Big Week: Six Days That Changed the Course of World War II (46 page)

Black Week, 111, 112, 113–114, 115–116, 121

collapse of Germany, 239, 244, 254, 255

crews, 76–77, 79, 133, 134, 135, 136, 150, 186, 196, 197–198

defining the mission, 73–74, 75, 76–77, 77–78, 79–80

Enemy Objectives Units (EOU), 39, 44, 45–46

fighter escorts (“little friends”), 77–78, 79, 90, 110, 117, 118, 124

Fourth of July bombing mission, 37–38, 51, 52

going deep at all costs, 95, 96, 97, 98, 102, 103, 104, 105, 107

going to war, 31, 32, 33, 34–35, 37–38

learning curve, 51–52, 53, 54–55, 56, 59–60, 61, 62–63

loss rate, 66, 91, 104, 113, 124, 126, 128, 184, 195, 214, 216, 225, 245, 256

maintenance problems, 59, 103, 130

Operation Argument, 136, 137, 138–139, 142

Operation Pointblank, 81, 83, 86–87, 87–88, 88–89, 90, 91

Operation Torch, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 66, 129

RAF vs., 32, 33, 54–55, 66–67, 77, 79, 102

substance vs. promise, 66–67, 68–69, 71

“targets of opportunity,” 104, 192

turning point, grasping for, 130, 132, 133, 134, 135

U-boat campaign, 58, 59, 64, 66, 73, 75–76, 78, 80, 84–85, 106, 112, 113

weather impact on, 59, 66, 73, 76, 99, 100, 101, 103, 104, 106, 118, 124, 126, 129, 141–142, 143–145, 231

Eisenhower, Dwight David

Anglo-American Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ), 62

collapse of Germany, 239

Crusade in Europe,
54, 62

Enemy Objectives Units (EOU), 46

European Theater of Operations, US Army (ETOUSA), 33

learning curve, 53–54, 56, 57, 58, 62, 63

Operation Overlord, 136–137, 233, 236, 237, 238, 268

Operation Torch, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, 63

Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), 136–137, 233, 272

VE-Day, 259

Eisenhower, Dwight David (President), 272

Enemy Objectives Units (EOU), 39–48, 259–260.
See also
Hughes, Richard D’Oyly “Dick”; Rostow, Walt Whitman

European Theater of Operations (ETO), 29, 32, 33, 63, 76, 77, 128, 132, 133, 138, 184, 250

Evans, Ira, 158, 211

Fagg, John, 230, 240, 242, 243–244, 254, 255, 258

Fayers-Hallin, Linda and Vic, 176

Ferber (Lieutenant), 201

Ferelli, Johnny, 2, 3–4

Ferguson, Arthur B.

Big Week, 176, 188, 215–216, 224, 225

Black Week, 113, 115, 118

collapse of Germany, 241, 242

defining the mission, 77, 79–80

going deep at all costs, 97, 100, 105, 107–108

learning curve, 52, 53, 54, 55–56

Operation Argument, 137, 139, 143, 145

Operation Overlord, 228–229, 230

Operation Pointblank, 83, 84, 87

substance vs. promise, 66, 70–71

turning point, grasping for, 127, 128

Festung Europa
(“Fortress Europe”), 27, 28, 35, 37, 45, 51, 63, 85, 99, 114, 136, 155, 173, 189, 198.
See also
Germany

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

Big Week, 183, 188, 193, 194, 196, 198–203, 205, 213–214, 219, 224, 225, 226, 229

casualties, 203

collapse of Germany, 239, 244, 254, 255

Enemy Objectives Units (EOU), 44

going deep at all costs, 109

going to war, 32

learning curve, 63

loss rate, 195

Operation Argument, 137, 138–139, 140, 145–146

turning point, grasping for, 129–130, 133

fighter escorts (“little friends”)

Big Week, 148, 155, 156, 182, 184, 189, 190, 192, 195, 203, 208, 209, 213, 217, 218–219, 229, 230–231

Eighth Air Force, 77–78, 79, 90, 110, 117, 118, 124

need for, 124, 225, 258

First 1,100 Bombers Dispatched, The
(Ferguson), 55

First American-British-Canadian (ABC-1) staff conferences, 26, 29

First and the Last, The
(Galland), 257

First Day of the Blitz, The
(Stansky), 206

First World War.
See
World War I

Fisher, James, 225

Flint, Harold, 169, 171

Flying Fortresses, xiii–xiv, xvi.
See also
Royal Air Force (RAF); US Army Air Forces (USAAF)

