Bombing of Bucharest in World War II
| Bucharest World War II bombings | |||||
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| Part of Strategic bombing campaign in Europe | |||||
| 300px Bombing of the Gara de Nord marshalling yard (April, 1944) |
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| Belligerents | |||||
| 22x20px Fifteenth Air Force 22x20px RAF Bomber Command | 22x20px Luftwaffe 22x20px Romanian Air Force |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Carl Spaatz | |||||
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Bucharest World War II Targets
- Gara de Nord marshalling yard
- Prahova Petrolul refinery
- Titan oil refinery
Main article: Bombing of Romania in World War II
The Bucharest World War II bombings were primarily Allied bombings of railroad targets and those of the Oil Campaign of World War II, but included a bombing by Nazi Germany after the royal coup. Bucharest stored and distributed much of Ploiești's refined oil products.[1]
| Date | Target/Topic | |
|---|---|---|
| 1944-04-04[2] | Railroad targets | 12px 28 B-24s of the 449 BG[3] from Grottaglie, after taking the usual route past Turnu Severin, across the Southern Carpathians, and up to Târgoviște and Snagov, bombed for two hours at mid day. The principal target was the Bucharest marshalling yard, Gara de Nord (tracks were destroyed). Warm weather and strong wind deflected bombs which landed on Calea Griviţei and Giulești and western/north-western Bucharest was severely hit, destroying hundreds of buildings and killing/injuring over 5,000. Bombs fell on Calea Victoriei, on the Splendid and Athénée Palace Hotels; on the German Military Mission; near Cathedral of St. Joseph (destroying its stained-glass windows); and on Cotroceni, uprooting poplars in the Botanical Garden of Bucharest[4]. One bomb shelter was also destroyed.[4] Seven B-24s were lost from enemy aircraft (flak was slight and inaccurate over the target), and 13 B-24s were damaged and returned.[5] 717 BS losses included Reluctant Liz, Miasis Dragon, and from the 719th BS, Consolidated Mess, Dixie Belle, Paper Doll, Born to Lose, and B-24 #41-28655. Destroyed/probable/damaged Luftwaffe aircraft were 32/6/5 ME-109, 6/5/1 FW-190, 1/0/0 HE-113, 1/0/0 Me-210, and 0/2/0 JU-88. |
| 1944-04-15[6] | Railroad targets | 12px15th US Air Force 461st Bombardment Group B-24s targeted Chitila Marshalling Yard in Bucharest. Nine-tenths cloud coverage over the target prevented the crews from observing the effect of the bombing. Official records do not list the damage.[7] Other sources report that the University of Bucharest was damaged and the adjacent Cartea Românească building was destroyed in bombing raid.[8]:190 |
| 1944-06-10 | 12px After escorting B-24s, P-51s and P-38s strafed targets between Bucharest and the Danube River. | |
| 1944-06-28 | Oil refineries | 12px The 464 BG bombed the "Prohava [sic] Petrolul" refinery and the 485 BG bombed the "Titan Oil Refinery".[9] |
| 1944-08-17/18 | Oil refineries | 12px RAF 37 Sqn and other 205 Gp Sqn's. Raid was aimed at destroying remaining intact refineries. Original target for the raid was the Standard Oil Refinery, but this had been successfully attacked during the day by American Forces and at 16:00 the attack was changed to the Xenia refinery. Raid was conducted by 63 Wellingtons from 231, 236, and 330 Wings, 9 Liberators from 2 SAAF Wing and 6 Halifaxes from 614 Sqn. 22 aircraft returned to bases because of mechanical failures, 3 performed emergency landings en route and 3 were reported missing. Remaining aircraft reached the target but AA defences were very active as was the smoke screen resulting in no aircraft being able to pinpoint the target. Bombers were attacked by Ju 88 and Me 109's. 86 tons of bombs dropped but the raid was considered as unsuccessful.[10] |
| 1944-07-31 | Oil refineries | 12px Two oil refineries at Bucharest, one at Doicești, and oil storage at Târgoviște were bombed.[1] |
| 1944-08-06 | Railroad targets | 12px 60 fighters from Operation FRANTIC bases in the USSR attacked the Craiova marshalling yard and other railroad targets in the Bucharest-Ploești, Romania area, and landed at Italian bases. |
| 1944-08-23/24 & 24/25 | 12px Luftwaffe bombers based in Otopeni attacked Bucharest on two consecutive nights until their bases were bombed by the Allies. The National Theatre Bucharest and several other downtown buildings were destroyed while the Royal Palace, the Victoria Palace, and the Romanian Athenaeum were seriously damaged.[8]:212 |
References
- ↑ Script error
- ↑
McKillop, Jack. "Combat Chronology of the USAAF". http://www.usaaf.net/chron/index.htm. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
1944: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August - ↑ review of "Ted's Travelling Circus: 93rd Bombardment Group (H) 1942-1945", by Scott A. Willey, Air Power History, Fall 1998
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 (Romanian) "Ia-ţi Bucureştii - Cotroceniul liniştit" ("Keep Bucharest - Cotroceni Is Quiet"), Jurnalul Naţional, August 31, 2006
- ↑ USAF Historical Research Agency[specify]
- ↑
"Campaign Diary". Royal Air Force Bomber Command 60th Anniversary. UK Crown. http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/diary.html. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
1944: January, February March, April, May, June, July, August - ↑ "461st Bombardment Group". Mission Records: April 1944. http://www.461st.org/Missions/April1944.htm.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Script error
- ↑ Mission histories for Bombardment Groups:
- "464 BG": "Our Missions: The 464 BG Mission List". http://www.zplace2b.com/464/sortie.htm. Retrieved tbd.
- "485 BG": "tbd". http://www.485thbg.org/485th_Missions.htm. Retrieved tbd.
- ↑ Macisaac, James, J.. "The WWII History of James Macisaac and RAF 37 Squadron". Op 6 · Ploesti, Xenia Oil Refinery. http://www.natureonline.com/37/16-op6.html. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
