Evening star., 1943-09-13
of the
CHAPTER vi.

I nish an excellent example OF British
and American cooperation. CO.
ordlnated to achieve maximum re-
suits. There are three possible types
OF offensive action against sub
marines, that is, to sink them at
sea. to destroy the factories which
bulld and equip them. and to attack
the bases from which they operate.
FACTORIES and bases may be rendered
imperative either by a night mass
attack to effect general destruction
on the area or by daylight precision
attacks against vital utilities such
as power plants, fuel supply installa-
tlons or special repair facilities.
Reports during the past months
have mentioned with increasing
frequency air attacks against
Lorient, St Nazaire. Brest and La
Palllce, all U-boat bases on the west
coast OF France The precision at
tacks have been aimed against criti-
cal points, the destruction of which
render the general installations in
effective, particularly important
procedure where the docks and
other vital installations have been
protected by heavy concrete over
head cover.
What Bombing Has Done.
The night bombing attacks car
ried out by the British have involved
loads of over 1000 tons dropped in
a single operation with the effect of
devastating general service facilities
and of shattering the morale and
working efficiency of the personnel
operating the submarine bases. At
the same time heavy attacks have
been made day and night against
the submarine shipyards at Vege-
sack near Bremen) and Wilhelms-
haven. and against the Essen. Dus-
seldorf, Mannheim Karlsruhe and
other industrial areas producing
component parts for submarines.
These bombing operations, to-
gether with the action of the anti
submarine command and Allied
destroyers and escort vessels. appear
to be in process of driving the sub
marine from the seas.
Experience over the European
continent has demonstrated the
soundness of the tactical doctrines
OF our air forces and of the basic
design of their aircraft. Notably
early examples were raids against
Vegesa and Wilhelmshaven
during March, 1943. in which 180
of our heavy bombers destroyed
over 80 German fighters with
loss of but of our own planes.
These raids effectively put out of
action for period of many months
the Vegesack plant and admins
tered crippling damage to the naval
installations at Wilhelmshaven.
Attacks Grow Heavier.
Our air assaults on GERMANY and
Northwestern Europe have grown
heavier and heavier with the con-
stantly increasing strength of the
9th Air Force operating out of the
United Kingdom. More recently it
has been possible to coordinate
these attacks closely with opera
tions using bases in North Africa.
The. enforced concentration of the
Germans most experienced fighter
pilots in Northwestern Europe had
an important bearing on air opera
tions during the final battle in
Tunisia and on the situation in
Russia.
The build-up of depots. airf1elds
and administrative services for our
operations in the United Kingdom
has involved tremendous program
Of shipping, construction and the
of an extensive serv-
ice command These vital factors
in modern war are time consuming
in preparation and impose a heavy
burden on our air and ocean trans
portation facilities. but they pro-
vide the solid foundation which is
an imperative requirement in con-
the specialized and techni-
cal warfare of the present day.
On May 10. 1943, following the
unfortunate airplane accident which
resulted in the death of 1t. Gen.
Frank M. Andrews, command of
the European theater of operations
was assumed by 1t. Gen. Jacob L.
Devers.
Tomorrow - North African
Invasion Planned Delicate
French Problem-D-Day Ar
ranged-Eisenhower Sets Up
Command Post at Gibraltar.