Operation Frantic Joe 1944
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:52 pm
As some of you may know (from me posting his stuff on my Web sites) my father was a 50 mission B-17 pilot who served with the 15th Airforce, 97th Bomb Group (Heavy), in the 342 Bomb Squadron. He was based in Amendola 1 (Foggia) Italy from May of 1944 to September of 1944. Among his many accomplishments....He went to Ploesti 7 times and flew in the First Shuttle Raid to Russia called operation "Frantic" or "Frantic Joe".
My father was very proud of his service to his country and always was eager to share his thoughts with his kids. I can remember him telling me about the shuttle raid and that on the way to Russia he had an 11 man crew (1 more than usual). Number 11 was a videographer who kept shooting film all during the trip. It was a total effort by the 97th in operation Frantic. They had Gen Eaker on the trip and never had less than 100 fighters escorting them at all times.
2 years ago I was poking around on the net and found a Video web site selling a video called "Operation Titanic" about the shuttle raid to Russia. I purchased it not connecting what my father told me because of the difference in the name. (My mistake as this film was released during the war and apparently they did not want to use the mission's real name).
The video came and as I sat and watched it I notice that it was all war time footage, most of it not staged. As it wound it's way toward the end there was my Dad sitting in the front row of a Russian Army USO show with a little Russian Boy chewing Gum....A chill came over me and tears welled up in my eyes....My Dad had been right after all these years.
Unfortunately my Dad passed on from Cancer in 1993 and never got to see himself as a movie star but I am proud to say his legacy lives on.
Today, I again got out the video, this time to transfer it over to a DVD using my computer. I watched it again during the transfer and now that I am more HMV savy I was amazed to see all the excellent pictures of WW2 trucks in it.
Great picture of what looks like a Kenworth Tractor (m1 missing the wrecker stuff) hauling around a double axle fuel trailer. A CCKW with 500# bombs (actually) rolling around in the back, a WC-52 standing by with a Class 1010 fire trailer on the back of it. There are numerous other pictures of vehilcles in it that you don't really see anywhere else....and of course my Dad.
It is a great video and has now made me very happy on both the family front and the HMV front.
Just me rambling.....
Bill Wolf
I will try and post some pics if I can do a decent screen capture off the DVD.
Bill
My father was very proud of his service to his country and always was eager to share his thoughts with his kids. I can remember him telling me about the shuttle raid and that on the way to Russia he had an 11 man crew (1 more than usual). Number 11 was a videographer who kept shooting film all during the trip. It was a total effort by the 97th in operation Frantic. They had Gen Eaker on the trip and never had less than 100 fighters escorting them at all times.
2 years ago I was poking around on the net and found a Video web site selling a video called "Operation Titanic" about the shuttle raid to Russia. I purchased it not connecting what my father told me because of the difference in the name. (My mistake as this film was released during the war and apparently they did not want to use the mission's real name).
The video came and as I sat and watched it I notice that it was all war time footage, most of it not staged. As it wound it's way toward the end there was my Dad sitting in the front row of a Russian Army USO show with a little Russian Boy chewing Gum....A chill came over me and tears welled up in my eyes....My Dad had been right after all these years.
Unfortunately my Dad passed on from Cancer in 1993 and never got to see himself as a movie star but I am proud to say his legacy lives on.
Today, I again got out the video, this time to transfer it over to a DVD using my computer. I watched it again during the transfer and now that I am more HMV savy I was amazed to see all the excellent pictures of WW2 trucks in it.
Great picture of what looks like a Kenworth Tractor (m1 missing the wrecker stuff) hauling around a double axle fuel trailer. A CCKW with 500# bombs (actually) rolling around in the back, a WC-52 standing by with a Class 1010 fire trailer on the back of it. There are numerous other pictures of vehilcles in it that you don't really see anywhere else....and of course my Dad.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
It is a great video and has now made me very happy on both the family front and the HMV front.
Just me rambling.....
Bill Wolf
I will try and post some pics if I can do a decent screen capture off the DVD.
Bill