MISSION DATE:  June 24, 1944
 
MISSION NBR.  90
 
TARGET:  Ploesti, Rumania  -  Romana/Americana Oil Refinery
 
I. CHRONOLOGY
            Thirty-nine B-24's took off at 0530-0606 hours to bomb the Romana/Americana Oil Refinery at Ploesti.  Three returned early.  Twenty-six dropped 63 tons of 500 lb G.P. bombs on the target area from 21,000 – 22,500 feet at 0932 hours.  Five jettisoned 11 tons as follows:  one dropped 2 ½ tons because two engines were out; one dropped 2 ½ tons because one engine was out; one dropped 2 ½ tons near Sofia because one engine was out and one dropped 1 ton just beyond target area due to rack malfunction.  Twenty-nine returned to base at 1259 hours.  One returned to base at 1800 hours after stopping at friendly airdrome to refuel.  Four lost.  Two missing.  None at friendly fields.
 
II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT       

            Rendezvoused with the 376th Bomb Group over San Pancrazio at 0659 hours at 12,000 feet on course to San Vito D' Normanni.  Rendezvous with other Wing Groups was ordered along line San Pancrazio to San Vito D' Normanni but Wing rendezvous never was completed as the 449th bomb Group made a 360 degree turn at the coast throwing the two forward groups about four minutes ahead of the two trailing groups.  Turns were made along course but the distance was never appreciably lessened.  Proceeded on course as briefed to I.P. (Lake Snagov) where a turn inside the check point was mde due entirely to the angle of turn but off approximately three miles.  The target was attacked on an approximate heading of 345 degrees, just sufficiently off to put the bombs to the right of the aiming point.  Rallied sharp right and flew as briefed to base with no deviation from course.

 

III. RESULTS
            Smoke from pots in target area obscured aiming point and adversely affected visual observations.  Photo coverage revealed main concentration of bombs 2800 feet east southeast of target area.  Concentration was across railroad tracks leading to Buzau.
 
IV.  ENEMY RESISTANCE
A.     Fighters:  About ten minutes before the target, the formation was attacked by about 50 enemy fighters who continued the assault for about twenty minutes.  The force consisted of 30-35 Me-109's, 10-15 FW-190's, 2 JU-88's and 3 ME-110's.  The ME-109's had yellow noses and appeared to be operated by skilled and resourceful pilots.  The attacks were coordinated and for the most part were made by units of threes and fours from 12 o'clock level.  After flying through the formation, they would reform and press home another attack on the same pattern.  Sporadic passes were also made from other angles with 5-7 aircraft remaining above the formation, presumably to pounce upon B-24's split off from the formation or straggling.  The fire consisted of 20mm cannon shells and rockets.
 
       First Attack Unit:
       A.  Plane  #159:  ME-109's, FW-190's and ME110's attacked from all around the clock.                              The initial attack from head-on in groups of three's. Very aggressive.
       B.  Plane  #986:  ME-109's and FW-190's made head on passes from 3 to 9 o'clock.
       C.  Plane  #164:  ME-109's attacked from all directions, 2,000 feet above us.
       D.  Plane  #196:  ME-109's made passes from all around the clock.
       E.  Plane  #986:  ME-109's made head-on attacks.
       F.  This B-24 missing, no details known.
       G.  Plane  #777:  ME-109's made nose attacks.
       H.  Plane  # 973:  ME-109's and FW-190's attacked around the clock high and low, JU-                                           88's lobbed rockets.
       I.  Plane  #345:  ME-109's attacked head-on and also at 6 o'clock.
       J.  Plane  #570:  ME-109's attacked from all angles and altitudes.
       K.  Plane  #620:  ME-109's attacked from nose, firing rockets.
       L.  Plane  #385:  ME-109's attacked head-on, also from tail.
       M.  This B-24 landed at a friendly airfield.
       N.  Plane  #152:  ME-109's and FW-190's made head-on attacks.
 
       Second Attack Unit:
       AA.  This B-24 missing, no details known.
       BB.  Plane  #165:  ME-109's attacked aggressively all around the clock for a 20 minute                                           period.
       CC.  Plane  #159:  ME-109's and FW-190's made nose attacks from all angles.
       DD.  Plane  #262:  ME-109's and FW-190's made head on attacks.
       EE.  Plane  # 443:  ME-109's attacked all around the clock, single, in pairs, and four                                                 abreast, peeling off in formation.  In one instance, five enemy                                            aircraft stayed over formation feinting passes while other enemy                                               aircraft attacked from all angles.
       FF.  Plane  #437:  ME-109's and FW-190's made five or six passes at nose and tail.           GG. Plane  #-45:  ME-109's attacked all around the clock. Six came in at 12 o'clock                                           level.  
       HH. Plane  #210:  ME-109's made 3 attacks at 12 and 6 o'clock.  FW-190's came in                                               twice at 12 and 6 o'clock.
       II.   This B-24 missing, no details known.
       JJ.  Plane  #231:  ME-109's and FW-190'sattacked front and rear.
       KK. Plane  #154:  ME-109's attacked aggressively.
       LL. Plane  #334:  10 o'clock dives was tactics employed by ME-109's and Fw-190's                                                attacking this aircraft.
       MM.  This B-24 missing, no details known.
       NN.  Plane  #152:  ME-109's attacked firing rockets.
       OO.  This B-24 missing, no details known.
       PP.  Plane  #331:  ME-109's made low nose attacks.
       QQ.  Plane  #285:  ME-109's and FW-190's came in at low 12 o'clock, high 10 o'clock                                            and low 6 o'clock.
       A.  Plane #205:  1 FW-190 attacked this plane, after it left formation due to engine    trouble.  Aggressive tactics in attack form 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 o'clock, firing rockets, 20mm        and machine guns, closing in at time to 75 feet.
       B.  Plane  #165:  ME-109's and JU-88's attacked this plane after it left the formation, due to hydraulic system being shot out.  The enemy aircraft closed for a few minutes from all angels but B-24 lost them in clouds.
                  
B.     Flak: Flak over the target was intense accurate and heavy and consisted of black and red bursts.  At Sofia it was also intense, accurate and heavy.  At Bucharest and Skoplje it was moderate, accurate and heavy.             
 
V.  OBSERVATIONS
            At 0950 hours from 20,000 feet, 30 or more heavy aircraft were observed at Ferrara.  The airdrome showed evidence of previous bombing.  At 1210 hours from 16,000 feet it was observed that the airdrome at Terana was full of aircraft.
            At 0818 hours from 16,000 feet, 200 wagons were observed in the marshalling yard at Dupnitesa.  At 0851 hours from 20,500 feet, 10 wagons were observed in the marshalling yard at Panlikene.  At 1005 hours from 20,000 feet, 20-30 barges were observed at Giurguin.  At 1013 hours from 21,500 feet, about 50 barges were seen in the Danube River.  At 1021 hours from 21,000 feet, 21 river boats and barges were observed at Svishchor.  At 1057 hours from 16,000 feet, light activity was observed in the marshalling yard at Ferrara. 
 
VI. CASUALTIES
Two crew members er seriously wounded by fighters and three slightly wounded.  Four B-24's were shot down by fighters.  Two B-24's missing, reason unknown.  Twelve aircraft damaged by fighters and 15 damaged by flak.
 
VII  VICTORIES:
            Destroyed                              Probable                                Damaged
            8 ME-109's                            3 ME-109's                            1 ME-109
            2 FW-190's                                                                                                                                        1 JU-88
 
VIII. FLIGHT LEADERS:
            Davis              McGinnity       Alexander                   Jefferson        Dawkins         Strieklin          Peterson        Skau