Evening star., 1943-05-16
Greatest Fleet Of u. S. Bombers
Sent Against Reich Blasts Emden
Despite Smokescreen Defense
200 Of Goering's
Finest Fighters
Rise for Battle
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, May 15.-The great
est American heavy bomber fleet
ever put into the air over Ger
many showered incendiaries and
explosives today on the naval
base of Emden and vicinity in
sweeps through a novel smudge-
pot smokescreen defense which
only served to outline the target
for the widespread fire bombing
throughout the harbor city.
In further desperate defense at
tempts the Germans tried again
without success 70 bomb the big at
tackers out of the air.
BY setting up the smokescreen,
the Germans apparently were ex-
pecting to foil the American spe-
eialists in daylight high-level preci-
sion bombing.
Instead. the naval base was del
uged with fire-bombs in clusters
blanketing the target with flaming
destructive effect.
Guided by Smoke.
They had Emden all clouded over
with smoke pots, but that just
showed us where to dump the
bombs" laughed 1t. Martin Sanford
Of Kokomo, Ind, bombardier on the
Fortress, "Mr. Five by Five" piloted
by Col. John G. Moore of Las AMI
mas, Colo.
(The Deutschlandsender, main
German radio station in the Ber-
In area, and Wehrmachtsender at
Breslau went off the air last
night, perhaps indicating new
raids, the Federal Communica-
tions Commission reported in
New York;
Carrying the cord-breaking pre-
Invasion aerial offensive through its
third day, the Americans flew 500
miles, roundtrip. to attack naval,
transport, airdrome and industrial
detectives without an escort while
9th United States Air Force fighters
made diversionary sweeps.
The unescorted bombers, which
dropped some explosives as well as
innumerable incendiaries, ran into
the largest number of enemy fighter
planes they ever had encountered
over Emden and many fierce COM
bats developed. It was the fourth
American raid on Emden.
Six U. S. Bombers Lost.
MANY of the enemy were de-
stroyed and damaged by the bomb
ers," said the official communique,
which placed American losses at six
bombers.
Bomber crews from one Flying
Fortress station who few in the
section that met the strongest
fighter opposition estimated the
Germans threw up around 300 of
Goering's best defenders against
them. They said it was "the tough
est raid yet"
Three crew members of the Fort
reSs Black Swan described the
fighter phase of the raid tonight
on the train enroute to London
for a well-earned 48-hour leave.
They are First 1t. Frank w. Scott,
81, OF Philadelphia, the pilot; Sec
ond 1t. Robert c. Greene, 10, Sc
attic, Wash, bombardier, and Sec
ond 1t. Charles H. Otis, %, of Chi
cago, navigator.
They said their Fortress fought
OF 20 vicious fighter attacks.
"It was 27 below zero over Ger
many. but was perspiring so much
my jacket was wringing wet, 1t. Otis
said. THE fighters attacking our
group really were giving us hell.
Enemy Planes Waiting.
There they were sitting 10000
feet up waiting for us. They came
barrel = rolling right through our
formation with their cannon and
machine guns blazing ="
But it cost them for the Forts
they got today" said 1t. Greene.
"We got six fighters ourselves"
The fighters were dropping like
flies all around u.s." 1t. Otis said.
They showed nerve, though. Sew
(See RAIDS, Page A-40