Evening star., 1942-10-09
100 American Bombers Hit Lille
In Biggest y. S. Raid in Europe;
Nazis Drive in Lower Vo|qa Area
Planes Escorted
ByHu9e Fleet Of
Allied Fighters
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, Oct. 9.-More thar
100 United States bombers at
tackled the industrial Lille region
OF Northern France today in the
biggest American bomber and
fighter force ever to take the air
IN the European war theater.
United States Army Air Forces
headquarters, promising a more de-
tailed announcement later, issued
this terse communique:
More than 100 USAAF bombers
attacked targets in the Lille area
this morning.
Many squadrons Of fighters took
part in this operation"
Many Flying Fortresses.
A big part of the bombing force,
an extraordinary number for a day.
light raid, was made up of great,
four-motored Flying Fortresses, and
the Americans were joined in the
assault by the RAF and many
squadrons Of Allied fighters.
United States flyers in America
nghter planes participated in the
raid. until now, the only fighter
plane the Americans had been men
toned officially as using in Britain
was the British-made SpitfreD
Single planes Of the RAF bomber
command, striking at Germany in
broad open daylight, bombed objec-
tives in the upper Rhineland this
morning, the Air Ministry an
nounced.
The American blow came only 48
hours after the United States Army
command had warned French work.
ers through BBC broadcast to
move away from the vicinity of
French war factories which were
helping the Germans.
Apprehension spread among the
Inhabitants of Folkestone when a
fight of returning United States
fighters approached over the water.
then dived with a terrific roar out
of the sun.
Onl0okers Rush in Shelter.
The Evening News said some on
lockers rushed for the afraid shell
ters, fearful that German raiders
were bearing down on them, until
the star of the United States Army
Air Forces could be discerned on the
planes.
(Spitfires had been the only
fighters mentioned officially as
in use by the United States Army
Air Forces in England so that the
bewilderment of the long-experi-
enced residents of Folkestone
may have meant the appearance
Of a type unfamiliar to them.
Censorship did not permit clarifi-
cation of this point)
AS the American fighters were
seen coming in anti-aircraft bat
teries went into action against two
Fock-Wulfe 1905, which passed by
high overhead and out of range after
only a few shells had been fired.
Spitfires Hover Over Channel.
The Fortresses recrossed the coast
at about the same time, flying in
land amid waves of planes. while
Spitfires hovered over the Channel
to protect the homeward flight.
The American attacking force had
an escort of more than 200 Allied
fighters the Evening News esti-
mated.
A bright sun shone and visibility
was excellent over Dover Straits
as the United Nations planes shut
tied to and fro throughout the
morning.
The operation was first observed
early when squadrons of Spitf1res
returned from the direction of Ca
lais and Cape Girls Nez on the
French side. Larger formations of
fighters soon were tanning out
toward the French and Belgian
coasts.
Planes Fly at $4,000 Feet.
Then the largest formation of
United States bombers yet seen in
Britain. with a big escort of Spit
fires and Hurricanes, droned out
over the Channel past Ramsgate.
Still later glistening United States
fighters, bound back from the direc-
tion of Dieppe. dived out of the sun
toward Folkestone.
Canadian fighter squadrons were
understood to have formed part of
the fortress convoy.
The largest number of fighters
and fighter -bombers seen aloft in
months passed over one south coast
town headed toward the continent.
Considerable activity over the Occu-
pied French coast between Boulogne