Big Week: Six Days That Changed the Course of World War II (47 page)

Lockheed-Vega, 34, 77, 109

London Blitz, 19, 36, 89–90, 132, 179, 196, 206

long-range aircraft, 23

long-range strategic missions, 12, 21

Loose Goose
(bomber), 225

Lovett, Robert A., 114, 254

lowering wheels (surrender), 211

Luftwaffe, xiv, xv.
See also
specific Operations

ace point system, 78–79

airbase targets, 178, 179, 180, 181–182, 184, 188, 224

air superiority, xiv, 14, 18, 23, 28, 74, 83, 86, 87, 90, 109, 125, 126–127, 214, 228, 230, 232

air war preparation, 18, 19, 23

casualties, 19, 74, 112, 113, 115, 120, 176, 184, 195, 203, 208, 229–230, 230, 231, 251, 256

collapse of, 125–126, 239–247, 253, 254–255, 256–257, 258

flak batteries, 111–112, 254, 255

formation disruption by, 74, 78, 79, 86–87, 115

going to war, 28, 34, 36

head-on attacks by, 61, 62, 74, 75, 87, 108, 164

London Blitz by, 19, 36, 89–90, 132, 179, 196, 206

Operation Bodenplatte, 250–251

pilot shortage, 230, 244, 257

radar technology, 109

rocket launchers, 74, 100

tactics, 19, 22–23, 60, 61, 66, 74, 78, 79, 86–87, 100, 109, 115, 118, 164, 189–190

Magruder (Sergeant), 221

Manias, Panics, and Crashes
(Kindleberger), 272

Markussen, Orlin “Mark,” 157–158

Marshall, George, 23, 44, 46, 49, 51, 65, 98

Marshall Plan, 271, 272

Martin, Joseph, 134, 149, 152, 161

Martin-Vegue, James, 215

Masefield, Peter, 56

Masiewics, John A., 192–193

Mason, Edward, 82

Mason, Henry, 164, 166

Mathies, Archie, xviii

Archibald Mathies NCO Academy, 263, 273, 274

background of, 2, 3–6, 133, 135

Big Week, 152, 161, 162, 163, 169–170, 171, 173, 186, 223

coal train incident, 3–4

death of, 171, 175, 262, 263

Mary (Archie’s mother), 4, 5, 6, 263

Medal of Honor, 262, 263

predestiny, 261–262

William (Archie’s father), 4, 5, 6

Mathies, David (Archie’s brother), 4, 5–6, 133, 261–263, 273–274

“maximum effort,” 95, 99, 104, 111, 112, 114, 116, 117, 131, 139, 141, 147, 155, 189, 197, 204, 219, 228, 254

Mayer, Egon, 61, 62, 68–69, 74, 164

McClain, Stewart, 222

McClanahan, James, 119

McGregor, Jim, 207, 209, 210

Me 210s, 114–115

Me 262s, 252, 256–257

Means, Bob, 183

Medals of Honor, 42, 98, 173, 182, 262, 263

Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF), 138, 145, 266

Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), 32, 53, 62, 63, 65, 68, 84, 97, 109, 129, 137, 138, 145–146, 201, 233, 234, 236

Mein Kampf
(My Struggle)
(Hitler), 16

Memphis Belle, The: A Story of a Flying Fortress
(documentary), 80

Messerschmitt factories, 219–220, 225–226

Mietusch, Klaus, 221

Might in Flight
(Gobrecht), 179, 195

Milch, Erhard, 227, 228

Miller, James, 176

Millson, Ed, 217

Ministry of Economic Warfare (British), 45, 46, 82, 84

Mismalovin
(bomber), 222, 223

Mitchell, William Lendrum “Billy,” xix, xvii–xviii, 13–14, 15, 20, 21, 28, 259, 260

