Operation Manna-Chowhound: When Food Was Dropped Instead of Bombs

During World War II, the skies over the Netherlands were filled with bombers. Civilians already knew what that meant for them — always taking cover and hoping for the best for their safety. However, in the final days of the war, the skies over the Netherlands were different.

Bombers are still flying in the skies, but what was actually dropping wasn’t bombs or leaflets. The aircraft were dropping food from the sky.

This period was known as the Hunger Winter, during which many Dutch civilians in Western Netherlands suffered. For months, the people have been deprived of all necessities, and to address this, Operation Manna-Chowhound was launched.

The Hunger Winter in World War II

The Hunger Winter was a severe period of food shortage in the Netherlands from 1944 to early 1945. The Netherlands experienced widespread malnutrition, mass starvation, and even death. It affected the western part of the country, including major cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague.

World War II was almost over, but civilians were still struggling because there was not enough food. This started when the Netherlands was still under Nazi control.

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The Dutch resistance called for a railway strike, which the Nazis weren’t too happy about. This made the Nazis decide to cut off food transport to the western part of the country. The Dutch civilians were forced to live on rations of 400 to 800 calories per day. However, that amount of calories wasn’t enough for them.

To survive, they had to eat grass and tulip bulbs. The same ones meant for the garden. It had a massive impact on their physical health and long-term effects on the descendants of the generation during the Hunger Winter. By early 1945, things got extremely serious because about 20,000 people died from starvation.

Everyone was weak and sick, especially the children. And keep in mind, this was all happening when the war was almost over. Civilians had to keep fighting the hunger to survive and reach the freedom they deserved.

An Unexpected Bombing Mission

As the war came to an end in April 1945, Allied forces planned to provide as much aid as possible to civilians. They had planned to send bombers to enemy territory. But it wasn’t bombs they were carrying. It was food for the Dutch civilians.

This operation, called Operation Manna, was led by the British Army. Its name was very unique since it came from the Bible. “Manna" means the edible substance miraculously bestowed on the Israelites to save them from starvation, which was exactly the point of the operation. It involved many squadrons that did the first drops at the time:

1. The 625th Squadron (Lincolnshire)
2. The 460th Squadron (Australian)
3. The 467th, 100th, and the 101st Squadrons of the Royal Air Force
4. The 300th Squadron (Polish)

In total, more than 30 English squadrons and 11 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) Bomb Groups were involved in this operation.

During the operation, some bombers were shot by the Nazis with light handguns; fortunately, they were able to drop the food intended for the Dutch civilians without too much conflict.

On the other hand, Operation Chowhound also took place, led by the United States. With this operation commencing, more than 400 American B-17 bombers took off from England towards the Netherlands.

At this point, the British and American Armies worked together and increased the number of food drops. Together, they were called Operation Manna-Chowhound, and from there, the number of dropping zones increased from 5 to 11.

Food Drops for the People

The Royal Air Force (RAF) Lancaster bombers and American B-17 Flying Fortresses flew much lower than usual, so that people could see them clearly. It was not how these planes normally fly.

The dropping zones included the following for the RAF and the USAAF, but they flew separately to the drop zone:

1. Royal Air Force (RAF)
   1. Valkenburg Airfield
   2. Duindigt Racecourse
   3. Ypenburg Airfield
   4. Terbregge
   5. Waalhaven Airfield
   6. Gouda
2. United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
   1. Schiphol Airport
   2. Vogelenzang
   3. Bergen Airfield
   4. Hilversum (Westerheide)
   5. Utrecht (Lage Weide)

For 10 days, more than 11,000 tons of food were dropped, and thousands of flights were carried out, just to make sure the Dutch civilians could eat and hold on.

A Proud Moment During Wartime

It’s unreal to think that these bombers were used to drop bombs. But instead, they were dropping food for salvation and mercy during the Hunger Winter. The Allied forces were truly united for a purpose. Without those food drops, the final days could have been much worse for civilians who were already at their limits.

Operation Manna-Chowhound was a cherished operation for the Allied forces. For 95th BG Pilot Ray Hobbs, it was something that made him feel good. “I did well,” he declared, “and I didn’t have to drop any bombs on anybody. I dropped food.”

For the Dutch civilians, it might’ve felt like there was no hope. That they were almost dying of hunger. But maybe that’s the beautiful part of the war. There is still a human touch to it. Forces come together for a mission to keep people alive. For once, the sound of bombers didn’t mean violence, or it was the end. It meant help was on the way, and a few more days to hold on until freedom came.