From the July 30, 2013, Montreal gazette "Veterans of World War II's Ploesti Raid holding 70th anniversary reunion in Ohio" by AP.
It was a low-flying raid on the German oil fields and the survivors still alive will be arriving at the National Museum of the Air Force near Dayton, Ohio. The 70th anniversary of the raid will be on Thursday and there will be a public memorial service and a chance to meet the veterans.
Code named Operation Tidal Wave, it was an attack on oil fields in German occupied Romania. B-24 bombers attacked in the daylight, some only yards above ground. Nearly 1/3 of the 177 planes were shot down and 1/3 of the men killed, captured or missing in action.
The 44th Bombing Group received the Distinguished Unit Citation.
The last reunion, held in Salt Lake City in 2003, drew 85 veterans and now there are fewer than 70 still alive. This is likely their last reunion.
--GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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