Something I was thinking about last couple of weeks. What was biggest single raid, how many tons of bombs dropped in total , the most attacked target , that sort of thing.
Hi Owen Found (assuming you mean in WW2): http://www.wien-vienna.com/bombing.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Vienna_in_World_War_II http://www.holocaustianity.com/vienna-bombing.html TD
good day tricky dicky.sm.yesterday.01:33pm.re:bombing austria.just looked at your links.the air force did a thorough job.i regret our losses.to our air crews who did not make it home may they rest in peace.regards bernard85.
Owen I can attest to SOME bombing of Vienna - as I was in the Russian sector - illegally when heard some music from the basement of this bombed out building- so I slithered in to find Karajan rehearsing the Vienna Philharmonic - which was an unexpected surprise - what was even better was the Soprano's voice - which was even better that the Roman Renata Tebaldi - which was fantastic- and like an idiot I applauded her when she finished - I was then politely asked to make an exit - which I did in seconds as the advisors were two 7 ft tall bouncers…. It took me a further two years - back in the uk to hear that voice again and it belonged to Dame Elisabeth Schwartzkopf - and I was an avid fan until she died about six years ago - a sad loss - which has not been filled since then... Cheers
I do recollect that Vienna was bombed late on in the war.However Austrian target distance was such that raids from the eastern counties would be beyond the capability of pre 4 engined heavies and even after the introduction of the 4 engine heavies,there would have to a premium to pay in as far as a reduced bomb load and the requirement to fit auxiliary petrol tanks. Distance to Vienna and Danzig was something of the order over 800 miles and Warsaw,900 miles from the eastern counties, a tall order to make bombing trips economical.Apart from the economical targets that had developed from the Mauthausen concentration camp sub camps who were deeply involved in the German war economy,there was not much attraction for Bomber Command operations for he bulk of the German war economy was based in the industrial heartland of Germany.In any case,it was not until after liberation.was the existence of the Mauthausen war economy sub camp structure known. The RAF had visited Vienna before but this visit was in different circumstances and had been restricted at the time, in January 1940 to leaflet raids to Vienna,Prague and Warsaw from forward bases in France....not much appreciation from aircrew on operations which gained little if any value but no aircraft were lost.
Harry Much of the bombing of Vienna and the Rumanian oil fields was carried out by the heavies of the USAAF from Foggia in lower Italy after it was captured in late October '43 by 8th Army - one memorable day sitting at Lucera just North of Foggia we watched the return of a squadron - shielding a casualty when it suddenly reared up and hit another plane and as they descended hit a third - nothing we could do for the 36 men killed just minutes from landing safely except mark the spot where they fell …. Cheers PS - distance from Foggia - Vienna - crow flying is about 500 miles
True,Tom But Vienna was not a primary target of the utmost importance.The Romanian oilfields around Ploesti were primary targets of the USAAF,first from North Africa on the 1 August 1943,then from Italian airfields up to the end of the war.The USAAF had in June 1942 staged a raid on Ploesti with 13 B24s operating from the Canal Zone.Of the survivors,7 diverted to Iran as planned and 2 were interned in Turkey. The bombing operatings against Ploesti cost the USAAF dear,a loss of over 200 aircraft and 2000 aircrew and the irony was that the majority of the refineries were up and running after a month at full production after the 1 August raid in which 5 Medals of Honor were awarded. Of Vienna,it would be safe to say that it was a safe haven from Allied bombing and did not appear as a target within the philosophy of the Pointblank Directive as agreed at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943.However the Polesti oilfields were identified as a primary target,being a major oil facility.
Jeff Not really but it had to be in late April - early May '44 before we moved to Presenzano prior to opening the final Battle for Cassino - Operation Diadem 11th may '44 ... Cheers
Okay, thanks. I was hoping to determine which aircraft were involved. They were four-engined US aircraft? B-24s?
