15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

I'm trying to locate a copy of The Air Battle of Ploesti, issued by the 15th AF in Italy in 1944. A paper or e-copy is greatly preferred to microfilm. Any lead will be appreciated.

Don Caldwell

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

I have AF study done after the war about this raids, in PDF form... contact me on email and I will send it to you.

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Don,
I expect to be at Maxwell AFB the first full week in March, assuming the fools in Washington don't shut down the government. I can see if they have a copy, and shoot it with my camera, if you still need it.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Strecko --

Thanks. I look forward to getting the pdf file. It may not be exactly the one I'm looking for, but should be very useful.

Frank --

I haven't been able to confirm that Maxwell has the report, but they should, and if you could photograph it this would sure beat their microfilm, which we're both getting too old for. Strecko's report may be the one I'm after. He says it's postwar, but the 15th AF folded their tents very rapidly after V-E Day, not even turning out a decent unit history, and mine is supposedly dated "1944". If Strecko's does the trick, I'll call you off early next week.

Don

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Don,
If you go to addall.com, and put in Air Battle of Ploesti, and then exclude Dugan, you should find a listing for the item from MilSpecManuals. Or fish up the MilSpecManuals website. They sell a PDF version on CD for $5, plus postage. I just used them to buy PDFs of several of the USSBS volumes on the oil campaign. The PDFs I got were very readable. Faster and easier than Strecko or I could manage. They have a lot of the USSBS reports.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Frank --

Thanks for the tip. I've been very slow to take advantage of what's available on the internet -- most of my official files were either hand-copied back when or rest uneasily on microfilm. I'll let you know how things turn out.

Don

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Hello Don,

There is the document from AFHRA that can be downloaded from the "Studies" link in the "Sticky" on this forum

May be what you seek.

103. (U) The Ploesti Mission of 1 August 1943, by Earl Cruickshank (1944). 191 pages.K1012
467687


Alex

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Hi Alex --

Thanks, but the report you reference covers only TIDAL WAVE, the 1 Aug 43 low-level mission. The report I'm looking for was issued by the 15th AF itself in Italy in 1944 and covers the entire campaign, which ended only days before the Red Army entered Ploesti in August 1944. It was the principal reference used by Jay Stout in his Fortress Ploesti (Casemate, 2003). I haven't seen it elsewhere. I don't know if USAFHRA has it -- if they have an on-line holdings index like the PRO's I haven't found it -- but it isn't in the 8 reels of 15th AF microfilm I've bought over the years. However, if anyone can ferret it out, Frank can.

Don

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

NA has the document AIR 23/7776 under the same title.

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

NA lists the document AIR 23/7776 under the same title.

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Hello Schenck --

AIR 23/7776 has the right name, date, and (as near as I can tell) original source, and is probably the report I'm looking for. I've requested an estimate for digital images for online download from the Public Record Office (sorry, that's been its name since 1838, and will be its name forever.)

Many thanks.

Don

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Don,
If the PRO charges more than $7.50, including postage (which I think they will), you ought to look into the MilSpecManuals version. Their website is at http://www.milspecmanuals.com/ On that page put in Ploesti in the search box, tick the Title line, and search. It will come up with 5 items. One of which I think is your book. They will be quicker for you than for me, because they are just across the border in New Mexico.

Just as a note for anyone else, the site has prepared PDFs of many "manuals". The US Strategic Bombing Surveys are there. The three volumes of Red Baron 1 from Vietnam are there. Worth exploring, but it can take a while!

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Frank --

My MilSpecManual search turns up only AFHS 103, which covers only TIDAL WAVE, is available for free download on the USAFHRA site, and is the report mentioned by Alex. Strecko's may yet be the right one, but I haven't seen it yet. The PRO won't have an estimate for me for 10 days, but I've requested a quote for an on-line download, so postage shouldn't apply. I may yet have a need for your camera services, but keep in mind -- I have no evidence that Maxwell even has this report. I'll keep everyone posted.

Don

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Frank --

I replied too soon. You're right, MilSpecManual takes a lot of exploring. A deeper search found two reports that cover the entire Ploesti campaign. One has the wrong title but the right date (1944); the other has the right title but the wrong date (1949). I don't think either is the exact thing I'm looking for (the bibliograhic info in Stout's book looks pretty good), but at $5.00 each, they're worth the gamble.

Don

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Don,
Go for it!

Frank.

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Srecko --

Sorry I've been spelling your name wrong. Did you get my e-mail? Is your address the one you sign your posts with? Should I send you a PM? I'd really like to see the report you mentioned.

Best regards,

Don

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Email me again... maybe your email fall in spam (it happen sometimes when first time write to me) and I will reply to you. Sorry if you email me and I did not reply. Can you write again? Email in signature is right one :)

Cheers :)

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Hi Srecko --

In the past I've had trouble sending e-mails to certain European countries. My ISP has decided quite arbitrarily that the recipient is a potential threat, and no human can straighten things out. I've sent you a PM with my e-mail address. Please read it and e-mail me.

Don

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

PM replied and file send via email :)

Cheers :)

Re: 15th AF Ploesti report needed
 

Hi Srecko --

The report came through just fine. Thank you very much for your efforts. This one covers just the early TIDAL WAVE mission (1 Aug 43), so it is not exactly the one I'm looking for. I've got three reports on order from two sources, and Frank's offer to help at the USAFRHA if none of these three do the trick, so I'm confident I'll get what I need eventually.

Thanks again,

Don