Medal of Honor: John R. Kane – World War II, August 1, 1944

KANE, JOHN R.
Rank and Organization: Colonel, U.S. Army Air Corps
Unit: 98th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force
Conflict: World War II
Date of Action: August 1, 1943
Location: Ploesti, Rumania
Entered Service At: Shreveport, Louisiana
Born: McGregor, Texas
General Orders No.: 54, August 9, 1943

Summary of Action

On the morning of August 1, 1943, deep over Axis-occupied Europe, the sky was filled with thunder—the low, droning thunder of hundreds of American B-24 Liberators sweeping in at treetop level toward one of Hitler’s most prized assets: the oil refineries at Ploesti, Rumania.

Operation TIDAL WAVE was underway—a high-risk, long-range strike designed to cripple Nazi fuel production in a single devastating blow. Among those leading this bold assault was Colonel John R. Kane, commanding the 98th Bombardment Group, also known as the "Pyramiders."

As Kane’s formation neared the target after a 1,200-mile journey from North Africa, thick, boiling cumulus clouds over the Balkan mountains tore his group away from the main body of the raid. Lost and flying blind, many would have turned back. Kane did not. He forged ahead, determined to fulfill the mission.

When his group broke through the clouds over the Ploesti plain, the scene was apocalyptic—flames soared hundreds of feet into the sky, smoke choked the air, flak bursts filled the horizon, and the enemy’s guns were fully awake. Worse, another unit had mistakenly struck the same target Kane’s group had been assigned. The element of surprise was gone.

But Kane never wavered.

With deadly calm and resolve, he reassembled his scattered bombers, plunged through the inferno, and led them on a final run directly into the mouth of hell. Columns of black smoke twisted around the Liberators as flak shredded the sky and delayed bombs from earlier waves detonated beneath them. Oil fires turned daylight into dusk. But Kane’s formation pressed on, dropped their bombs with brutal precision, and emerged—bloodied, battered, but victorious.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry in action and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 1 August 1943.

On this date, Colonel Kane led the third element of heavy bombardment aircraft in a mass low-level bombing attack against the vitally important enemy target of the Ploesti oil refineries.

En route to the objective—a mission requiring a 2,400-mile round trip—his formation became separated from the main attack force while navigating dense, dangerous cumulus clouds over mountainous terrain. Despite the separation and the peril of pressing on alone, Colonel Kane refused to abandon the strike.

Upon reaching the target area, he discovered that another group had misidentified and prematurely attacked the refinery assigned to his own bombers. The element of surprise was gone; the defenses fully prepared.

Despite withering antiaircraft fire, roving enemy fighters, the eruption of delayed-action bombs, walls of fire, and blinding smoke over the refinery, Colonel Kane boldly led his men into the heart of the storm.

Through gallant courage, brilliant leadership, and exceptional flying skill, he and the formation under his command delivered a decisive blow to a vast refinery critical to the Nazi war effort.

By his fearless determination and indifference to personal safety in the face of overwhelming danger, Colonel Kane’s actions contributed vitally to the success of one of the most daring air missions of the war and rendered most distinguished service in the pursuit of victory over tyranny.