Mizpah
(bomber), 134–135, 149

Monahan, Bernie, 183

Moore, Carl, 134, 161, 162

Moore, John, 2

Morales, Frank, 183

Morgan, Robert, 80

Morrison, Wilbur, 164, 165

Morse, Chandler, 47, 49

Mosier, Curt, 223

Moss, Malcolm, 23–24, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 50, 82

Mr. Five by Five
(bomber), 176

Mrs. Geezil
(bomber), 159

Mrs. Miniver
(film), 80

“multi-engine” warplanes, 21–23

Munitions Requirements of the Army Air Forces to Defeat Our Potential Enemies
(AWPD-1), 23–24, 26, 49, 50, 83

Murphy, Charles J. V., 71–72

Murphy, Paul, 163, 164, 165, 166, 173

Mussolini, Benito “Duce,” 17

Mustangs (P-51s), 91–92, 93, 109, 124, 133, 141, 155, 182, 184, 190, 192, 195, 217, 218–219, 230, 252

My Princess
(bomber), 171

Nazis, 16.
See also
Germany

Nelson, Clarence Richard, Jr. “Dick”

Big Week, 149, 150, 152–153, 154, 160–162, 163, 164, 170, 171–172

Florence (Dick’s mother), 135

turning point, grasping for, 133–134, 135

Netherlands, 18, 19, 37–38, 51, 52, 89, 116, 132, 183, 189, 194, 206, 246

night missions, 35, 36, 50, 51, 54, 64, 66, 67, 70, 89, 127, 140

Ninth Air Force.
See also
US Army Air Forces (USAAF)

air war preparation, 23

Big Week, 155, 183

collapse of Germany, 245, 246

going deep at all costs, 95, 97, 98, 99

going to war, 32, 33

Operation Argument, 138, 140, 145

Operation Overlord, 231, 236

Nitze, Paul, 270

Norden bombsights, 37, 66, 119, 164, 209

Normandy invasion (D-Day), xiii–xvi, xix, 110, 141, 235, 236, 237–238, 239, 240, 259

North Africa, 10, 32, 46, 53, 54, 55, 56–57, 58, 62, 63, 65, 66, 71, 97, 129, 134, 234

North American Aviation, 108

North American P-51 Mustangs, 91–92, 93, 109, 124, 133, 141, 155, 182, 184, 190, 192, 195, 217, 218–219, 230, 252

Nürnberg Trials, 270

Office of Strategic Services (OSS), 42, 47, 82, 85–86, 232, 237

oil industry targets, 30, 45, 68, 83, 84, 95, 96, 97, 98–99, 101, 127, 232–233, 233–236, 237, 239–240, 243, 244, 253, 255, 260

100th Bombardment Group (“Bloody Hundredth,” “Century Bombers”), 100, 115, 116, 117, 156–157, 222

O’Neil, John, 151–152

Operation Argument, 139–146, 149, 178, 183, 185, 188, 214, 228

Operation Avalanche, 129

Operation Bodenplatte, 250–251

Operation Bolero, 28

Operation Crossbow, 105–106

Operation Husky, 129

Operation Overlord, xix, 227–238

Combined Bomber Offensive and, 128–129, 145

D-Day (“Longest Day”), xiii–xvi, xix, 110, 141, 235, 236, 237–238, 239, 240, 259

Eisenhower and, 136–137, 233, 236, 237, 238, 268

Hughes and, 232–233, 234–235, 235–236, 237, 238, 239

importance of, 86, 110, 236, 237

Operation Argument and, 141, 143

Operation Pointblank and, 127–128

planning for, 232–238, 239, 240

rehearsals for, 105

Trident Conference and, 85

weather impact, 267–268

Operation Pointblank, 81–94

Big Week and, 86, 87, 88, 90, 93

Black Sunday, 98, 110

Black Thursday, 117–122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 148, 204, 205, 256–257

