather was in the Soviet Air force and was an IL 4 crewman. He told her they bombed ports on the Danube and ports in Bulgaria Romania Black Sea coast and shipping on the sea. He missed the final battles because over Poland they were shot down and when he bailed out and landed he broke his leg.

[@sspencer9972]

Thanks for a very nice job on this video. My dad was a pilot for the 98th during that time and participated in Tidal Wave. This was the only combat operation he flew in which a crew member was wounded.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

...a bit of a companion piece to this was the sad saga of "The Lady Be Good".....a B-24 that overflew their base..continued on and eventually crashed in the desert...the remains of the survivors have been recently found where they tried to walk out...

[@yosemitedan7457]

​@@frankpienkosky5688 Not the same mission and all but one of the crew's remains were recovered between February and August 1960. Not exactly recent but you are right, a sad footnote.

[@herbchilds1512]

What is your dad's name, and what was the nickname of the B-24 he flew on? There's very likely a photo of that plane's crew and additional details of the mission available. He flew with Killer Kane's bomb group.

[@sspencer9972]

Lyle Spencer. Fyrtle Myrtle was his ship, though I'm not sure that was the ship he was assigned for Tidal Wave. Also there was a Major flying with him as co-pilot that day who was one of the intelligence officers. If you go to about 2:20 in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXqcnI1uh6l-npYsi=jwPtnzRiF6Qjq2GN you'll see my dad walk out from under the wing with Colonel Kane.

[@davegibson9641]

My father was on that mission. He saw some details not mentioned. He did watch Wongo Wongo crash into the sea. His plane was so badly damaged, that they were one of the eleven that didn’t make target. He saw the haystacks open up to expose anti aircraft guns. It was a harrowing description of battle.

[@uberduberdave]

One minor gripe, the Titalwave B-24D bombers were early block number aircraft that did not have the Sperry ball turret, they were armed with what was called a "tunnel gun," a single .50 cal fitted to a belly hatch aft of where the turret was eventually placed

[@frankpienkosky5688]

...yeah,..the most distinctive B-24's had that great big turret up front...none of these planes seemed to have that feature....

[@donclark8673]

This Tuesday marks the 80th anniversary of this raid.God bless all the men that were on this raid and the men that gave their lives !May they rest in peace .God bless America

[@Cormano980]

Yep, they killed 5000 civilians and destroyed countless non military buildings, let's say nobody felt sorry for the downed planes, there's even a monument to honour the defenders

[@catherinecostanza7075]

​@@Cormano980continues to ignore the 6 million+ civilians the Nazis killed

[@gregoryadair3223]

My late father was a B-17 pilot in the 8th AAF, 379th bomb group stationed at Kimbolton England in 1944. I can add that the air war was very difficult and the stories were so intense that you sort of could not believe what these men were saying. The Ploesti raid became **super famous** among the men who flew after it, they talked about it, as with the Sweinfurt raids (the ball bearing factory). There was a AAF veteran living in my area who survived the Ploesti raid and although i never met him, my construction boss knew him and he shared his story. (My dad really wanted to meet him, but that never worked out), That man and his crew were picked up and put in a jail after the crash, and the local peasants broke in and started down a line of cells murdering the airmen with pitchforks and such. The man was saved when the Germans intervened. Not comfortable saying much about my father's tour with the Mighty 8th, he wrote a little memoir though, 36 missions, and was badly injured when he crash landed on the old Verdun battlefield in France. Huge and undying respect for all of these heroes.

[@jimgriffin3672]

00ish I

[@coronaclasses1125]

I have a small cottage in Kimbolton. my father taught me to drive at the airfield. I believe it was quite an active site during the war, with Milton Ernest just a few miles away, and several other airfields close by. the airfield is overgrown with with grass and wild flowers. but peaceful.

[@hiloviking]

I read that those bomber crews that flew out of England for raids over Nazi Europe had a life expectancy of 4 weeks. Thousands of them died during those horrific years.

[@RBG-tr9ce]

My ex-father in-law USAF Lt. Col. (ret) Lawrence Madsen, flew more raids over Ploesti than any other pilot. His co-pilot was vaporized completely out of the plane by a flak hit. Madsen, nick named Johnny, retired from the A.F. in 1968 or 69 after an illustrious career. RIP Johnny.

[@FlightJockey2377]

Thanks! Truly one of the greatest documentaries I have seen in a long time. As a pilot for the Marine Corps having flown plenty of missions where the pucker factor (I’m sure any pilot who has flown combat missions can explain this) was a major factor, I still would never experience what these wonderful guys did. As use to tell my son when he was a little tike, “the men who flew missions during this time had much more of a harder time than I did because they didn’t even have 1/10 of the technology I had in my aircraft and that why we call them heroes among heroes -- the truly were and still are. Gentlemen, I salute you and your crews… God Bless

[@jamesvandemark2086]

Our uncle was there- a B*24 tail gunner. He said he was "very busy".........He used ALL of his ammo, too.

