Formations of B-24 Liberator bombers are seen in flight, headed for Ploesti, Romania, on August 1, 1943, during World War 2. Next, vertical columns of bombs are seen falling from the planes. Animated map of Europe shows Romania and Ploesti. It show paths of oil from the Ploesti oil fields to Germany. (Narrator states Ploesti provides 30% of Axis oil.) Map show path of 9th Air Force bombers from Libya to the Ploesti oil fields. Scenes shift to captured German films from 1944, showing the fires and destruction resulting from the constant B-24 raids. Huge black clouds rise from the area. Firefighters rush to combat flames. They direct streams of water on the conflagrations. (Commenter states: "Delayed action bombs prevented firefighters from rushing in, until too late.") Nighttime views of large fires and heavy smoke from 6 of Ploesti's 7 refineries ripped wide open. Film advances to August, 1944, showing Ploesti with the fires out, following Rumania's capitulation. Next, with some fires still burning, King Michael I of Romania, tours the site with military officers. They walk amidst the debris. Smoke rising near a rail marshaling yard. Against a background of dense smoke rising, a Slate is displayed showing the cost to the United States of the Ploesti raids, as 300 bombers and 3000 American airmen were lost.
Romanian firefighters, assisted by helmeted German soldiers, direct hoses on fire at oil storage facility in Ploesti, Romania, following bombing by U.S. 15th Air Force in World War 2. The oil fires seem difficult to extinguish with water. Later, extremely heavy clouds of black smoke are seen billowing from a complex of storage tanks. Firefighters are helpless to intervene. One stands with hands on his hips as he simply watches the inferno. Views of the damaged facility in the aftermath, several days later.
United States Army Eighth Air Force, Second Air Division B-24 Liberator bombers bomb oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania, during World War 2. A map depicting a flight path from North Africa to Ploesti and Germany. B-24 Liberator aircraft drop bombs over Ploesti. A group of B-24 Liberator bombers in flight. Aerial view of Ploesti. Machine gun aimed at Ploesti. Aerial view of an oil refinery on fire. A group of B-24 Liberator bombers flying low over Romania. An oil refinery on fire in Ploesti. Clouds of thick smoke covers the bombed oil refinery. Oil refinery tanks on fire. Firemen use hoses to put out fire in oil refinery. German and Romanian men rush to burning oil refinery. German soldier uses firehose to put out flames. B-24 Liberator bombers returning to North Africa. People watch a B-24 Liberator bomber land on airfield. B-24 Liberator bomber taxiing after landing. United States Army men gather in airfield. Colonel Leon W. Johnson of the 44th Bombardment Group being awarded the Medal of Honor for leading the attack on the Ploesti oil fields.
Smoke rising from bombing at rail yards in Ploesti (Ploiesti) Romania,during World War 2. View of tank cars and petroleum storage tanks in the rail facilities. A locomotive sitting on a track partially obscured by heavy smoke blowing across the scene. Smoke coming from trains of tank cars that have been bombed.Firefighters training hoses on flames and black smoke rising high into the air. Firefighter silhouetted against the flames as he climbs a ladder next to embankment bringing a hose to train on the fires.
A huge fire seen at night in petroleum facilities bombed by the U.S. 15th Air Force, at Ploiesti (or Ploesti) Romania, during World War 2. Flames and heavy smoke rises up amongst storage tanks and facilities. Several Helmeted German soldiers are seen silhouetted against the flames as they make their way through the area.
Destroyed rail yards in Ploesti (Ploiesti) Romania, from attack by U.S. 15th Air Force bombers, during World War 2. Destroyed rail cars and damaged switch yard. Fires burning in distant background. Passenger trains with slight damage to their cars. One is labeled in Hungarian: "NEMZETKOZI JALOKOCSI ES EUROPAI"(International sleeping cars and Europe).Twisted rails and ties beneath a bridge and all along the rail lines in and out of the marshaling yards. Destroyed stations and steel frameworks of trains. Repair crew pulling a rail car along some useable track. A church in the background (possibly St Pantelimon Church). Bombed-out industrial buildings and railroad sidings. Locomotives steaming as trains sit on some remaining useable track. Work crews looking over the wreckage. Lumber strewn all over an area. At timecode 2:11, Scene shifts to Brasov, Romania, in May, 1944, with a truck driving toward the camera on a street parallel to the Railroad Station Square. The camera pans left, past destroyed buildings to the Station Square where a bus and some passengers are seen. Camera pans right showing more destroyed buildings, and then a locomotive steaming at head of a train on some undamaged rails. Views of bombed out freight cars. At timecode 2:54, Men are seen sitting and standing on useable rails as they look at some destroyed rail cars. The station is seen in distance at the right. View is along the railroad leading in the direction of Bucharest. Remaining views show the damage to building at Station Square, and the bus parked there.