Divizia 18 Infanterie, 1941

[Skarn]

Hello,

Could someone please confirm me that this division was assigned to the protection of the oilfields near Ploiesti in 1940-1941?
I know for sure that the Brigada 2 Mixta Garda was also involved in such a mission, as well as the German 22. Infanterie-Division until June 1941, then the German 72. Infanterie-Division until July 6th, 1941. As of July 6th, 1941, Divizia 4 Infanterie was tasked with protecting these oilfields (as well as the Danube bridges at Cernavoda and Fetesti with its Regimentul 36 Infanterie).
But I need to know whether Divizia 18 Infanterie was also deployed in the Prahova valley.

Thank you for your help.
Regards,

Skarn

This post has been edited by Skarn on April 04, 2021 04:21 pm

[Gorrmyzo]

I found this on "Axis air defenses"


In June 1942, 13 B-24 Liberators of the "Halverson project" (HALPRO) attacked Ploie?ti. Though damage was small, Germany and Romania responded by putting strong anti-aircraft defenses around Ploie?ti. Luftwaffe General Alfred Gerstenberg built one of the heaviest and best-integrated air defense networks in Europe. The defenses included several hundred large-caliber 88mm guns and 10.5 cm FlaK 38 anti-aircraft guns, and many more small-caliber guns. The latter were concealed in haystacks, railroad cars, and mock buildings. German and Romanian AA artillery at Ploie?ti consisted of 52 heavy (88 mm), 9 medium (37 mm), and 17 light (20 mm) anti-aircraft batteries. These were divided between the German 5th Flak Division (30 heavy, 5 medium, and 7 light batteries) and the Romanian 4th AA Brigade (22 heavy, 2 medium, and 10 light batteries). Half of the manpower of the German 5th Flak Division was Romanian.[13][14] The Axis had 52 fighters within flight range of Ploie?ti (Bf 109 fighters and Bf 110 night fighters, plus assorted types of Romanian IAR 80 fighters).[15] For the defense of Ploie?ti, the Royal Romanian Air Force had aircraft from five Escadrile (Squadrons): 61 (IAR 80A), 62 (IAR 80B), 45 (IAR 80C), 53 (Bf 109G) and 68 (Bf 110).[16] These defenses made Ploie?ti the third or fourth most heavily defended target in Axis Europe, after Berlin and Vienna or the Ruhr, and thus the most heavily defended Axis target outside the Third Reich.[13]