Air Force the Official Service Journal - Air Force Historical Studies ...

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Lt. Col. Jomes A. Gunn, III., who arrallf;ed the big rescue,
drinks a toast with Captain Cantacuzino who did him a big favor.
tor of operations, and they quickly worked out a plan to
rescue the men from Romania.
The first phase of their plan was to insure that the airdrome
outside Bucharest was still safe for cvacu.rtion and to
start the prisoners toward their rendezvous point. If this
went off successfully it was to mesh with the major field
order. The first phase of this operation began when some
p-, I s took off to make sure things were still safe. Captain
Cant.rcuziuo flew one of these figh ters-and flew it perfectly.
They found the Bucharest airdrome safe and the signal
was sent for the second phase of the operation to begin.
Inuncd ia tell' several 13-1-:-s, hcavilv escorted bv P-, I s. flew
a rescue party into Bucharest. This' party consisted of high
officials who knew the Romanian political and rnilitarv background,
headed by Co!. George Kraigher, of headquarters,
l\IAAF. The Americans met with the necessary Romanian
officials, and then the main operation began. '
Back in Italy ground crews had worked duv and night outfitting
For tresses with special racks for carrying passengers in
the hom b bays. Scvcrul pla nes were equipped for Ii ttcr cases
since it wns known that some of the prisoners of war were
in hospitals around Bucharest.
13\, the time thcse planes were ready to IC1\T Italy. the
rescue partv had rounded up hundreds of American airmen
in Bucharest. They were tr.mvportcd to the airdrome and
lined up around the perimeter of the field in groups of 20 at
intervals of 1,0 feet. There thev waited for the B-I-:-s.
In general appearance the nu-n ran the scale from ragamuffin
to buffoou. Some wore German helmets and others
wore Russian hats, Tlicv were bedecked with J'\'azi Iron
Crosses and fullv half or the men had Romanian air force
insignia. Othcrs had acquired the extra fancy Romanian
paLl trooper \yings. They carried wine, swords and walking
sticks, and .ilthouah they had been out of prison but a few
duvs, some had the photographs and addresses of Romanian
girls.
Yet. with all this. there was a genuine American flavor.
One prison barracks h,1(1 received a shipment of GI trousers,
but they were all size -to. This amused the men, since they
had been Ii\'ing on prison fare. The oversize trousers especiallv
pleased certain of the 1'0\V s. who folded the waist
band into deep pleats which ran almost to the knees. Then
they disconnected their dog tags and draped the chain in a
long loop like the trappings of a zoot suit.
That was the wav they awaited their liberation.
The first sight of Arncricnn planes was a flight of P-51s
which swept in and gave them a royal buzz. Then the
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A wounded American airman is loaded aboard an ambulance following
his arrival in Italy. Sick and wounded were rescued first.
fighters climbed up over the field and began circling for the
Fortresses to come in.
The bom bcrs arrived and taxied to the first group, Twenty
Americans sprinted out and tumbled into the B-li. Another
For tress followed and picked up the next group. They c.unc
in three waves, at one-hour intervals, cutting their engines
but ten minutcs between landing .rud take-off.
In the first wave were two planes which carried medical
supplies, and Lt. Col. William R. ] .ovclacc and "-!