On 1st August 1942 Operation Tidal Wave was launched from Benghazi, Libya, to bomb the Axis oil installations at Ploesti in Romania. 177 Liberator B24’s of the USAAF 8th & 9th Airforce took part with 162 reaching its target. 53 were destroyed on the raid with a loss of 310 aircrew killed or MIA. 55 aircraft were damaged and 190 aircrew captured or interned in Neutral countries. Due to the 1200 mile journey some Liberators landed in neutral countries such as Turkey. 7 enemy fighters (109’s) were destroyed 2 of which were Romanian. 5 Medal of Honor’s and 56 Distinguished service crosses were awarded for a raid that was viewed as a failure due to the limited impact it had on Axis oil & fuel production. 100 civilians were killed on the ground when a B24 crashed into a women’s prison. A recent addition to my model aircraft collection was a B24D Liberator, 376BG, 515BS “Teggie Ann” 42-40664 which took part in the Ploesti raid but due to a navigational error dropped its bombs north of the oil fields. The pilot Col Keith K Compton successfully flew the plane back to Benghazi.
42-40664 B24D Liberator was built at the Consolidated works in San Diego, California as part of Contract 24620 (serial No’s 42-40058 to 42-41527) and was one of 1200 planes ordered to be built February 1942. On 16th August 1942 “Teggie Ann” was shot down on a mission over Foggia, Italy and Pilot Lt Donaldson B Hurd and his crew successfully bailed out but were all taken prisoner. BF109 pilot Unt, Martin Muller of JG3/12 was credited with shooting down the plane.
The 376 Bomb Group were nicknamed the “Liberandos” and there were at least another 3 B24’s named “Teggie Ann”. Must have been a popular name in the States as a lot of planes were named after wives and girlfriends by the pilots. I believe that this “Teggie Ann” was also named “Honey Chile”.
Two of the Medals of Honor awarded posthumously on this day were to Lt Colonel Addison E Baker CO and his co-pilot Major John L Jerstad of the 93rd BG when his B24 “Hell’s Wench” caught fire after being hit by flak. Jettisoning their bombs Baker continued to lead their group onto the target but at Ploesti the B24 was well ablaze and crashed killing both Baker, Jerstad and the entire crew. Lest we Forget.
Top: Lt Col Baker
Bottom: Major Jerstad at the controls of a B24 circa 1943
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