Early Life and Enlistment
Moses Frank Tate was born on May 22, 1920, in Seneca, Nemaha County, Kansas, the son of Charles and Marie (Halley) Tate. Raised in a patriotic household, Moses was inspired by a lineage of military service—his father served in World War I, and both of his great-grandfathers were Civil War veterans. Moses worked at the Koelzer Lumber Co. before enlisting in the U.S. Army on June 24, 1940, at Fort Leavenworth.
Initially assigned to the Second Cavalry, Tate trained at Fort Riley and Camp Funston. On July 20, 1941, he transferred to the Army Air Corps, where he underwent extensive aerial gunnery training at Jefferson Barracks, Miami Beach, and finally at Tyndall Field, Florida. In November 1942, he earned his silver wings and the rank of Staff Sergeant after successfully completing the Flexible Gunnery School.
World War II Service and Operation Tidal Wave
By mid-1943, S/Sgt. Tate had joined the 415th Bombardment Squadron, part of the 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), within the Ninth Air Force. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater, he served as the tail gunner aboard the B-24D Liberator, nicknamed “YEN TU”, with the aircraft serial number 42-40520, piloted by 1st Lt. Edward T. McGuire.
On August 1, 1943, Tate and his crew participated in the daring and dangerous Operation Tidal Wave, a low-altitude bombing raid against the heavily defended oil refineries of Ploiești, Romania, which provided critical fuel supplies to the Nazi war machine. Flying just above the treetops to avoid radar, the bombers encountered intense anti-aircraft fire and enemy resistance. Tate’s aircraft, flying in the fifth and final wave, was hit by flak near White IV, one of the major refinery targets.
Despite heavy damage, the crew completed their bombing run. As the pilot attempted to gain altitude to allow the surviving crew to bail out, three gunners, including those in the tail section, parachuted to safety and were taken prisoner of war. Tate, along with six other crew members, perished when YEN TU crashed in flames near Barcănești, Romania.
Missing in Action and Aftermath
Following the crash, Moses was declared Missing in Action (MIA). His family was informed by telegram from Adjutant General Ulio, and for months they held onto hope that he may have been taken prisoner. The Seneca Courier-Tribune and Sabetha Herald documented the family’s wait and the recognition Moses received posthumously.
In March 1944, after seven months of silence, the War Department issued a presumptive finding of death, dating his passing as of August 2, 1944. This ruling was later revised to reflect the true date of his death: August 1, 1943.
During this time, Moses’ family received letters of commendation from high-ranking officers, including Brigadier General Uzal G. Ent, who praised Tate as “one of the great heroes of this war.” He was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart for his valor and sacrifice.
Recognition and Commemoration
Staff Sergeant Tate’s name was originally inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Impruneta, Italy. For decades, his remains were buried as Unknown in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, in Ploiești, Romania. After the war, these remains were reinterred at the Ardennes and Henri-Chapelle American Cemeteries in Belgium.
In 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) began exhuming and analyzing unknown remains from Operation Tidal Wave. Using anthropological and dental analysis, the DPAA positively identified Tate’s remains on July 12, 2022, nearly 80 years after his death.
Final Burial and Lasting Legacy
On October 27, 2022, S/Sgt. Moses Frank Tate was laid to rest with full military honors at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, in Section M, Row 17, Site 709. A bronze rosette was placed beside his name at the Florence American Cemetery, signifying that he is no longer missing.
S/Sgt. Tate’s service embodies the heroism of the Greatest Generation. His participation in one of the most audacious air raids of World War II, and his ultimate sacrifice, are now permanently etched into both national memory and family history. He stands as a symbol of duty, courage, and enduring commitment to freedom.