[@ubtrippin9980]

My cousin Staff Sgt. Gene O’Mara, gunner was shot down and killed in the “Damfino” aka “Four Eyes” B-24 on approach to the refineries. The plane was on the outside left of the 3rd row. Never had a chance in that position. Gene was only 23 years old. Rest In Peace Gene.

[@herbchilds1512]

Herb Childs According to Dugan and Stewart's book, S/Sgt Eugene O. O'Mara, from Laconia, NH, was a gunner aboard the B-24 nicknamed "Four Eyes," belonging to the 389th Bomb Group but detached to the 98th. He flew with Killer Kane. The pilot of "Four Eyes" was 1/Lt Lawrence Hadcock. The nine crew members are listed in Michael Hill's book "Black Sunday: Ploesti." None survived.

[@herbchilds1512]

...Hill's book, "Black Sunday; Ploesti, page 239. None survived.

[@Redzen.No.0488]

It was a mess of a raid with very high casualties, but the B-24s' flying crews were remarkably brave and strong-minded men that performed exceedingly well in extremely difficult and harrowing circumstances.

[@gbentley8176]

My late father flew photo recce on this oil refinery system courtesy of the superb RAF Mosquito.

[@antonioperez2623]

Wow, this is fantastic. It's remarkable of the reading of the letter from mother Ruth Kane Allen. Thank you for remembering these heroes.

[@echohunter4199]

Sir, I want to say that you did a fine job on making this video. Knowing the details of the men that fought in this raid is a great insight to how they fly and fight.

[@Kendallian132]

My Uncle Joe Drake Carter flew on 51 missions over Ploesti. We have a newspaper clipping from his home town newspaper, the Goldthwaite (Texas) "Eagle" which outlines his experience. On one mission, the bombardier was killed. Uncle Joe D., who was unable to become a bombardier due to his not having 20/20 vison, pulled the dead crewman out and dropped the bomb load apparently square on the target. We have several pics of one of the B-24's after it landed with engines blown off. These men were absolutely unbelievable! RIP Uncle Joe Drake and all the others who served in this horrible theater. Their sacrifices were not in vain.

[@danielbritton8588]

There was one crazy raid where about 6 air groups got separated & attacked Ploesti from multiple directions & altitudes at the same time. It was a madhouse.

[@gs637]

Excellent!!! Very well documented, lots of archive material presented, historically accurate, & the graphics are amazing. This is, by far, the best documentary of Operation Tidal wave. CONGRATS!

[@andywomack3414]

My father, a sailor on an LST that was torpedoed, had to find the remains of crew mates killed in the attack. He said it was very important that identifiable remains be found, as to be declared "missing" placed a heavy burden on the dead heroes family. He said they were able to identify an arm, all that remained of a buddy, by a distinctive tattoo, thus hastening the payment of survivor's benefits. The thought of spending years not knowing seems terrible and cruel.

[@Wutzmename]

What's an LST? Are you German or American.

[@andywomack3414]

@@Wutzmename Landing Ship Tank (or truck) Functionally like a roll-on. roll-off ferry capable of marine navigation. Typically carried three (at least according to by dad) Higgin's boats, the smaller troop landing craft. An LST was designed to drive onto a beach. open bow-doors, and deliver heavy vehicles. War-winning innovations.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

....want to see one that's still functional?.....LST 325 is in Evansville Indiana....unless you can talk them into visiting your town...they take it out for cruises every summer....been up to Pittsburgh twice where I actually got to tour it....fitting since over a hundred of them were built here during the war... @@andywomack3414

[@user-xd1gt9if2v]

This was the saddest most expensive mistake story ever. How could something go SO WRONG

[@tomlew55]

According to his flight record, during August of 44 my father flew 3 separate raids over Ploesti from Italy in a B24 Liberator. He was a ball turret gunner who did 50 missions before cycling out. Amazingly, there is a book about his plane which was shot down a few weeks after his crew left. The bomber was named "Bottoms up!".

[@johnlshilling1446]

This is by far one of the best historical documentaries I've seen in quite some time. Your attention to the families was a welcome change in the "Status Quo" of recounting war stories. Well done. I wish I could help fund your work, but unfortunately, I'm old, retired, and disabled. I have, however, sent a prayer to the Ultimate Exchequer of the Universe. God willing, you will be adequately funded. This story, the name Eurocyclodon in particular, led me on a side quest: The final chapters of The Book of Acts where a Eurocyclodon is mentioned. Before the connection found in this telling, I had never viewed Paul's journey to Rome as the "High Adventure" it truly was. (I'm a fan of Adventure, LOL!) Much appreciated!

