Halverson Detachment
Detachment
HALPRO or the Halverson Detachement was a group of 23 B-24 Liberators originally destined to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India Theatre of operations.
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12 June 1942
13 B-24’s of detachment under command of Col Harry A Halverson en route from US to China take off during 11Jun from Fayid to bomb oilfields at Ploesti. Only 12 attack at dawn. 4 of the 13 land at base in Iraq which was designated for recovery of the flight, 3 land at other Iraq fields, 2 land in Syria, and 4 are interned in Turkey.
Though damage to target is negligible, the raid is significant because it is the first AAF combat mission in EAME Theater in World War II, and the first strike at a target which later will be famous.
The first Army Air Force Combat mission in Europe during the Second World War, saw 13 B-24 Liberators, originally destined for China, bomb oil refineries in Ploesti, Roumania. While the raid had little impact, it proved the concept that Heavy bombers could carry out long-range attacks against defended targets
13 B-24 Liberators are tasked with bombing oil fields in Ploesti, Colonel Halverson directed his crews to fly directly to Romania, and return to Habbaniyah, Iraq.
B-24 Liberator
Not yet known
Detachment
HALPRO or the Halverson Detachement was a group of 23 B-24 Liberators originally destined to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India Theatre of operations.
...
Number of aircraft Sent | 13 |
12 B-24 Liberators bomb oil refineries in Ploesti. Bad weather frustrates bombing attempts, and crews encounter anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters, meaning that damage to the plant is light.
B-24 Liberator
Not yet known
Detachment
HALPRO or the Halverson Detachement was a group of 23 B-24 Liberators originally destined to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India Theatre of operations.
...
Tonnage dropped | 24 |
Number of aircraft Sent | 12 |
Number of people Interned | 4 Crews |
One B-24 Liberator bombs the harbor at Constanta and returns to base
B-24 Liberator
Not yet known
Detachment
HALPRO or the Halverson Detachement was a group of 23 B-24 Liberators originally destined to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India Theatre of operations.
...
Number of aircraft Sent | 1 |
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator - Bombardier
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 1st Provisional Group
Date | Contributor | Update |
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24 September 2019 14:51:20 | Emily | Created entry with name, date, official description and description |
Sources | ||
>Striking Oil: The First American Bombing Raid over Europe in World War II , ABMC, June 2017. Early Operations: Ninth/Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean, National Museum of the US Air Force |