Operation Tidal Wave - Raid on Ploiesti Oilfields

Operation Tidal Wave was a World War II aerial bombardment operation by a composite strike force of five bomb groups from the United States Eighth and Ninth Air Forces to destroy the oil refineries at Ploiesti, Romania, on August 1, 1943.

1. Who was in overall command of American forces during the mission?

• Brigadier General Mark Reynolds
• Brigadier General George Macon
• Brigadier General Uzal Girard Ent

2. The 9th Air Force was responsible for the overall conduct for the raid, providing the 98th and 376th Bomb Groups to this effect. The as yet partially formed 8th Air Force would provide three additional bomb groups, the 44th, 93rd, and 389th to round out the mission force.

• True or False?

3. The arrival of the five groups would be synchronized to strike seven targets in the Ploiesti oil fields simultaneously. Who developed the plan relying on a day-light, low-level approach to the target area in order to counter German radar coverage?

• Col. Jacob E. Smart
• Col. Michael McWeeney
• Col. Ted Baxter

4. The strike force was planned for August 1, 1943 and was to consist of 178 aircraft, a total of 1,764 personnel, being one of the largest commitments of American heavy bombers and crewmen up to that time. The mission route would take the mission force from their airfields around across the Mediterranean and Adriatic, past the island of Corfu, over the Pindus Mountains of Albania and across southern Yugoslavia. Following a series of pre-determined way points the formation would turn toward Ploiesti and simultaneously strike their multiple targets from the north. Where was the location of the flights?

• Tripoli, Libya
• Cario, Egypt
• Benghazi, Libya

5. Col. Keith K. Compton and Gen. Ent would make a navigational judgment that would prove especially costly. At Targoviste, halfway to the next way point at Floresti, Compton confused a railway line for the correct turn toward Ploiesti, setting his group and Lt. Col. Addison Baker's 93rd Bomb Group on a new course. Where were they headed for?

• Bucharest, Romania
• Rome, Italy
• Vienna, Austria

6. Lt. Col. Addison Baker and his co-pilot Maj. John L. Jerstad were awarded Medal of Honors. What was the name of their B-24?

7. Once over Ploieşti, Gen. Ent continued to add to the already confused nature of the operation, effectively changing the intended target of the 376th based on his assessment that air defenses were too heavy over the 376th's intended target at the Romana Americana refinery. Compton was instructed to take his group and attack what Ent called "targets of opportunity."

• True or False?

8. How many airmen were awarded Medal of Honors for the raid?

• 3 airmen
• 5 airmen
• 10 airmen

9. Losses included 53 aircraft, 44 of which were to German and Romanian air defenses. Additional aircraft would be forced ditch in the Mediterranean or divert to other bases such as the RAF airfield at Corfu. A few would land and be interned in neutral Turkey. Of the aircrews, 440 men were killed, and a further 220 were taken prisoner. What has the raid become known as?

• Black Widow
• Black Sunday
• Black Raid

10. Allied assessment of the attack estimated an immediate loss of 66% of cracking abilities at the Ploesti refineries. Although damage at a number of the primary targets was severe, others escaped largely untouched. How soon were the refineries back to pre-raid production?

• Weeks
• Three months
• Never

Operation Tidal Wave Answers

1. Brigadier General Uzal Girard Ent
2. True
3. Col. Jacob E. Smart
4. Benghazi, Libya
5. Bucharest, Romania
6. Hell's Wench
7. True
8. 5 airmen
9. Black Sunday
10. Weeks

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