Honors and Decorations
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Air Medal
- Purple Heart
- Campaign Participation:
- Operation Tidal Wave – August 1, 1943
- Operation Tidal Wave – August 1, 1943
Crew of B-24D “YEN TU” (42-40520)
- Pilot: 1st Lt. Edward T. McGuire – Accounted For
- Tail Gunner: S/Sgt. Moses F. Tate – Accounted For (2022)
- Others:
- 3 crew members – POW
- 6 others – MIA/KIA
- 3 crew members – POW
SOURCES
Find a Grave Memorial 179942848
Ssgt Moses Frank Tate
BIrht 22 May 1920 Seneca, Nemaha County, Kansas
Death 1 Aug 1943 Romania
Burial
Find a Grave Memorial 244713511
Ssgt Moses Frank Tate
BIrth 22 May 1920 Seneca, Nemaha COunty, Kansas
Death 1 Aug 1943 Romania
Burial MIssouri veterans Cemetery at Springfield, Green County, Missouri
Plot: Section M row 17 Site 709
Find a Grave Memorial 56366953
SSGT MOses Frank Tate
BIrth 22 May 1920 Seneca, Nemaha County Kansas
Death 1 Aug 1943 Romania
MOnument: Florence Ameircan Cemetery and Memorial, Florence, Citta Metropolitan di Firenze, Toscana, Itly
Plot: Tablets of the Missing (Remains Recovered)
Information below provided by
John Dowdy (#47791572) 4-10-2013
Gunner S/Sgt. Moses F. Tate DFC MIA/KIA
Hometown: Seneca, Kans
Squadron: 415 BS 98th Bomb Group
Service # 7060824
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart
Pilot 1st/Lt. Edward T. McGuire DFC MIA/KIA
Target: White IV Ploesti
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 42-40520
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:M
Aircraft Name: YEN TU
Location: Lost near the target, Barcanesti Romania
Cause: Crew of 10 7MIA/KIA 3POW
Sgt. Tate lost his life in the Ploesti raid “Operation Tidal Wave” August 1st 1943. One of the most daring raids of WW2. Coming in at tree top level the 98TH BG destroy Romanian oil refineries. Sgt. Tate was awarded the Distinguished flying cross for his valor on this mission.
Flown by Lt. Edward T. McGuire and crew. Briefed to fly in the 5th and last wave attacking White IV. YEN TU was hit by flack on approach to the target and some of the crew were killed, after the target the pilots climbed to allow the remaining crew safe egress. Three gunners in the tail section bailed out successfully.
YEN TU is reported to have crashed in flames at Barcanesti ironically just a few miles away from BREWERY WAGON of Lt. John Palm. The bodies of the other 7 crew members were never recovered.
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U.S. Army Service No. (ASN): #7060824
Entered the Service from: Kansas
415th Bomber Squadron, 98th Bomber Group, Heavy
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart
Moses M. Tate is listed under Finding Of Death in the 1946 Army and Army Air Forces Personnel Casualty List for Nemaha County, Kansas.
***I would like to thank MISTY Find A Grave ID 46634910 for adding her photo to this memorial***
***I would like to thank Al Skiff Find A Grave ID 49788721 for adding his photo to this memorial***
***I would like to thank Dayle DeBry Find A Grave ID 46583708 for adding their photo to this memorial***
***I would like to thank usafdo Find A Grave ID 48612389 for adding their photos and the bio note below to this memorial***
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant Moses F. Tate, 23, killed during World War II, was accounted for July 12, 2022.
In the summer of 1943, Tate was assigned to the 415th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Tate was serving as a gunner (tail #42-40520) was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
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Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (dpaa-mil.sites.crmforse.mil
S Sgt MOses F Tate
Conflict: WOrld War II
Service United States Army Air Forces
Date of Identification: Accounted for 07/12/2022
On July 12, 2022, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Staff Sergeant Moses Frank Tate, missing from World War II.
Staff Sergeant Tate entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from Kansas and served in the 415th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group. On August 1, 1943, Operation TIDAL WAVE, a bombing raid against the oil refineries around Ploiești, Romania, was launched. One hundred and seventy-seven B-24 Liberators took off from Benghazi, Libya, for the raid. SSG Tate was the tail gunner on one Liberator (serial number 42-40520) that was one of fifty-one planes that failed to return. His remains were not identified following the war. Operation TIDAL WAVE, while successfully damaging the Ploiești oil refineries, cost the lives of hundreds of USAAF airmen, many of whom were interred by Romanian citizens into the Bolovan Cemetery in Ploiești. During postwar operations there, the American Graves Registration Command exhumed unknown remains that were eventually reinterred at Ardennes American Cemetery and Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. In 2017, DPAA began exhuming those unknowns for comparison with the unaccounted-for airmen lost during Operation TIDAL WAVE. The laboratory analysis and the totality of the circumstantial evidence available established an association between one set of these unknown remains and SSG Tate.