[@SnotRocket6515]

B24 is easily my favorite bomber of the war, only rivaled by the B25. Theyre just so big and intimidating its beautiful

[@Ebooger]

Consolidated did a helluva job! More Liberators were built than any other bomber - ever! They morphed into Convair who built many other great aircraft.

[@robertbeermanjr.2158]

I am so glad that I found your magnificent presentation. This is the most information I have heard about this area and activity during WWII. My Grandfather, Robert O. Beerman was a photographer and I believe that he was with the Ninth performing aerial photo reconnaissance. I will have to seek out that book and read it. He survived the war so I know that he was not one of the Sixteen.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

....sixteen and only one survivor?....tells you something about the intensity of this fight......

[@lynnmetcalf3432]

My husband and his family knew Colonel Kane after he retired in Arkansas. He and his wife were well loved❤️

[@albertogonzalez7577]

Great video, and very detailed. It should be noted that Col. Jack Wood's 389th Bomb Group (the "Sky Scorpions") successfully bombed the Steuea Romana refinery northwest of Ploesti, knocking out the plant for the duration of the war. Each and every one of them were heroes for undertaking such a dangerous mission.

[@etiennelamarche7796]

Your videos just keep better and better great job pal I really like your work

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@davidkarr4632]

Thank you so much!!This is a mission that I didn't know about....Even though they made mistakes it's such an important part of the war that relied on fuel for everything that comes with keeping an army on the move...These guys were the same age as me when I got drafted and the bravery of these airmen is worthy of the medals and praise they got....The greatest generation indeed.

[@BiggHogg870]

Very stupid for our generals to think they wouldn't arm up Polesti. A private could've figured that out. These young men were very courageous on a suicidal mission 😢

[@JanKowalski-vj9py]

Actually significant improve of AA took place after Tidalwave. Not before.

[@toad1771ify]

When i lived in Libya in the seventies the story we were all familiar with was the Lady Be Good which is an interesting story in its own right given all the crew's bodies except for one years after the fact and a diary was found explaining their trek through the desert with no water or food for i think 7 days when the last of them perished.

[@rickuyeda4818]

Back when I was a kid, I read about the B-24 Raid on Ploesti. I read that the bomber flew so low, some ran through haystacks. The Germans sighted through the barrels on their 88's. After the raid, one of the B-24's lost 2 engines on the same side. The Pilot and Co-pilot applied full rubber to be able to fly straight. The rest of the crew took turns massages their legs.

[@sickdeedee]

Hello from Ploiești, România. They are still traces of the old rail tracks on which the armed trains with anti-air guns were positioned during the wars. The majority of routes outside the city were filled with anti-air guns. When I was a kid my father showed me at his grandfather's house a furnace-like oven, where in case of air raids, they put firewood to heat some type of purple-black substance and release it to fog the skies and make the bombers miss targets. Lots of stories. The refineries are still here, Brazi, Astra, and Vega which produced Octa-90, aviation fuel.

[@asdfg2941]

I'm curious how a person planning a surprise attack thought 170 heavy bombers and daylight bombing was a good idea

[@user-nf4lt3ff2w]

Excellent question. The Germans had spies all over North Africa and the Minute the Americans took off

[@RTFLDGR]

My mates & I truly look forward to these true stories. We all chose bombers as our own and hope to survive. I went-in early with my mates on the BREWERY WAGON. Godspeed.

[@TJ3]

That's awesome! I almost encouraged viewers to pick a bomber during that part 😉

[@nathanedwards4519]

For all the men who were in these planes thank you for my freedom and may you all rest in peace. I'm a proud American in North Carolina I salute you with honor and pride most of all respect❤❤❤❤

[@BrandonWensing]

Thank you so much for making this and helping preserve history. This was by far the best documentary related to Operation Tidal Wave I've ever watched. Such a great mix of historical footage, interviews, and supplemental War Thunder scenes. My grandfather was the tail gunner on Ole Irish of the 389th. They managed to hit their target and miraculously get back home on only 3 engines (they insisted the 4 leaf clover on the nose kept them safe). If it weren't for the luck of that plane and the skill of the crew, I literally wouldn't be here. Thanks again, and keep up the good work!

[@Cowardswearmasks]

Brilliantly done, Tj3 easily one of the most outstanding and historically accurate depictions of any operation’s seen in WW2 . The B24 pilot speaking during this episode actually went up and seen KK Compton after the war and ask him why , how etc. from Australia

[@user-zq3hc9ip6x]

My Dad was a ball turret gunner and flew on some of these missions. Thank you for a excellent video. They were American heroes.

