The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-04-06
More Than 1000 SOrties
Made Yesterday in North
African Theater
ONLY II u. S. AIRCRAFT
LOST IN OPERATIONS
IS Enemy JU-Sz's Taking
Food and Equipment to
ROmmel Destroyed
BY VIRGIL PINKLEY

IA VAAN&A6 kAkNhAAA1A
UNITED Press staff Correspondent
Allied Headquarters, North
Africa, April 8. - (UP)
Powerful Allied air forces
smashed all records in the
North African theater, 1t was
disclosed today, when they
made more than 1000 sorties
Monday against the Axis,
destroyed AZ airplanes, blew
up a destroyer and set fire 70
supply ships enroute to Tunisia.
While American and British
ground troops held the initiative
In Tunisian patrol operations, the
air forces scored their greatest VIC
tories over the Luftwaffe In the
Monday aerial fighting at the cost
OF only ~ Of our aircraft.
One outstanding phase Of the cir
attack was the destruction Of ID
enemy JU-52 air transport planes
carrying supplies to the forces 81
Marshal Erwin RomInel in Tunisiai
(That indicated the Axis still was
reinforcing its Tunisian armies with
q view to fighting to the end TO delay
the Allied offensive against south
ern Europe.)
Thirteen escorting fighters also
were downed by attacking American
Lockheed Lightning fighters.
"Suicide" Attacks
cat Cairo 1t was announced that
American volunteer crews in 1iber-
ators made projected suicide" at
tacks last Friday on the Italian
supply ports Of Messina, San Clio
vanni and Crotone, and that ell
planes returned. On Sunday night
Middle Eastern Command boEnberB
also raided Naples less than ~ hours
after that big port was hit by almost
100 Flying Fortresses.
Goth Axis and Allied-controlied
radios reported that artillery prepa-
ration by the British Eighth Army
north Of Gabes and intensified pa
troll action In Tunisia indicated that
new and climactic phase Of the
land battle for Tunisia was about to
start.)
Official advices did not ii1dicate
definitely whether the Axis air and
sea transports were carrying men
or supplies to Tunisia but it was as
sumed that 1t might be both.
The Allied bombers and fighters
ranged all the way from Sicily to
tho nov,kroI r1ts,1fcfova x1nsst ~ Gnnw
blasting airdromes, docks, shipping,
railways and troop and transports
concentrations.
Meantime, bombers from the
Middle Eastern command raided
Naples, Italy's second port, Sunday
night less than II hours after nearly
100 Flying Fortresses from the west
ern command hit or damaged about
Is Axis vessels in the harbor and,
adjacent waters. A British con1mu-
nique issued in Cairo said the Mid
le-Eastern bombers attacked az
dusk and scored hits on at least two
moles in the harbor.
Ground activity on all fronts in
Tunisia was confined to patrol ac~
tivity yesterday, Gen. Dwight ID.
Eisenhower's communique said. but
front dispatch reported that
American forces ON the south-cen-
trail sector pushed deeper into tlne
Biz Mrabott Pass east Of FL 0uettag
in their drive to join the British
Eighth Army some 10 miles to the
southwest.
(Axis broadcasts reported that the
Eighth Army had started an artil-
lery bombardment of Axis positions
along the northern rim Of Wadi
Akarit, 20 miles north Of Gabes. pre-
sumably as a prelude to another
lunge to the north along the TIEni-
sian coastal road. The AIlied-con-
trOlled Morocco radio said the
Germans had resumed their retreat
northward along the c0ast.)
Formations OF medium bombers,
escorted by Lightning flghterH.
caught an enemy convoy m the 81
Gillian Straits and straddled the veas
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