air war preparation, 21–22, 24

AN/APS-15 radar, 107, 159, 273

armament of, 34, 60, 61–62, 108–109

B-17Bs, 22

B-17Cs, 22

B-17Ds, 22

B-17Es, 34, 61

B-17Fs, 34, 61, 109

B-17Gs, 61, 108–109, 134, 149, 153, 206

defining the mission, 76

first mission, 51

going to war, 25, 29, 33–34, 34, 38

H2S radar, 106–107, 107–108, 111, 184

head-on attack weakness, 61, 62, 108

learning curve, 55

nose improvements, 34, 61–62, 108–109

Operation Pointblank, 94

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

turning point, grasping for, 132–133

Y1B-17, 22

Focke-Wulf factories, 78, 90, 93, 111, 113, 156, 185, 207, 213

Folck, Alfred (Lieutenant), 193

Ford, Bill, 183

Ford Motor Company, 34–35, 108

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

Fox, Frank, 193

France: The Dark Years
(Jackson), 91

France/French, 16, 17, 18, 27, 46, 53, 90–91, 264

Frankfurt
(light cruiser), 14

Frankland, Noble, 89

From Apes to Warlords
and
Monkeys, Men and Missiles
(Zuckerman), 267

Futrell, Robert, 24

Fw-190s, 74, 78, 87, 93, 112, 113, 114, 120, 150, 156, 157–158, 162, 167, 181, 182, 185, 194, 199, 209, 212, 213, 214, 219, 250, 252

Fw-200s, 23, 34, 102

Gaither, Horace Rowan, Jr., 273

Galbraith, John Kenneth, 69–70, 241, 270

Galland, Adolf, 92–93, 230, 253, 257

Gates, Byron, 81–82

Gavotti, Giulio, 9–10, 11

General Ike
(bomber), 220

George, Harold L. “Hal,” xviii, 23–24, 50

German
Anti-
Friction Bearings Industry, The,
121

Germany.
See also
Hitler, Adolf; Luftwaffe; Speer, Albert; World War II;
specific industry targets

air war, 16

anti-aircraft fire on bombers, 75, 78

Ardennes Offensive, 247, 248–251

blitzkrieg (lightning war), 18, 19, 27

collapse of, 239–260

expansion by, 16–19, 27–38, 30, 40

HALPRO mission by America, 30, 45

long-range aircraft ignored by, 23

morale (German) target, 36, 67, 130, 131

precision raids, ignoring, 55–56

propaganda, 232

slave labor used by, 268–269

Soviet Union vs., 27–28, 30, 105

Stalag Luft system, 224

surrender of, 264–265

Treaty of Versailles impact, 15–16, 178

Ultra decryptions of messages, 237

underground facilities, 243, 252, 255, 268

“V Weapons,” 105–106

war machine, 18, 28, 29, 41, 44–45, 48, 68, 69–70, 127, 203, 251–252, 253, 258

World War I, 10, 12, 15–16, 18, 130

Gillett, Harry, 200

Glove (Sergeant), 201

Glunz, Adolf “Addi,” 182, 190, 194

Gneisenau
(German battlecruiser), 7

Gobrecht, Harry, 179, 195

going deep at all costs, 95–109

going to war, 25–28

Goldstein, Richard, 173

Gone with the Wind
(film), 144

Good (Lieutenant), 209–210

Göring, Hermann, 19, 89, 90, 92–93, 120, 202, 252, 253, 257

Gothaer Waggonfabrik (GWF), 154, 188, 189, 207–212, 215–216

“Greatest Generation,” 1–2, 40, 273–274

Gresham, Walter, 62

Grice, Marvin, 199, 202

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

H2S radar, 106–107, 107–108, 111, 184

Hackl, Anton “Toni,” 212

Hagbo, Magnus “Mac,” 134, 152

Halifaxes, 22, 35, 177

Halverson, Harry “Hurry-Up,” 30–31

Hamburg, 89, 90, 102, 113, 131, 132, 178, 239

Hamilton, Fowler, 82

Hansell, Haywood S. “Possum,” xviii, 23–24, 40, 41, 42, 50, 99, 265–266

Hanson, Harry, 200

Harbour, Ken, 181

Harper, Kristine, 144

Harris, Arthur Travers “Bomber”

