A friend from MeWe.com sent some WWII
trivia that I found interesting enough to share. In 1944 the USAF (United States Army Air Corps was officially
part of the U.S. Army at the time) actually bombed near a U.S.
city. Below is the cross post of the trivia.
JRH 9/1/19
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When a U.S. city was bombed by the U.S. Air Force.
Posted July 17, 2019
During the dead of winter, March 21st 1944; Miles City,
Montana; local residents woke to their quaint little town being overrun and
submerged by the rising frozen waters of the Yellowstone river. Ice jams were
building quickly, raising the subzero river water levels over 16 feet. As the
blocks of ice, slush and freezing waters flooded into the city, residents were
forced to flee their homes for safer grounds.
Miles City Mayor L.S. Keye knew immediate action must be
taken, and brought in explosive experts from a nearby town. Two local pilots
took a small aircraft over the river and attempted to drop and detonate 50
pound homemade bombs on the Yellowstone ice jam , but unfortunately it had
little effect.
Mayor L.S. Keye then decided to do the unthinkable, and
placed an urgent request to the Governor's office. His request was short, and
to the point "Send in the Bombers!"
At a USAAF base in Rapid City S.D., the crew of an Army Air
Force B-17 were quick to accept the unusual mission, and preparations to bomb
an American city were fast underway. The crew hastily began fusing and loading
250-pound bombs into the bomb bay of their USAAF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
Shortly thereafter, the loaded bomber with her crew of eight, took to the skies
in a harsh blizzard and low ceilings.
The plan was to deliver the bombs to Miles City where the
load would be transferred to a waiting Dive-Bomber to execute the bomb
delivery. As the lone B-17 was nearing Miles City, low clouds forced the plans
to be changed. Under a blanket of 1000 foot overcast skies, the B-17 was then
ordered to handle the bombing run themselves.
Miles
City Daily Star. Flood
Waters Reach City 3/21/1944
Originally planned to release the load at 10,000 feet, the
low overcast forced the bomber crew to take their ship lower. At 1930 hours, in
heavy snow, winds and cold, the bomber appeared over the river and executed two
dummy bombing runs as crowds of locals watched in amazement. On the third pass,
the B-17 released a test bomb that exploded precisely on target. Unsure of the
effect, the crew brought their bomber around again.
Making a two more passes, releasing all six of the 250 lb.
bombs. Hundreds of residents watched motionless, and none speaking a word. The
entire town, their homes and their families future hung in the balance as they
watched the bombs fall. Seconds later a huge plume of ice, mud and water
exploded skyward from the frozen Yellowstone river.
The ice jam quickly broke apart, and the frozen waters
slowly receded, saving the small town. The next morning, local residents were
thrilled to watch as the water levels had dropped a full 10 feet from the day
before.
That night the crew of the B-17 were welcomed by the
thankful and relieved residents of Miles City Montana. The entire crew were put
up at the local hotel, and each received a well-deserved steak dinner.
The next morning, the crew departed, and the B-17 made a
final victory pass low over the town at 50 feet over the rooftops, rocking
their wings as they flew back home to Rapid City SD... and so the story goes of
the only time the continental United States was bombed.
"Of all national assets,
archives are the most precious; they are the gifts of one generation to
another. And the care of them, marks the extent of our
civilization." --Sir A. G. Doughty
_______________________
Northville VFW Post 4012 Homepage
438
South Main Street; Northville, Michigan
Miles City is a city in and the county seat of Custer
County, Montana, United States.[4] The population was 8,410 at the 2010
census. … MORE TO READ
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