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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HALPRO Task Force
12 June 1942
Official description
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.
Description
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
Mission details
1. Ploesti
Description
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.
Aircraft type
B-24 Liberator
Notes
Not yet known
Units
Mission Statistics
| Number of aircraft Sent | 13 |
2. Ploesti Oil Refineries
Description
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.
Aircraft type
B-24 Liberator
Notes
Not yet known
Units
-
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. ...
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 24 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 12 |
| Number of people Interned | 4 Crews |
3. Constanta
Description
One B-24 Liberator bombs the harbor at Constanta and returns to base
Aircraft type
B-24 Liberator
Notes
Not yet known
Units
-
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. ...
Mission Statistics
| Number of aircraft Sent | 1 |
Service
People
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Malcolm Anderson
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator - Bombardier
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Harry Halverson
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 1st Provisional Group
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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