Black Week, 110–124, 127, 129, 140, 274

Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) and, 86, 87, 88, 90, 93, 110, 125, 128

going deep at all costs, 95, 96–97, 98, 100, 103

Hughes and, 85, 86, 94

objectives of, 125

Operation Overlord and, 127–128

Operation Roundup, 28

Operation Shingle, 146

Operation Starkey, 105

Operation Tidal Wave, 98–99, 182, 192, 259, 266

Operation Torch, 46, 53, 54, 55, 56–57, 58, 63, 65, 66, 129

Operation Watch on the Rhine, 247, 248–251

“Origins of the Combined Bomber Offensive” (Ferguson), 52

Osborne, David, 159

Ostfriesland
(battleship), 14

P-38s (Lightnings), 117–118, 155, 184, 203, 213, 217, 218–219

P-47s (Thunderbolts), 62, 77–78, 79, 86, 92, 117, 118, 124, 133, 141, 155, 182, 184, 189, 190, 195, 217, 218–219, 230–231, 261

P-51s (Mustangs), 91–92, 93, 109, 124, 133, 141, 155, 182, 184, 190, 192, 195, 217, 218–219, 230, 252

Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), 27, 29, 34, 129, 228, 264, 265, 268

Packard, Dave, 273

Park House, London, 174, 175, 176, 177, 196, 232, 233

Parrish, George, 220

Pasadena Nena
(bomber), 115, 116

Pathfinders, 106, 107–108, 157, 159, 184, 273

Patton, George, 240

“peace for our time,” 17, 18

Peaslee, Budd, 119, 148

Penny Ante
“lucky ship” (bomber), 186, 187, 190–191, 206–207, 264

Penry, Jerry, 151

Perera, Guido, 82

Pershing, John J. “Blackjack,” 13

Peters, Harold, 149

Peterson, Stan, 223–224

petrochemical industry targets, 30, 45, 68, 83, 84, 95, 96, 97, 98–99, 101, 127, 232–233, 233–236, 237, 239–240, 243, 244, 253, 255, 260

Piffer, Anton-Rudolf “Toni,” 212

Pistol Packin’ Mama
(bomber), 181

Pitts, Jesse Richard, 186–187, 190–192, 196, 206, 264

Pittsburgh Coal, 3, 4, 5, 6, 263

Pizzello, John, 201–202

Plan for the Combined Bomber Offensive from the United Kingdom,
85

Ploesti, 30, 84, 95, 98–99, 182, 192, 239–240, 259, 266

Poland, 16–17, 17, 18, 155, 156–157, 158, 213

Polebrook, 51, 149, 153, 163, 170, 171, 172, 174, 261, 262

Policy for Disposition of US and British Air Forces
(CCS memorandum), 31

Portal, Sir Charles “Peter”

Big Week, 233

defining the mission, 70, 77

going to war, 28, 31, 36

Operation Argument, 139, 146

post-WWII, 128, 130, 139, 146, 267

substance vs. promise, 64

turning point, grasping for, 128, 130

Potenza, Lawrence, 215

POWs, USAAF, 116, 123, 157, 183, 193, 196, 223, 224, 258

Preston, Maurice “Mo,” 187, 196

Quadrant Conference, 125, 137

Quesada, Pete, 246, 249

Quinn, Horace “Hort,” 193

radar, ground-scanning, 106–107, 107–108, 111, 159, 273

Radener, Waldemar “Waldi,” 212, 221

Ragged Irregulars, The
(Havelaar), 220

rail network targets, 76, 114, 180–181, 224, 233–237, 240, 245, 253–254

Rasmussen, Max, 199, 202

Regensburg, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 112, 116, 117, 139, 140, 149, 156, 178, 182, 185, 188, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 213, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 224, 225–226, 227, 229, 231

Reich Armaments Ministry, 82, 101, 123, 227, 240, 270

Reichelderfer, Francis, 144

Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, 62, 77–78, 79, 86, 92, 117, 118, 124, 133, 141, 155, 182, 184, 189, 190, 195, 217, 218–219, 230–231, 261

