January 4th, 1944: Operation Carpetbagger

During the tumultuous years of World War II, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency, enlisted the U.S. Army Air Forces for a clandestine mission over occupied Europe. Commencing in October 1943 with leaflet-dropping operations, the aircrews were destined for perilous nocturnal endeavors deep within enemy territory under the classified name Operation Carpetbagger.

Responding to directives from the Combined Chiefs of Staff in September 1943, the 8th Air Force established the 801st Bombardment Group (Heavy) (Provisional) at Harrington Field, England. Later redesignated the 492nd Bombardment Group in August 1944, this covert unit became renowned as the Carpetbaggers. Equipped with B-24 Liberators fitted with a directional air-ground device named "Rebecca" and a sending device called "Eureka," the crew coordinated with ground operators during their missions.

The airborne liaison with partisan fighters on the ground involved the use of an "S-Phone," a specialized two-way radio, ensuring accurate drop instructions and confirming the identity of the recipients as genuine partisans.

Innovations such as the "Joe Hole," a cargo hatch replacing the B-24's ball-turret, facilitated the parachute drops of "Joes," while specialized enhancements for pilot and copilot visibility and blackout curtains enhanced the aircraft's functionality.

Operating in sleek, glossy black B-24s, adept at evading searchlights, the Carpetbaggers initiated their inaugural mission to France on the night of January 4-5, 1944, from Harrington, England. Despite facing challenging weather conditions, they primarily supplied French partisan groups north of the Loire River in anticipation of the D-Day invasion.

Their zenith came in July 1944, dropping significant cargo, including containers, packages, leaflet bundles, and parachutists ("Joes"). Following the liberation of France and Belgium by September, the full-scale Carpetbagger missions over France concluded on the night of September 16-17, 1944.

The 492nd Bombardment Group persisted in supporting the advancing Allied armies, delivering crucial provisions to occupied territories. Despite the risks posed by German opposition, they expanded their operations to Norway, Denmark, and Germany, employing faster A-26s over the heavily defended German territory.

Navigating treacherous terrain and facing the constant threat of enemy forces, the Carpetbaggers conducted 1,860 sorties from January 1944 to May 1945. Their courageous efforts resulted in the delivery of 20,495 containers and 11,174 packages of essential supplies to resistance forces in western and northwestern Europe. Over 1,000 parachutists descended through the B-24 Joe Holes into enemy territory.

The sacrifices were not without cost; 25 B-24s were lost, and eight were rendered unfit for combat due to severe damage. Personnel losses numbered 208 missing and killed, with one slightly wounded. Miraculously, many initially listed as missing found refuge with the very resistance forces they had been sent to support, embodying the resilience and resourcefulness of the Carpetbaggers in the face of adversity.