Battle of Berlin, 131–132

Big Week, 177–178

collapse of Germany, 244

going to war, 28, 36

morale (German) target, 36, 67, 130, 131

Operation Overlord, 235

Operation Pointblank, 89, 90

post-WWII, 267

substance vs. promise, 64

turning point, grasping for, 130

Harris, George, 119, 190

Harris, Peter, 181

Harry the Horse
(bomber), 199, 201, 202

Havelaar, Marion, 220

Hawkins, Ian, 207, 209–210

He-111 bombers, 179

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

Hearst, William Randolph, Jr., 249–250

Hendrix, Glynn, 200–201

Hendryx, Happy, 220

Hermichen, Rolf-Günther, 168

Hewlett, Bill, 273

Hitler, Adolf, xiv, xv.
See also
Germany

air war, 16–17, 18

“barbarians,” Americans, 254

Braun (Hitler’s wife), 257

collapse of Germany, 252

jet fighters sabotaged by, 252–253

Mein Kampf
(My Struggle),
16

Operation Pointblank, 89, 92–93

suicide of, 257

Wolfsschanze (“Wolf’s Lair”), 120

HMS
E11
and
Glorious,
7

Hodges, Courtney, 246, 247

Honerkamp, Rosaline, 47

Hoover, J. Edgar, 41

Hopkins, Harry, 49

Hughes, Guy D’Oyly (Dick’s brother), 7, 8

Hughes, Richard D’Oyly “Dick,” xviii

background of, 6–8, 7, 40, 41, 46, 48, 71

Battle of the Bulge, 247, 249–250, 251

Big Week, 174, 175, 176, 185, 193, 195, 196, 214, 218, 219–220, 226, 231

Black Week, 114, 116, 124

defining the mission, 73, 78, 80

Enemy Objectives Units (EOU), 40–48

going deep at all costs, 95, 96–97, 98, 99, 100, 102–103, 104

learning curve, 45–46, 49, 52, 58, 63

obsessed by “sending young men to their deaths,” 63, 97–98, 110, 124

Operation Argument, 138, 139–140, 140, 141, 142

Operation Overlord, 232–233, 234–235, 235–236, 237, 238, 239

Operation Pointblank, 85, 86, 94

post-WWII, 268–269, 270–271, 271

substance vs. promise, 67, 69, 70, 72, 78

target selection principles, 67–68

turning point, grasping for, 127

Huntzinger, Edward, 157

Huston, John, 37

Ideas, Concepts, Doctrine
(Futrell), 24

Incredible 305th, The
(Morrison), 164

Index Figures for German Armaments End Products,
69

Initial Point (IP) of bombing run, 115, 119, 191, 200, 206, 209

Iron Cross First Class, 78

Italy, 17, 63, 129–130, 146, 183, 236, 239, 257

Jackson, Julian, 91

Japan, 24, 27, 29, 30, 44–45, 62, 264–265, 265, 266

jet bombers, 265

jet fighters, 252–253, 256–257

Johnson, John, 157

Johnson, Lyndon (President), 40, 272

Ju-88s, 74, 115, 139, 150, 156, 185, 209

Junck, Werner, 238

Junkers factories, 139, 149–150, 185, 195

Justice, Jack, 115–116

Kaufman, Vernon, 181

Kaufmann, Gauleiter, 89

Keilman, Myron, 207, 209–210

Keitel, William, 259

Kennedy, John F. (President), 40, 272

Kennedy, Joseph P., 46

Kindleberger, Charles Poor “Charlie,” 47, 78, 83, 268–269, 271–272

King, Ernest, 49

Kinney, William, 180–181

Kirchmayr, Rüdiger von, 182, 212

Knights Cross, 78

Knoke, Heinz, 74

Knudsen, George, 223

Kogelman, Al, 181

KO Katy
(bomber), 192, 193

Konecny, John, 201

Konsynski, Ben, 199–200, 201

Kreigsmarine, 7, 57, 58, 75, 113

Krick, Irving P., 143–145, 177, 184, 185, 198, 204, 267–268

Kricke, Dan, 183

Kuter, Laurence Sherman, xviii

air war preparation, 23–24

D-Day, xiii–xvi, xix, 238, 266–267

going deep at all costs, 99

learning curve, 50

post-WWII, 266–267

Lamont, Thomas, 82

Lancasters, 35, 177

“Last Flight of a Flying Fortress, The” (Breitenbach), 195

Lawley, William Robert “Bill,” xviii, 163, 164, 165–166, 172–173, 186, 263–264

Leahy, William, 49–50

learning curve, 49–63

LeDoux, Elzia, 170, 171

Lee, Wright, 150, 208–209, 210, 211, 216–217

Leigh-Mallory, Sir Trafford

Big Week, 189

going deep at all costs, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103–104

learning curve, 52

Operation Argument, 137

Operation Overlord, 234, 235, 238

post-WWII, 265, 266, 267

Leipzig, 139, 148, 149, 150, 158, 159, 160, 163, 164, 169, 175–176, 274

LeMay, Curtis Emerson, xviii

Big Week, 189

going deep at all costs, 96–97, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103–104

post-WWII, 265, 266, 267

Lend-Lease Act, 26, 31, 38

LeStrange, Richard, 157–158, 223

Liberandos, The
(Walker), 193

Liberators.
See also
Royal Air Force (RAF); US Army Air Forces (USAAF)

air war preparation, 22, 24

armament of, 34, 108

B-24Ds, 22, 30, 34, 35, 61

B-24Es, 35

B-24Gs, 108

B-24Hs, 61, 108

B-24Js, 61, 108

Big Week, 179, 180, 182, 189, 199, 201, 202

defining the mission, 76

going deep at all costs, 108

going to war, 25, 29, 33–34, 35

head-on attack weakness, 61, 62, 108

learning curve, 55

nose turrets for, 61–62, 108

turning point, grasping for, 132, 133

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

Little Duchess
(bomber), 214

“local defenders,” 158, 160, 166

Lockhart, L. V., 202

Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, 117–118, 155, 184, 203, 213, 217, 218–219