Evening star., 1943-06-25
300 WorpIones Also
Attack Sections
Of Sardinia
MAP on Page ABB
By the Associated Pres.


NORTH AFRICA, June 25.-Lib-
orators of tie 9th United States
Air Force struck for the first time
yesterday at the historic Greek
port of Salonika from Middle
East bases, while about 800
American bombers and fighters
of the Northwest African Com
mand battered communications
of Sardinia, TOO miles to the west,
1t was announced today.
Cairo communiques said more
than so Liberators, attacking in two
waves with more than 250,00C
pounds of high explosives, scored
direct hits on three hangers at the
Axis-occupied Sedes airdrome. of
Salonika, a possible objective of any
Balkan invasion All the hangers
were left in, flames. Pilots saw ex-
plosives burst among administration
buildings and on the field and dis
persal areas.
"AC least three enemy aircraft
were destroyed on the ground and
oil fires were started" one Middle
East bulletin said. None of our
aircraft is missing from these and
other operations"
Figured in World War.
Salonika, the base from which
Gen. Franchet dEsperey sent his
Allied forces charging up through
the Balkans in 1918 in the successful
expedition which heralded the
windup of the World War, is located
approximately TOO miles northwest
of Alexandria, Egypt.
One of the principal ports on the
Aegean, it has figured largely in
Balkan invasion speculation and
frequent reports have seeped from
the Balkans that the Nazis have
strongly fortified the entire area
The city has peacetime population
of 236,000.
Yesterdays attack by the Ameri-
cans involved a round trip of more
than 1000 miles across the Mediter-
ranean.
Enemy air fields, docks, shipping
and an important railway junction
of Sardinia were hammered by
American Sqpadrons CT 1t. Gen
Carl A. Spaatz's air forces after
Raj Wellingtons attacked Catania,
in Sicily, the preceding night.
FL Planes Shot Down.
These raiders shot down 20 of the
many enemy fighters encountered
and an Raj Beaufghter bagged
another to make the score 81. The
Allies lost nine planes.
Malta air squadrons also were ac-
tive.
A Valletta communique announced
that Raj planes attacked industrial
installations at Pozzallo, Sicily, yes
terdsy and similar targets at Au-
gusta, Sicily, last night.
Spitfres were credited with de-
stroying a Messerschmitt 2lO OF the
Italian island.
BIS Mitchells led the American
onslaught against Sardinia, hitting
two supply ships at Golfo Arancl
northeastern port, and severely
damaging the docks. Another form
alton of Mitchells blasted the Vina-
fiorita airfield, also in the north
west part of the Island.
B-26 Marauders made successful
attack on the railway junction al
Chilivani. in North Central Sardinia
and P-4O Warhawks swept over the
southern portion of the island and
left two small ships af1re.
Grounded Planes Destroyed.
WarhaWkS also destroyed a num-
Der of grounded aircraft at the Ca
poterra airfield and attacked the
rail junction at La Maddelena, near
Cagliari.
The Wellington raid Wednesday
night was directed primarily against
the railway yards and Industrial
areas of Catania, where several fires
we're started.
Thirteen enemy planes were shot
down in a spectacular running bat
tie by the Lightning fighters which
escorted the Marauders to Chilivani
First 1t. Gilbert E. Butler OF
Roanoke, Va, was credited with de-
stroying two attacking MesSer-
schmitts while his Lightning was
flying with only one engine and
one rudder. His port engine was
knocked out by cannon shell when
the fight began, and when he Jagged
behind the formation he was at
tackled by four MeSserschmitt l09s.
I'VE rated around for a few min
utes with four of them shooting all
around me-" 1t. Butler related. Il
could make only a 60-degree turn
on my one motor, but managed to
pull the nose up and gave one Mes
serschmitt long burst at so yards
He blew up in the air.
Landed In Tunisia.
Then I kept up the fight with
the remaining three, which were
Joined by another 100. We gradually
worked toward the coast. I got a
second in the same way as the first
while turning to protect my tail. He
went down on the beach. The others
kept after me for IS or 20 miles out
to sea. I guess they ran out OF
ammunition"
1t. Butler managed to land in
Tunisia, but his plane was so Grip
Piled he had to fly to his home field
in another ship.
P-40 WarhawkS picked targets as
they few in wide-ranging forays in
Southern Sardinia. They strafed
grounded planes at Capoterra. de-
stroying several, and then swept on
to shoot up two trucks in a highway
convoy, strafe the La Maddelena
ran station and machine-gun 100
foot boat in Cagliari Harbor.
They left the vessel smoking and
went on to strafe a two-master
sailing ship of Capo Spartivento
setting it afire.
The Warhawks encountered in
tense small-arms fire from the
beaches and then fought a series of
dogfghts for so miles over the sea
In which they, shot down five
ME-109s.
Bomb bursts covered the vena-
horita air field and its dispersal
tSee SALONIKA, Page A-IS)