Staff Sergeant Tate is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Impruneta, Italy.
Service Members Associated with S Sgt MOSES TATE’s Loss
GODDE; RUSSELL H
2d Lt
Unaccounted For
JOHNSTON; TURNER Y
T Sgt
Accounted For
KONECNY; HARRY G
T Sgt
Unaccounted For
MARRAH; JAMES H
2d Lt
Accounted For
MCGUIRE; EDWARD T
1st Lt
Accounted For
SCHIWETZ, MAX H
1st Lt
Unaccounted For
TATE; MOSES F
S Sgt
Accounted For
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 14 JUly 1940 page 5
Also Serve Their Country
Mentioned as serving Uncle Sam since the list was published in the last paper are Harlan Becker, son of the late Roy Becker, navy; Richard Heideman, son of Fred Heideman, navy; Moses Tate, son of Charles Tate, just joined the army. Paul Gerber, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Gerber, is in the navy at present on U.S.S. Enterprise, Airplane carrier stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He enlisted last October.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 2 Sep 1940, page 3
Moses Tate was home from Fort Riley to spend Sunday with his parents.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 26 Dec 1940
Private Moses Tate of Second Cavalry at Fort Riley, spent Christmas with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Tate.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas) 30 March 1942, page 1
Private Moses Tate, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate, Seneca, has been taking six months of training in the air corps at Jefferson Barracks, Mo. He writes that he expects to be transferred to a base in Florida.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, Kansas) 7 May 1942 page 3
Second Son to Service
Marvin Tate, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Tate, Seneca, left yesterday afternoon for the St. Joseph recruiting station to report for duty in the navy, is to be sent today from St. Joseph to Kansas City, form there probably to one of the training bases. Marvin is the second son to join U.S. service. Private Moses Tate is at 582 Tech. SS, Miami Beach, Fla.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 6 Aug 1942, page 4
Marvin Tate, younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate, in the U.S. Navy has written that he is off on a long cruise somewhere. Moses Tate, the older son is in the army at Miami, Florida.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 17 Dec 1942, page 2
Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Tate received a letter Monday from their son, Marvin, second class seaman. The letter was written November 24. Marvin did not state where he is but said the weather is warm and the sun shines brightly every day. Sgt Moses Tate, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Tate, a graduate of a gunner school at Panama City, Nov 17, is attending another school in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 16 Nov 1942, page 1
Sgt. Moses Tate Is Aerial Gunner
Panama City, Fla. – Moses F. Tate is a Sergeant in the Army Air Corps now. His promotion was announced today at the Flexible Gunnery School, Tyndall Field, where he has successfully completed five weeks intensive training to qualify as an expert aerial gunner. His father is Charles Tate of 412 Benedict St. He is a veteran of the First World War.
The gunnery course is a rigorous and concentrated schedule of instruction. Each volunteer is carefully picked for the training because of his skill, courage and physical qualifications.
Firing instruction on the ground ranges from skeet shooting with shotguns to rapid fire target practice. Use of heavy machine guns on both fixed and moving targets is the next step. During the final stage of instruction the student fires from a flying plane at towed aerial targets and “shoots” with camera guns at fighter-planes that dive and circle around him in realistic simulation of combat conditions. In bombing planes and in most large fighters it is the flexible gunner, firing from open, cockpit or turret who has the exciting and important job of blasting the enemy planes out of the sky. The importance of the aerial gunner has recently been emphasized in an Air Force regulation, which gives gunners the privilege of wearing the new Silver Wings.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca KS) 0 may 1943, page 1
S/Sgt. Moses Tate of the army air corps and Marvin Tate, S2/C, U. S. Navy, had two great-grandfathers who fought in the Civil war, the late Wm. Huff, Seneca and the late Sidney Hailey of Centralia. Their uncle, Ed. Palmer, of Seneca, fought in the Spanish American war, and their father, Charles A. Tate, in World War No. I. Moses Tate is now in a camp near El Paso, Texas. Members of his family do not know where Marvin is located although they have the address through which he receives mail. They had a letter from him two weeks ago stating he greatly enjoys sea life he gets though he is not able to answer each immediately.
