Evening star., 1943-06-14
u. S. Heavy Bombers Smash Raj Follows Up
At Airdromes on Sicily After American Raid
Third Italian Island Surrenders On Bremen, kie|
Linoso Spared Raids
By Prompt Yielding
To British Destroyer
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, June IA
American heavy bombers of the
Middle East Air Command
smashed again yesterday at East
ern Sicily airdromes at Catania
and Gerbini. carrying the Med
iterranean offensive to the is
land gateway to Italy, while fly
ers of the Northwest African Air
Forces confined their operations
to patrols, Allied communicates
announced today.
Approximately 250.0OO pounds of
explosives were dropped on the
Gerbini and Catania fields by large
formations of Liberators of the 9th
United States Air Force. it was an
nounced.
Malta based Spitfres again escort
ed the four-engined bombers on the
last leg of the approach from the
Middle East. during the attacks, and
on the first part of the return trip
Both the targets lie about l25 miles
north Of Malta.
Bursts Blanket RunwayS.
About Is Axis aircraft were re-
ported in an American bulletin to
have been observed in revetments
and dispersal areas at Gerbini.
which, with the runways. were
hlanketed with bursts.
Three other island stepping stones
for invasion already were in the
hands of Allied orces-Pantelleria
Lampedusa and Llnosa-and Sicily,
at the toe of the Italian boot, ap-
peared logical target in the next
phase of the offensive.
A Cairo Middle East Air Com
mand communique said that at least
eight planes were destroyed in the
raid on Gerbini, three which ran
into bomb bursts as they attempted
to take off and five Messerschmitt-
l09s shot out of the air in an enSu-
ing battle
Hangers Seriously Damaged.
At Catanla, port l3 miles to the
east, serious damage was done to
hangers and aircraft on the ground
with dense black smoke reported
bllloWlng up from hangers hit on the
west side of the airGrome.
(The Italian communique said
formations Of four engined
bombers also attacked Messina,
with two planes brought down
by antl-aircraft fire. It asserted
also that three planes were shot
down over Sicily and two over
Pantelleria in air dueIs,
Yesterdays daylight attack on
Catania followed Saturday night
assault by Raj heavy bombers
which left large fires that could be
seen for miles
Catania has been heavily pun
tshed before by Allied bombers in
the campaign to obliterate Axis air
force nests
Todav's Allied headquarters COM
munique, ore of the shortest of the
campaign. said that the North
west Africa Air Forces confined
their activities to patrolling and
reconnaissance yesterday.
Sicily Believed Primary Objective.
The Africa based pilots, fresh
from their victories that reduced
Pantelleria and LampeduSa after
some Of the most terrific air bomb
ing the Mediterranean ever has
witnessed, generally rested at their
bases While headquarters and oper-
ations shaped their plans for the
assaults to come, with Sicily gen.
orally considered the prime objec-
tive
The third island to fall, Linosa.
was spared aerial attacks or naval
bombardment by swift, bloodless
yielding.
The Algiers radio, in broad
cast recorded by Reuters in Lon
don declared today that all dav
yesterday Allied SqUadrons pur-
sued their offensive Of destluc-
ton against Sicilian bases. but
no further details were given
The tiny isle of Linosa. % miles
northeast of Lampedusa. raised the
Continued on Pc. Ala, Column ~