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Casualty Info
Home Town Chicago, Illinois
Last Address 457 Moreley Ave. Akron, Ohio
Casualty Date Aug 01, 1943
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Romania
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment American Cemetery - Florence, Italy
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Air Offensive, Europe Campaign (1942-44)/Operation Tidal Wave
From Month/Year
August / 1943
To Month/Year
August / 1943
Description Operation Tidal Wave was an air attack by bombers of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) based in Libya on nine oil refineries around Ploiesti, Romania on 1 August 1943, during World War II. It was a strategic bombing mission and part of the "oil campaign" to deny petroleum-based fuel to the Axis. The mission resulted in "no curtailment of overall product output", and so was deemed unsuccessful.
This mission was one of the costliest for the USAAF in the European Theater, with 53 aircraft and 660 aircrewmen lost. It was the worst loss ever suffered by the USAAF on a single mission, and its date was later referred to as "Black Sunday". Five Medals of Honor and numerous Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded to Operation Tidal Wave crew members.
