Project Danny
Encyclopedia
Project Danny was a World War II
plan for United States Marine Corps
F4U Corsair fighter aircraft to attack German V-1 flying bomb launch sites in northern France. Although the squadrons had been trained at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
and were loading onto their escort carriers for the trip to the North Atlantic, the operation was canceled before departing for the European Theatre of World War II
.
bombings of German targets had begun in June 1943, followed by Operation Crossbow
attacks on German long range weapon facilities in August 1943 and V-1 launch sites in December 1943. In July 1944 after the V-1 Robot Blitz
had begun on 13 June, Commander
Thomas Hinman Moorer
of the Naval Air Atlantic Staff (NavAirLant) provided a Pentagon
briefing on a June 1944 plan for F4U squadrons of Marine Air Group 51 (including VMF-511
, VMF-512, VMF-513
and VMF-514) to attack V-1 launch sites from North Sea
escort carriers
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
plan for United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
F4U Corsair fighter aircraft to attack German V-1 flying bomb launch sites in northern France. Although the squadrons had been trained at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
and were loading onto their escort carriers for the trip to the North Atlantic, the operation was canceled before departing for the European Theatre of World War II
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
.
Chronology
Extensive land-based Combined Bomber OffensiveCombined Bomber Offensive
The Combined Bomber Offensive was an Anglo-American offensive of strategic bombing during World War II in Europe. The primary portion of the CBO was against German Air Force targets which was the highest priority from June 1943 to 1944...
bombings of German targets had begun in June 1943, followed by Operation Crossbow
Operation Crossbow
Crossbow was the code name of the World War II campaign of Anglo-American "operations against all phases of the German long-range weapons programme—operations against research and development of the weapons, their manufacture, transportation and their launching sites, and against missiles in flight"...
attacks on German long range weapon facilities in August 1943 and V-1 launch sites in December 1943. In July 1944 after the V-1 Robot Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
had begun on 13 June, Commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
Thomas Hinman Moorer
Thomas Hinman Moorer
-External links:...
of the Naval Air Atlantic Staff (NavAirLant) provided a Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
briefing on a June 1944 plan for F4U squadrons of Marine Air Group 51 (including VMF-511
VMF-511
Marine Fighting Squadron 511 was a fighter squadron of the Marine Forces Reserve during the Cold War which flew numerous variants of the F-8 Crusader.. They were originally activated during World War II and fought during the Battle of Okinawa and the Battle of Balikpapan...
, VMF-512, VMF-513
VMA-513
Marine Attack Squadron 513 is a United States Marine Corps attack squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier jets. Known as the "Flying Nightmares", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 13 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing...
and VMF-514) to attack V-1 launch sites from North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
escort carriers
- a. briefing recollection of Commander Thomas Moorer. with Tiny TimTiny Tim (rocket)The Tiny Tim was an American air to ground rocket used near the end of the Second World War. One source states it was built in response to a US Navy requirement for an anti-shipping rocket capable of hitting ships outside of their anti-aircraft range, with a payload capable of sinking heavy shipping...
rockets. The plan was disapproved. Project Danny was a victim of the intense interservice rivalry that existed in the US armed forces during World War II; Army Chief of StaffChief of Staff of the United States ArmyThe Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
General George MarshallGeorge MarshallGeorge Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
stood up and walked out of the briefing: "That's the end of this briefing. As long as I'm in charge there'll never be a Marine in Europe." The United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
subsequently was permitted to conduct ground-based Operation AnvilOperation AphroditeAphrodite and Anvil were the World War II code names of United States Army Air Forces and United States Navy operations to use B-17 and PB4Y bombers as precision-guided munitions against bunkers such as those of Operation Crossbow....
attacks on Crossbow sites in August 1944. Had the operation proceeded, MAG-51 would have been the second Marine Corsair squadrons to deploy from aircraft carrierAircraft carrierAn aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s, the first being at the Bombing of Rabaul on November 1943.