Day of Valor (Ploesti Raid) HD.mov

Aug. 1, 1943, 178 B-24 bombers attacked Hitler's oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania in one of the bloodiest and most heroic air-ground battles of all time. To maximize their accuracy and minimize civilian casualties, the bombers flew in at tree top level. Five Medals of Honor were awarded for this action, more than any other American warfare. This short animation promotes a screenplay for a proposed live action feature film.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Ploesti
• Romania
• B-24
• low level raid
• bombers
• Hitler's oil
• World War II
• CGI
• Lightwave
• animation

[sgtmac66]

I just finished both books-Low Level Mission and PLOESTI. A friend and I have been researching Barwell who was Top Turret gunner with Norman Appold. We both think this should be a movie, Spielberg and Hanks, as in PACIFIC or the new one RED TAILS.

[filmjeff0]

@sgtmac66

From your lips to Hanks' ears...

[sgtmac66]

@filmjeff0 Maybe we should think about getting a petition together and sending it to these guys if we could?

[filmjeff0]

@sgtmac66

Two of my screenplays have been turned into MOWs and another that's recently been optioned, so I'm not a newbie in H'wood. I've pitched my "Day of Valor" screenplay to a number of producers (showing this clip) and there's great interest, but no one is yet ready to pull the trigger on a very expensive production. Unfortunately, producers are not going to be receptive to a petition, no matter how well intentioned. Other ideas? Is anyone Tom Hanks' nephew?

[MrMike0553]

This was indeed a herioc mission. Thirty years ago it was my honor to actually meet General Leon Johnson, one of the five Ploesti Medal of Honor winners. General (then Colonel) Johnson was the commander of the 44th Bombardment Group, which later became the 44th Missile Wing. I served in the 44th Missile Wing for two tours during my Air Force career, 1978-83 and 1988-91. This would be great story for the big screen and a fitting tribute for those gallant crews.

[82LUFT]

Again Jeff, you did it again. The title should have been renamed "The Valor of Death." Regardless of the five Medals of Honor that were awarded to these brave, but hapless souls for their part in the raid, I well always fell that this totally unnecessary raid (at Tree top level no less!) was doomed from the start. Very bad Intel on the part of their commanding officers. And the sadest part of all was that the raid caused very little damage in Germanys oil production. Fine men lost, and for what?

[mosqaliuc]

romanian planes IAR-80 destroy all B-24's

ROMANIA IS THE BEST OF THE BEST

I'M ROMANIAN AND IT'S A HONOUR TO ME!!!!!!

[setnaffa]

The hardest part of a live action film is the lack of even 5 flying B-24s left... wikipedia "List_of_surviving_B-24_Libera­tors"

OTOH, it would sell tickets, DVDs, toys, and and games...

[Skua60]

@flynnt1953

I read Dugan & Stewart's book in high school, and have always thought this would make an outstanding screenplay. There are so many wonderful characters, i.e. "Killer" Kane, Ben Kuroki, George Barwell and many, many others.No need to invent them- they were real!

[aguynamedoleg]

Wow, good work man! I hope some studio picks it up! If it ever works out, I hope it is fair and historically accurate to the best of the ability and not one sided.

[Hickmaann90]

AWESOOOME Movie!