Operation Frantic Joe

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During World War II, Operation Frantic Joe was the first bombing raid of the Frantic series, conducted on 2 June, 1944. American bombers flew from bases in southern Italy attacking Debrecen en route to Soviet airfields at Focsani. This attack supported Red Army operations which in turn neatly coincided with the invasion of Normandy.

A German spotter plane located the American aircraft, which were quickly attacked on the ground by the German Air Force. Concerns raised by this effective German air raid derailed plans to maintain a large force of American bombers in the Soviet Union permanently. The name Frantic Joe was changed to Frantic to avoid any possible reference to Joseph Stalin, the Soviet dictator.