Jeff certainly four engine US planes but we were not experts on friendly aircraft-only unfriendly Tanks Cheers
Tom, Were the aircraft,B17s...the Flying Fortress? I wonder if the date could have from 2 June 1944 on.On this day the 15th Air Force engaged in Frantic shuttle operations...that is the operation against targets in Hungary and Romania.......flying on to the target from Italy,then flying on to Soviet Union bases...rearming in the Soviet Union,then returning to Italy, picking up Romanian targets on return to their Italian bases.One change from Ploesti was that B17s were used,escorted by P51s. On 11 June 1944,elements of the 15th Air Force bombed Foscani airfield in Romania on the shuttle back to their Italian base. I would think that the operational diaries of the 15th Air Force would give a better insight around these dates.
Harry - they were bigger than the B 17-and by June 2nd we were up close to Rome which fell on the 4th June - and by 11th June were resting close to Velletri in the Alban Hills of Rome- which is a long way from Lucera /Foggia - I would go with Jeff's B24's - there was a time when the Soviets would not allow friendly aircraft to land or even come close to them... Cheers
Tom...... just checked for deeper detail and Wikipedia reports the following on Frantic . The First Frantic Operation carried out 2-11 June 1944 was undertaken by the 15th Air Force as said before by B17s as did the other 3 Frantic operations carried out by the 15th Air Force. (A check on the Mighty Eighth diary reveals the shuttle operations carried out from the eastern counties to the target and on to the Soviet Union, indicates that B17s were used.) I cannot find arefernce to B24s being used on any Frantic operations which continued from June 1944 to 1945. Can you recollect the following airfields or locations? Amendola Tortorella these two airfields housed 3 Bombardment Groups......2nd,97th and 99th all with B17s Fighter escort airfields were at Triolo,San Severo,Vincenzo and Mondolfo and were equipped with the P38 Lightning and P51 Mustang. I have not checked the geographical aspect of the airfields.
Harry You may be perfectly correct in your views on "Frantic " in the June of 1944….and the aircraft and locations of various airports - however - the incident that I relate of the three aircraft crashing near Lucera was BEFORE we left the Lucera area to act as reserve to 25th Tank Bde as they supported the 1st Canadian Inf Div in the battle of Diadem which started on May 11th '44 - at that time we - 21st Tank bde were on our way to sit at Prezenzaro - just South of Cassino…….I did assume that the aircraft were returning from the Rumania / Austria area as it was a regular thing at that time... Cheers
Tom While posting my last post,I thought your observation could be conected with SOE activities but the viewing of 3 aircraft in the manner you describe, seemed to discount that. However looking deeper into events in the Balkans,what may have been observed was the operation mounted by the Balkans Air Force,consisting of USAAF,RAF and other nationality elements to support Tito and his partisans...even the Red Air Force was involved with the operation of a C47 flight.The US 15th Air Force was based at Bari but no doubt occupied airfields further north as Germans were forced to withdraw north and would use available airfields in the north for aircraft in distress. It might well be that the aircraft activity was associated with the attempt by the Germans to capture Tito and the Allied Military Missions (US,British and Soviet) at his HQ in Drvar,Bosnia.The Germans mounted their well planned Rosselsprung operation on 25 May 1944 based on the build up of their intelligence of the partisan stronghold.When it became clear that there was the danger of Tito and his command structure being captured, a call went out for air support from the British Military Mission to Allied HQ in Bari,leading to approximately 1000 sorties being conducted against German supply centres and troop concentrations from Italy between 26 May and 1 June 1944.LaterTito after being on the run, was evacuated to the partisan liberated island of Vis and then to Bari where a review of partisan operations/Allied support was undertaken. Bitter fighting with the Germans failing to achieve their objective..... Tito still at large,the Allied Missions intact and the partisans although scattered from Drvar.remained a formidable force to be reckoned with ...civilians paid the usual price of being in a partisan area.The Germans left their dead in a mass grave,seems that the dead have not been recovered since.....then withdrew..unable to maintain a presence........weeks later Drvar was back in the hands of the partisans.