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The Sabetha Herald
25 Aug 1943
Page 1
Seneca Boy Missing In Action.
Staff Sergeant Moses F. Tate, 23, an aerial gunner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Tate of Seneca, has been missing in action since August 1 in the “middle eastern area,” according to a telegram received by his parents.
The message was from Adjutant-General Ulio. It states that if further details or other information are received that notice will be sent promptly to the parents. They have the support of the whole community in their wishes that it can be learned Sgt. Tate is safe.
Moses’ father, Charles A. Tate, employed at the postoffice, is a veteran of the First World War.
There are two of the sons in service, Marvin is in the U.S. Navy, believed serving some place overseas, and it has been four months since his parents have heard from him.
Sgt. Moses Tate was born and reared here. He was working for the Koelzer Lumber Co. when he enlisted in the army, on June 24, 1940, at Fort Leavenworth. He was sent to Ft. Riley and Camp Funston. On July 20, 1941, he was transferred from the Second Cavalry to the Air Corps, and given training at Jefferson Barracks and other camps. His last training before he went across was at Topeka. He has been overseas since the second week of June this year.
The message received by the parents follows:
“I regret to inform you report received states your son, Staff Sgt. Moses F. Tate missing in action since August 1 in the middle eastern area. If further details or other information of his status are received you will be promptly notified. — Ulio, The Adjutant General.” — Seneca Courier Tribune
Mrs. Charles Tate, the former Marie Halley, lived in Sabetha before her marriage. She is a niece of Mrs. H. E. Cutler of Sabetha.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 2 Sep 1943, page 2
Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate received a V-Mail letter Wednesday from their son, Marvin, serving with the U. S. Navy. It was the first message they had received from their son in four months and was dated August 9. In Marvin’s letter he spoke of seeing quite a bit of action in the Mediterranean Sea area. He said his group took part in the Sicilian campaign. He spoke of being busy and not having time to write letters. Marvin did not know his brother, S/Sgt.
Moses Tate, has been reported missing in action. No further word has been received from the
government regarding Moses.
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The Sabetha Herald
8 Sep 1943
Page 8
Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate received a V-Mail letter Wednesday from their son, Marvin, serving with the U.S. Navy. It was the first message they had received from their son in four months and was dated August 9. In Marvin’s letter he spoke of seeing quite a bit of action in the Mediterranean Sea area. He said his group took part in the Sicilian campaign. He spoke of being busy and not having time to write letters. Marvin did not know his brother, S. Sgt. Moses Tate has been reported missing in action. No further word has been received from the government regarding Moses. — Seneca Courier-Tribune.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 27 Sep 1943, page 1
Praise for His Service
Relatives of Sgt. Tate Receive Letters
Staff Sgt. Moses Tate, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate, has been missing since August 1 when American planes raided the Roumanian oil refineries. Sgt. Tate was serving as a gunner on a bomber.
Brigadier-General V. H. Strahm sent the parents a letter of recognition of heroic action of their son and enclosed a statement by General H. H. Arnold, commanding general of the U.S. Army air forces. It reads:
“I have listened with the greatest interest to the stirring accounts brought back to me of the details of the attack on the Roumanian oil-fields by heavy bombers of the Eighth and Ninth U.S. air forces. The destruction of these oil wells will be far-reaching in its effect upon the German ability to carry on their operations. In fact, it might well be the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back,’ and cause dislocation of the German war effort. The dogged determination to reach and destroy each of those vital installations, and an utter disregard for personal safety, characterized the action of officers and men of our striking force and evokes my profound admiration.
“The heroic accomplishments of the combat crews, and the splendid efforts of the members of the ground echelons who made the mission possible, are all deserving of the highest praise.
