Bombs Over Ploesti: WWII’s Most Daring Air Raid

Known as “Black Sunday” for the Allied airmen, it was a battle fraught with peril, heroism, and immense sacrifice.

The Ploesti oil refineries were a linchpin in Hitler’s war machine. By 1943, these refineries produced nearly one-third of the petroleum products used by the German military. Without this vital resource, Germany's ability to power its planes, tanks, and warships would be crippled. The Allies understood that hitting the oil refineries hard could change the course of the war.

The planning of Operation Tidal Wave was as ambitious as it was complex. Among many things to consider, planners had two options, a medium sized raid at high altitude or a much larger low altitude attack. The daring and controversial low-altitude approach, devised by Gen. Jacob Smart, a Col. at the time, was chosen. He believed that flying close to the ground would help avoid enemy radar and anti-aircraft fire. But this strategy also meant that the bombers would be vulnerable to heavy flak and attacks by German fighters. The original plan was to send over 170 aircraft from five bomber groups, the 98th and 376th from the Ninth Air Force, and the 44th, 93rd, and 389th of the Eighth Air Force. Due to the round trip distance of 2,400 miles, the only bomber that could conduct this raid from air bases in Northern Africa was the B-24 Liberator, which would be equipped with extra fuel tanks and bomb sights that were designed for low level bombing.

During the predawn hours of August 1, 1943, the operation, spearheaded by U.S. Army Air Forces General Lewis Brereton, commenced. In total 178 B-24’s, and over 1,700 airmen took off from airfields in Benghazi Libya, with one bomber crashing during takeoff. The plan was to fly over the Mediterranean, skirt the Greek coastline, then cross over Yugoslavia and Bulgaria before reaching Romania.

As the formation flew over the Pindus Mountains, they faced severe weather. The lead elements of the formation increased their power to get over the mountains, but as all bombers were instructed to maintain radio silence throughout, the trailing bombers weren’t aware that the lead bombers were pulling further ahead. This caused a break in their cohesiveness as they neared Bulgaria.

As they flew over Bulgaria, the element of surprise was lost when the bombers were detected by German radar. Around midday, the bombers were attacked by three Bulgarian fighter groups.

Worse, due to navigational errors, the formation broke apart even further, and some bombers arrived over their targets in disarray. Some bombers headed south towards Bucharest before the error was discovered. They corrected course and now attacked targets from the south, where German air defenses were heaviest. Despite this, the crews pressed on, unleashing their bombs on the sprawling refinery complex.

What followed was chaos. The Germans had established a robust network of defenses, as previous raids showed that Ploesti was a prime target in Allied plans for victory. The refineries were heavily fortified with several hundred 88mm flak, and anti-aircraft guns. In addition to the guns, defenses included smoke generators that covered the target area under heavy smoke, making accurate bombing more difficult and barrage balloons, which are meant to force low level aircraft to higher altitudes, as the steel cables holding them in place would tear off the wings of attacking aircraft.

Many planes were struck by flak or intercepted by German fighters. Still, the Allied bombers fought through the hail of fire, dropping their payloads on the refineries. Explosions ripped through Ploesti, sending smoke billowing above the attacking bombers.

After dropping their bombs, the B-24’s were to return to Libya, following a similar route back. Some bombers were shot down and crashed near Ploesti, with 108 men taken prisoner by Axis forces. Other bombers landed at a British RAF base in Cyprus and others in neutral Turkey, where 78 men were interned for some time.

Of the 178 bombers that set out, only 88 returned.

Allied casualties amounted to 310 killed and many more wounded. The German defenders and Romanian workers at the refineries also suffered losses, though exact figures remain unclear. 101 civilians were killed in the attack, with over half coming after a bomber was shot down by a Romanian fighter, which caused it to crash into a Romanian women’s prison.

The strategic impact of the raid was limited, as Ploesti's refineries resumed production after extensive repairs. Yet, the courage displayed that day left an indelible mark on the history of aerial warfare.

On the German side, while some refineries were significantly damaged, production recovered relatively quickly. In fact, within months, the refineries were operating above pre-raid levels, ensuring the oil continued to flow to the German war effort.

Despite the mixed results, the bravery of the aircrews was undeniable. For their actions during the raid, five Medals of Honor were awarded—the highest number ever awarded for a single air operation. The recipients who survived the operation were Gen. Leon Johnson , a Col. at the time, and Col. John Kane. Three recipients who were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously were Lt. Col. Addison Baker, Maj. John Jerstad, and 2LT LLoyd Hughes. In addition 56 men were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Operation Tidal Wave was a costly, yet valiant effort to weaken the German war machine. The lessons learned from this raid would shape the tactics and strategies of future air operations. It also served as a sobering reminder of the sacrifices made by airmen in the pursuit of victory during World War II.