The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-15

(COnGlnueu HUH Ed@C U CT in the desert.
 However, End Lieut.. Jack wilson, Benton, Wash, probably is the first American flyer to down an ME on this front. He heavily damaged the German plane Friday and 1t was listed as a probable victim. Lieut.. Glade Burke Bilbay Is the first American airman to bomb an Axis position from fighter-bomber. His operation was carried out Thursday.
 These three American airnnen were in group of U. s. pilots taken into the desert by Maj. Gen A. C.. Strickland of Alabama to familiar1ze themselves with RAF technique.
 The American airmen had high praise for the operational maneu- vers of the British.
 After a few hours training, sev- eral American airmen went up to- gether on a mission with some RAF' planes. Among this group was Wheeler who got in the first U. 8. burst at a Messerschmitt.
 On Thursday Bilbay took up a fighter-bomber and joined an RAF escort for bombing mission against Fuka, Fl Daba and several supply dumps and airdromes.
 He dropped his bomb between two enemy vehicles parked so close to- gether that the dust cloud from the explosion prevented him from see- ing the results of his attack.
 British Surprised
 Wilson went upon on 8 opera tional flight with the RAF Friday morning. He was flying behind the enemy lines when he attacked a sweeping Messerschmitt.
 wilson's plane was hit as well as the German machine and the Amer ican airman was forced to make a crash landing behind the British lines.
 When he stepped from his plane the British troops were surprised as they did not know the American fighters were already in action.
 "Where did you come from2" the British asked him.
 Wilson pointed to the sky.
 up there," he said.
 United States Army Air corps heavy bombers had been in action already, and had joined the British and South African air forces 1T widespread and damaging raids against Axis naval and land targets
 Both bomber and fighter crew! of the American army had now beer in action in the western European Chinese and Australian zones ane in addition heavy bombers were op' erating in India against Japanes' bases in Burma, so that army crew! were fighting in all continents out side the Americas.
 A Middle Eastern command com munique, reporting that AlAet fighter planes in convoy operations over the Mediterranean Thursday and Friday had shot down at leas 10 and probably more Axis fighters said that over the desert yesterda! fihters shot down one Messer schmitt-109 fighter and that tw' German Junker-52 troops transpor planes had been shot down over thu Libya coast in Tobruk area.
 It was not known whether an! Americans took part in those fight CT operations.
 The Allies lost four planes but on' ; pilot was saved.
 The German Messerschmitt fight ; CT was shot down by Allied fighter escorting medium bomberS on successful raid on landing ground and other targets in the Fuka-E Daba area along the Egyptian coas between 30 and 75 miles west of E Alamein.
 It was understood that increased aerial activity which today's com munique noted including intensi' fled enemy fighter operations tt meet the punishing light bomber attacks by the British air force. ] Today's communiQue reported tha'