“You were assigned the tremendous task of destroying in one day a target that could have been reached by surface forces only after many months of combat involving great losses of both men and material, and you carried your attack home in spite of the strongest kind of opposition built up by the Axis forces. Some of your comrades fell in the attack—others are held as prisoners of war. Those of you who return to fight again must realize, as I do, that those men who gave their lives did so that others might live. The officers and men of the U.S. Army air forces all over the world take pride in your achievement.”
Sgt. Tate is married. His wife is Mrs. Eunice Tate, who is in St. Louis. Moses’ sister, Helen Tate, is with her there and both are employed in defense work. Mrs. Eunice Tate had a letter from another high officer, Brigadier-General U. G. Ent, in which he states: “Staff Sergeant Tate is one of the great heroes of this war, his name has been indelibly written in our country’s history. I am the proudest commander in the world, no commander has ever had a braver, more efficient force than the one which bombed the Roumanian oil refineries on August 1, 1943.
“Any new information which may be received will be transmitted to you by the war department or directly from the group commander. I have made a recommendation for an award for Staff Sergeant Tate’s deeds, which has been approved by General Brereton. You will hear more of this at a future date.”
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 9 Dec 1943, page 3
Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate will go to Topeka today to receive the Distinguished Service medal for their son, Moses Tate, gunner, reported “missing” over Rumanian oil fields.
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The Sabetha Herald
8 Sep 1943
Page 8
Second Son A Casualty
(From Seneca Courier-Tribune)
War has struck twice in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate, Seneca. Their first blow came last fall when word was received that their elder son, Sgt. Moses Tate, tail gunner on a bomber, was missing in action following the raid on the Rumanian oil fields in July. No further word has been received of Moses’ whereabouts or safety, but his father believes he may be a German prisoner.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate received a letter Sunday from R. C. Jacobs, Commander, USNR, head of casualties, informing them that their second eldest son, Marvin Leroy, Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy, had been wounded in action.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate had previous word from their son assuring them he was recovering satisfactorily. Marvin sent his parents a cable.
)_Second Son A Casualty
(From Seneca Courier-Tribune)
War has struck twice in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate, Seneca. Their first blow came last fall when word was received that their elder son, Sgt. Moses Tate, tail gunner on a bomber, was missing in action following the raid on the Rumanian oil fields in July. No further word has been received of Moses’ whereabouts or safety, but his father believes he may be a German prisoner.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate received a letter Sunday from R. C. Jacobs, Commander, USNR, head of casualties, informing them that their second eldest son, Marvin Leroy, Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy, had been wounded in action.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate had previous word from their son assuring them he was recovering satisfactorily. Marvin sent his parents a cable.
Second Son A Casualty
(From Seneca Courier-Tribune)
War has struck twice in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate, Seneca. Their first blow came last fall when word was received that their elder son, Sgt. Moses Tate, tail gunner on a bomber, was missing in action following the raid on the Rumanian oil fields in July. No further word has been received of Moses’ whereabouts or safety, but his father believes he may be a German prisoner.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate received a letter Sunday from R. C. Jacobs, Commander, USNR, head of casualties, informing them that their second eldest son, Marvin Leroy, Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy, had been wounded in action.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate had previous word from their son assuring them he was recovering satisfactorily. Marvin sent his parents a cable.
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The Sabetha Herald
8 Mar 1944
Page 1
Hope Fades for S/Sgt. Moses Tate
Hope has faded for the safety of Staff Sergeant Moses Tate, missing in action since the raid on Ploesti, Rumania, August 1, 1943.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate of Seneca, have received from the War Department a letter that carries little hope that their son is still living.
The letter said in part:
“Since your son, Staff Sergeant Moses F. Tate, has now been missing for seven months and in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, the War Department must now terminate your son’s absence by presumptive finding of death. The date of death has been set by the War Department as August 2, 1944.”
The letter was signed by Adjutant General J. A. Ulio.