Return to Rise
(Pitts), 186–187

Rex, Joe, 134, 153, 162, 170, 264

Ribbentrop, Joachim von, 17

Robb, Derwyn, 147, 148, 173–174, 197–198, 217

Robins, Tex, 191

Robinson, Russell, 134, 150–151, 162

Rohr, Louis, 186–187

Rollwage, Herbert, 193, 194

Romig, Eugene A., 170, 171, 262

Rommel, Erwin, 53, 57, 65

Roosevelt, Franklin (President)

AWPD42, 49–51, 81

Board of Economic Warfare, 45

Casablanca Conference, 65

Churchill and, 65, 85

collapse of Germany, 241

Enemy Objectives Units (EOU), 42

going to war, 24, 25–26

Quadrant Conference, 125

Trident Conference, 85

turning point, grasping for, 128

Roosevelt, Theodore, 82

Root, Elihu, Jr., 82, 199, 202

Rosenthal, Robert “Rosie,” 116

Rostow, Walt Whitman

Big Week, 155, 169, 175, 213, 226

Black Week, 123–124

Enemy Objectives Units (EOU), 40, 42, 47–48, 274

learning curve, 49

Operation Overlord, 232, 234, 235, 236–237, 239

Operation Pointblank, 83, 85–86

post-WWII, 272

substance vs. promise, 67–68

turning point, grasping for, 131

Rotherhithe’s Revenge
(bomber), 206, 214

Royal Air Force (RAF), xiv.
See also
Harris, Arthur Travers “Bomber”; Leigh-Mallory, Sir Trafford; Portal, Sir Charles “Peter”;
specific Operations

air power, history of, 12

air war, 19

air war preparation, 22

area (“carpet”) bombing, 35–36, 67

Big Week, 148, 149, 155, 177–178, 188, 198, 217, 226, 229

Black Week, 111

casualties, 19, 128, 229

civilians killed by, 89, 102

collapse of Germany, 239

defining the mission, 74, 77, 79

Eighth Air Force vs., 32, 33, 54–55, 66–67, 77, 79, 102

Enemy Objectives Units (EOU), 42, 43

going to war, 28, 32, 35, 36

H2S radar, 106, 111

large scale bombing stopped by, 258

learning curve, 50, 54–55, 56

night missions, 35, 36, 50, 51, 54, 64, 66, 67, 70, 89, 127, 140

substance vs. promise, 64–65, 66–67

Royal Flush,
116

rubber industry targets, 84, 85, 87–88

Runyan, Timothy, 57

Russia.
See
Soviet Union

Ryan, Cornelius, 237–238

Saint, The
(bomber), 223

Sandman, George, 206

Sans, Charlie, 174

Savage Sky
(Webster), 205

Scharnhorst
(German battlecruiser), 7

Schroer, Werner, 104–105, 224–225

Schweinfurt, 94, 95, 96, 97, 101–102, 116–122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 132, 140, 148, 149, 178, 185, 188, 189, 193, 199, 204–207, 208, 212, 213, 214–216, 216–217, 218, 219, 227, 229, 231

Screaming Eagle
(Smith), 158

Second World War.
See
World War II

Sellers, Thomas, 214

Selznick, David O., 144

Sextant Conference, 128

Shackley, George, 205–206, 214–215

Shades of Kimbolton
(Robb), 147

Shattuck, Jack, 190, 192

Shayler, Walter, 179

Shenandoah
(Navy dirigible), 14

Sherman, William Tecumseh, xv

Shields, Doyle, 221

Shields, John, 116

shipyard targets, 73–74, 75, 85, 86–87, 90, 111, 113

Sicily, 63, 65, 129

Sikorsky, Igor, 11, 12

Silver Star, 224

Simpson, Max, 202

Simpson, William Hood, 246

Sinclair, Archibald, 64

single-engine aircraft, 21

Sky Wolfe
(bomber), 167