The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-09-27

despite a slight overcast which pre-
vented detailed observation Of the
results.
It was believed American losses
were very light considering the
scale Of the effort. Final reports
may show It to have been one OF
the Eighth Air Forces most sue
cessful shows.
In delivering the massive weight
Of high explosive bombs and incen-
diaries to fountainhead Of the
resumed U-boat war, the fortresses
used, the Pathfinder" method Of
setting up the target.
One group Of forts went on ahead
Of the main formations, found the
area marked for destruction and
ringed It with flares Heretofore
the fortresses have ''pin-pointed'
tagretS.
Maj. Gen. Ira o. Eaker promised
day and night aerial assaults on
Germany, regardless Of the weather
last Spring.
The success Of the bombing form
atoms was taken as q hppy augury
for the Allied aerial effort.
The pioneering raid also was
marked by o new method Of mount
ing bombs inside the planes by
which q greater weight was carried
by each ship.
The forts encountered almost no
fighter opposition and found the
anti aircraft fire light.
The later waves Of forts ran into
some fighter opposition, but the
bombers were so numerous that
they overwhelmed ten attackers and
we're believed to hav shot down o
good number.
The Fortresses struck in such
large force that they spread their
explosives over the entire Emder
waterfront area.
Second Lieutenant Yandell r
Warren Of Benton, Mass, co-pilot
of the Hard Luck" said the trip was
"just q milk run except for the
bitter cold-44 below"
First Lieutenant James Z. Fit.
ton of Cranston, r. l., bombardieI
Of the leading ship In one group
said the anti-aircraft fire was SC
light 1T didn't bother us at all"
There was slight overcast, but
I know we were right on the tar
get" he added. There was plenty
more overcast when we left =
smoke"
Staff Sergeant Robert L. Walden
Of lat Mulberry, Cincinnati, the ball
turret gunner Of the Impatient
Virgin" said:
"Thev isibility was not too good
but 1t appeared we had an excellent
pattern centering on the target
area"
The raid conceded with q re-
sumption Of German submarine at.
tacks on Allied conveys in the North
Atlantic. Only last week, German
U-boats claimed to have sunk Il
destroyers and six merchant ships
from one Atlantic convoy, but these
claims were called exaggerated by
British sources.
Sweeping across the North Sea
the four-engined bombers dropped
tons of explosives on priority tar
gets at Emden, which lies across
bay from Northern Holland.
At the same time, twin-engined
American AGarauders attacked on
the Beavais-Tille airfield In NaZi-
held France. A canopy Of fighters
accompanied them.
The raid put the Allied air Of
fensive back on an around-the-
clock basis. British mosquito bomb
ers attacked targets in the German
Rhineland last night and other for
nations Of fortresses penetrated Sc
miles east Of Paris and bombed the
champagne aid field and Q JunkerE
50 repair plant at Rheims yesterday
Canadian Intruder planes shot
down q German bomber while on
patrol over Holland last night. All
planes returned safely from night
operations.
The American raid ON Emden
was the fourth Of the war on the
northwest Germany naval base.
ThundeFholt fighters escorted the
foFtresses al the way 10 Rheims
yesterday and all planes returned
safely. No enemy fighters were en-
counteFed, but anti-airoFaft fire wa
fairly heavy over the coast
Haf. Maurice Carlson. 2a, tan gum
ner on the fortress MY Devotion.
said the bombing 81 Rheims was The
best ! ever saw" and h2t. jack
Coniin. 40. nf Richmend HILL ", X,
= Wait gunner On s1ane Carol" re.
ported ~ aaw 3 io1 Of fIamo and
nmnka AZ Ia started home.