S/Sgt. Tate was 23 years old, and a tail gunner on a Flying Fortress. He had been overseas less than two months before the Ploesti raid, one of the most dangerous air missions of the war.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 9 NOv 1944, page 1
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Tate Receive Son’s Medal
Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Tate, Seneca, have received the Purple Heart for their son, S/Sgt. Moses Tate, missing more than a year after action over the Ploesti Oil Fields in Germany. The medal was the second received by Mr. and Mrs. Tate for their son. In December 1943 they went to Topeka where they received the Distinguished Flying Cross for their son’s participation in the first bombing of Rome. There has been no further word about S/Sgt. Tate, with the exception of the fact that the government declared him legally dead after a year’s absence. His parents feel he may be alive but unable to let them know.
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Courier Tribune (Seneca, KS) 18 Jun 1945, page 1
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Tate, last week, received pictures of a raid over the Ploesti Oil Fields in Rumania, in which their son, S-Sgt. Moses Tate took part in August 1943. After the raid, Moses was reported missing and has not been heard from since. The pictures showed the oil fields aflame after a raid of U.S. Liberators and a statement that 50 percent of the Ploesti facilities were destroyed for one year was made following this particular attack by American planes. Fifty-three bombers were lost on the date. Moses was declared legally dead about a year ago.
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Perplexity – What can you tell me about the air raid on the Ploesti Oil Fields during world war II?
The air raid on the Ploesti oil fields, known as Operation Tidal Wave, was a daring and costly Allied bombing mission conducted on August 1, 1943, during World War II[1]. Here are the key points about this operation:
1. Target and Importance: The raid targeted nine major oil refineries near Ploesti, Romania, which produced about 30% of all Axis oil production[2]. These refineries were crucial to the German war effort.
2. Mission Details:
– 178 B-24 Liberator bombers took off from Benghazi, Libya, flying a 2,400-mile round trip[3].
– The mission involved five bomb groups from the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces[3].
– It was a low-altitude raid, with bombers flying at 200-800 feet, breaking from the traditional high-altitude bombing doctrine[3].
3. Axis Defenses: The Germans had heavily fortified Ploesti, making it one of the most defended targets outside Germany[2]. Defenses included:
– Hundreds of anti-aircraft guns, including 88mm flak guns
– Smoke generators and barrage balloons
– 57 fighter aircraft within range
4. Outcome and Losses:
– 52 B-24s were shot down, with only 88 returning to Libya[2].
– 310 American airmen were killed, 108 captured, and 78 interned in Turkey[2].
– The raid temporarily reduced oil production by about 46%, but most refineries were quickly repaired[1].
5. Notable Aspects:
– Five Medals of Honor were awarded for this single action, three posthumously[2].
– It was one of the few air strikes where more airmen were killed than civilians (310 airmen vs. 116 Romanian civilians and military personnel)[3].
6. Long-term Impact: Despite the heroism displayed, the raid’s results were less than expected. The Germans quickly repaired the damage, and some refineries were back to full production within months[1].
Operation Tidal Wave is remembered as a costly mission that demonstrated both the bravery of the airmen involved and the challenges of strategic bombing during World War II.
Citations:
[1] https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/459003/1943-operation-tidalwave-the-low-level-bombing-of-the-ploesti-oil-refineries-1/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Tidal_Wave
[3] https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/over-cauldron-ploesti-american-air-war-romania
[4] https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/ploesti-raid-a-tragic-tidal-wave/
[5] https://mohmuseum.org/ploesti/
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Perplexity
Is there a list of crew members killed during the Ploesti oil field raid?
There is no comprehensive list of all the crew members killed during the Ploesti oil field raid readily available in the search results. However, some individual names and efforts to identify the fallen airmen are mentioned:
1. **Medal of Honor Recipients**: Five airmen received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the raid, including Lieutenant Lloyd “Pete” Hughes and Lt. Col. Addison Baker, who were both killed during the mission[1][3].
2. **Identification Efforts**: The US Department of Defense’s POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has been working to identify the remains of airmen killed in the raid. As of 2022, 19 airmen have been identified, including Sgt. Elvin L. Phillips, 1st Lt. Louis V. Girard, Lt. Col. Addison E. Baker, 2nd Lt. David M. Lewis, and Staff Sgt. William O. Wood[2].
3. **Casualty Figures**: Approximately 225 airmen were killed during the raid, and many of their bodies were not immediately recovered or identified. The remains of some airmen were buried in various cemeteries in and around Ploesti by Romanian civilians[2].
