Mount Vesuvius's most recent eruption (March 1944) destroyed about 80 American B-25 bombers parked at a forward airbase 8 km from the volcano. How did the eruption destroy them?
The Pompeii Airfield hosted the 340th Bombardment Group from January 1944. The eruption's paroxysmal phase on 21–22 March pushed a 5-km ash column east-southeast, directly over the field. About 30 cm of ash accumulated in 36 hours. Of 88 B-25s at the field, about 80 were written off. It remains the largest single-event non-combat loss of American aircraft in the entire European theatre of WWII. The 340th was rebuilt with replacements within a month. Vesuvius hasn't erupted since.
Read the full story →Vesuvius erupted between 17 and 23 March 1944, while Allied forces were operating from a temporary airbase at Pompeii Airfield approximately 8 km from the volcano. The eruption's ashfall destroyed approximately 80 American B-25 medium bombers parked at the field — the largest single-event loss of American aircraft to a non-combat cause in the European theatre.
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