JUNE 17, 2022
Ocean City Today
PAGE 57
WORLD WAR II Continued from Page 56 dustrial center and home of the Krupp Steelworks, which, for a century had provided arms for Germany’s wars. The British Prime Minister announced the second raid to a cheering House of Commons saying, “I do not wish to be supposed that all future raids will be on a four-figure scale. We shall vary our methods of attack continually, according to circumstances. “The scale will increase marketedly, when we are joined, as we soon will be, by the United States Air Force. As the year advances, German cities, harbors, and centers of war production will be subjected to an ordeal, the like of which has never been experienced by any country in continuity, severity, and magnitude.” On the evening of June 25, 1942, Bomber Command launched its last “Thousand Plane Raid” against the port city of Bremen, Germany. Today the Bremen metropolitan area has a population of 2.4 million. At the time, the city’s population stood in excess of 300,000. As a result of the raid, 572 houses were completely destroyed and 6,108 damaged. Casualties were 85 killed, 497 in-
jured and 2,378 left homeless. FockeWulf Air Plane Factory, the Atlas Work Ship Building Company, the Bremmer Vulkan Shipyard, the Norddeutsche Hütte Korff Refinery and two large dockside warehouses were all damaged. Bomber Command lost 48 aircraft — 5 percent — of those dispatched. In order to mount these massive raids, Bomber Command had to dragoon almost every plane in England. For the last raid on Bremen, 102 planes came from RAF Coastal Command and five came from RAF Army Cooperation Command. In addition, many of the planes came from operational training units. Undoubtedly, the “1,000 Plane Raids” were an immense morale boost to the British. After enduring the “Blitz” at the hands of the Luftwaffe, these raids were a source of pride and revenge for all Britons. The effect on the German morale cannot really be known, since Germany continued fighting for another three years, and its production numbers continued to rise until the last months of the war. I t has been suggested that the bombings were motivation for the war crimes committed at Malmedy and other locations. After all, those young boys, now
OBITUARIES DONNA VALERIE HRESHKO Ocean Pines A Life Well Lived. Donna “Dee” Valerie Hreshko, 84, of Ocean Pines, Maryland, passed on June 10, 2022. She was born to Don Leo and Gertrude Leo on July 17, 1938. She was preceded in death by her parents and her son, John Hreshko, Jr. She was married to the love of her life, John Hreskho Sr. for Donna Hreshko 61 years and boy did they live! They traveled together, worked together, and built a beautiful life and family. They finally settled in Ocean Pines, Maryland in 1981. Together, they raised two children, John Hreshko, Jr. and Dana Ward (Nelson Ward). She was a sister to Gail Schulties, Mark Leo (Maureen Leo), and June Leo-Randazzo, and an aunt to several nieces and nephews. She was an amazing grandmother to four grandchildren, Kelsie Bowen (William Bowen), Jonathan Ward (Kelsey Ward), Blaine Ward and Rachel Hreshko. She also had five great-grandchildren, Jackson Ward, Everleigh Bowen, Ryder Ward, Lincoln Bowen and Scarlett Ward. Her family was her pride and joy; she loved spending time with them. She never missed a birthday, or a hol-
iday with them and took every opportunity she could to make memories. She was intelligent, witty, never turned down a game of Rummikub or mancala, and always had the last word. Donna worked in real estate for over 40 years and was passionate about creating. She was known to be “artsy” and handy; she could fix or make just Continued on Page 58
wearing the uniform of the Reich, had watched, helplessly, as the Allied bombers had torn apart their mothers, sisters and grandparents. A 1969 movie titled “Thousand Plane Raid,” starring Christopher George, Gavin MacLeod and Bo Hopkins, gets it all wrong. It attributes the “Thousand Plane Raid” to the Americans and has it occurring a year later.
Next week: Mersa Matruh Mr. Wimbrow writes from Ocean City, Maryland, where he practices law representing those persons accused of criminal and traffic offenses, and those persons who have suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own. He can be contacted at wimbrowlaw@gmail.com.
