Hitler's Gas Station

SUNDAY, 1 AUGUST 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force):
In Romania, 177 B-24's, of the IX Bomber Command (including B-24's on loan from the Eighth Air Force) are dispatched to bomb oil refineries at Ploiesti and nearby Campina. The operation (TIDALWAVE) was costly, 54 planes and 532 airmen are lost, but damage to the targets is severe. 5 Medal of Honors are awarded for this mission. This target supplied one- third of Hitler’s oil during WW 2. It was better know as “Hitler’s Gas Station”. The complex was made up of ten large refineries and was the third most highly defended target in Europe.


References from B/W photos of the USAAF Library. I started this artwork back in 2013 and completed after much more research.