For a detailed list, further archival research or contacting military historical organizations might be necessary.
Citations:
[1] https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/ploesti-raid-a-tragic-tidal-wave/
[2] https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-trying-to-identify-airmen-killed-in-ploesti-raid-2022-6
[3] https://mohmuseum.org/ploesti/
[4] https://media.defense.gov/2016/May/18/2001540805/-1/-1/0/AFD-160518-001-011.PDF
[5] https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Portals/10/AFEHRI/documents/WarsConflicts/fodor.pdf
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Perplexity
What can you tell me about the recovery and subsequent burial of the remains of S/Sgt Moses Tate who was killed during the Ploesti oil field raid?
Based on the search results, I can provide the following information about the recovery and burial of S/Sgt Moses F. Tate, who was killed during the Ploesti oil field raid:
1. S/Sgt Moses Frank Tate was a 23-year-old U.S. Army Air Forces serviceman who lost his life during Operation Tidal Wave on August 1, 1943[1][2][3].
2. Initially, Tate’s remains were not identified following the crash. They were buried along with other unidentified service members in a Romanian cemetery[4].
3. After World War II, all American remains from the Romanian cemetery were disinterred and transferred to two American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) cemeteries in Belgium: the Ardennes American Cemetery and the Henri-Chappelle American Cemetery[4].
4. In 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) began exhuming unknown remains believed to be associated with those unaccounted for from Operation Tidal Wave[4].
5. Through anthropological and dental analysis, along with other evidence, the DPAA officially identified Tate’s remains on July 12, 2022, nearly 80 years after his death[4].
6. Following the identification, Tate’s remains were disinterred from the ABMC cemetery and returned to his home state of Missouri[4].
7. On October 27, 2022, S/Sgt Moses F. Tate was laid to rest in Springfield, Missouri[4].
8. Prior to his identification, Tate’s name was inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at Florence American Cemetery in Italy. A bronze rosette has since been placed beside his name to indicate that he has been accounted for[4].
This case demonstrates the ongoing efforts to identify and repatriate the remains of service members killed during World War II, even decades after the conflict ended.
Citations:
[1] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56366953/moses-f-tate
[2] https://omaha.com/news/military/the-80-u-s-airmen-missing-from-the-black-sunday-raid-on-ploesti/article_7542dbd4-a462-5818-813a-f876abe73625.html
[3] https://greenlawnfuneralhome.com/obituary/moses-f-tate/
[4] https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/us-army-air-forces-staff-sgt-moses-f-tate-killed-wwii-disinterred-abmc-cemetery
[5] https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/ploesti-raid-a-tragic-tidal-wave/
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Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, NE) 4 Jan 1945, page 8
2,200 missing in Ploesti oil raids
WASHINGTON. (AP) More than 2,200 of the airmen who participated in raids by Italian based bombers on the Ploesti oil fields in Rumania are missing, Lt. Gen. Ira C. Eaker reported Wednesday.
Eaker, commanding general of the Mediterranean allied air forces, also disclosed that 270 planes of the 15th air force were lost in the attacks on Ploesti which began last April and ended in August after capture of the oil center by Russian forces.
Eaker estimated that the raids had cut the production of the Ploesti refineries from a monthly average of 366,000 tons to 140,000 tons.
The 15th air force, he reported, dropped 213,185 tons of bombs on targets in Germany and German-controlled countries during the past year. In addition, he said, the 12th tactical air force had smashed at enemy supply lines, gun positions, and troop concentrations in support of the allied ground campaign.
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US, WWII Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
Full Name
Moses F Tate
Army Serial Number
07060824
Enlistment Date
24 Jun 1940
Army Branch
None
Branch
Army
Residence
Nemaha County, Kansas
Army Component
Regular Army (including Officers, Nurses, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men)
Level Of Education
Post-graduate
Occupation
Ship captains, mates, pilots, and engineers
Birth Date
1900
*22 May 1920
Birth Place
Kansas
Source Box Number
0051
Source Film Reel Number
1.44
Conflict
World War II
Served For
United States of America