[@jimwiskus8862]

Amazing video! I had a wonderful friend who was a B24 co-pilot. He was quite a gentleman. He was very aware of the raids into the oil fields of Romania. He didn’t enjoy talking about them. See you in the next installment.

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@outlet6989]

A little-known WW2 fact. The metal ammo feeding device attached to a gunner's M2 .50 caliber machine gun was designed by Howard Hughes in 1941. BING search.

[@jamiedarr]

My grandfather was a gunner on a B24 on Black Sunday. August 1st 1943. “Cornhusker” was the planes name in nose art. They took of from Libya. Made the trip and dropped their bombs. During the return trip, they were hit by flak and attacked by BF109’s. They made it from Romania across Bulgaria and Greece where the were attacked again. The plane crashed into the Ionian Sea off the coast of Greece. All 10 crewman were killed.

[@JanKowalski-vj9py]

Airplanes returning over Bulgaria and Greece were tracked by German radars. Fighters from Kalamaki airfield were scrambled. In following battles two Liberators were shoot down, one had to ditch at sea. Two Me-109 were also downed.

[@MrSlitskirts]

Great clip and subject. We often see documentaries showing the bombing raids into Germany but not this mission specifically or it's often glossed over or 'simplified'. This also includes footage of B24 Liberators as often the B17 Flying Fortresses seem to be my commonly featured. Great work.

[@KyleCowden]

I win! I guessed right. This was an incredibly ambitious mission and an equally great documentary. This raid and the raid on Naples (Lady Be Good loss) was the impetus for ending the ill conceived doctrine of "lead navigators" and going forward, every navigator navigated independently rather than realizing when it was too late that you had been led off course.

[@gregoryadair3223]

Kyle, my father was a B-17 pilot in 1944. He said that there was a lead plane and a lead navigator setting up the bomb run with the Norden Bomb Site. I am not especially well-versed, but i did get that from a pilot who was flying in 1944. God bless.

[@KyleCowden]

@@gregoryadair3223 Indeed. The change after Ploesti and Naples was that every navigator would conduct their own navigation. There would always be a a mission, flight and section lead but no more getting separated or losing the lead AND without being oriented. I thank your dad for his service but above that, being a Fortress pilot puts him at the top of the cool column.

[@jamesburns2232]

Pilots always got the Distinguished Flying Crosses. Navigators always got handed the brown end of the shit stick. 🥸

[@jamesselby796]

My father, a pilot, was shot down in a raid over this same oil refinery. Might have been this one raid as he spent fifteen months as a pow. But all that I know of this time came from his odder brother.

[@herbchilds1512]

If it was Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943, your father's name probably appears in some of the published histories. Do you know which Bomb Group he was with, and the nickname of the B-24 he was piloting?

[@leosouzanet]

Jose Carioca (Zé Carioca)was a Disney Cartoon Character portraying a Parrot who lived in Rio de Janeiro developed to help US closing ties with Brazil who eventually joined the war effort sending troops to italy to fight the nazis. Our deepest respect for aircrews involved in this operation over Ploiesti. You will never be forgotten.

[@JUNKERS488]

AWESOME TJ! Well worth the wait. I love the longer format . You just keep getting better and better. Like I have always said your attention to detail and your passion sets you apart from the other guys. When you truly love what you are doing it shows in your work . I am so happy for you. I always had faith that you channel would keep grow into something big. Please keep up the good work and Keep em Flyin.

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@asullivan4047]

Interesting and informative. Excellent photography job enabling viewers to better understand what/whom the orator was describing . Professional class A research project!!! Special thanks to the veteran crews sharing personal information/combat experiences making this documentary more authentic and possible. True grit style determination to succeed at such a low level aerial bombing raid. Regardless of causality rates this bombing raid had to be carried out.

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@lioneltaniguchi9108]

Excellent documentary. My all respect for these brave young men. Thanks for sharing. Regards from Buenos Aires.

[@jonathanwiggill8242]

Thank you, what an amazing account of bravery. I learnt about an incredible raid I'd not heard of before from the other domains of WWII

[@3idraven714]

That was a great vid! The graphics, the archive footage, combined together with a detailed moving narrative! Well done!

[@01ZO6TT]

Another great video TJ! I had obviously heard of this raid before but, never had heard it in this much detail. Well done.

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@oldgringo2001]

There is an outstanding ducumentary about the august raid from about two decades ago. I believe it's called "A Wing and a Prayer: The Saga of Utah Man".

[@JasonMcCord-qk3yb]

Wow! I think this is truly one of the best videos you’ve ever done! Just amazing! Great work 👍. Thank you for helping to keep this important piece of history alive!

[@DavidHill333]

This is the most stunning and detailed documentary of WW11 I've ever seen. The B 24's and narrative of the bomb run I'll never forget. Bless all of you past and present.