Evening star., 1943-05-20
Allies DESTROY
Is Planes in
Raids Off Italy
Sicily and Sardinia
Targets Of Mighty
Aerial Blows
Hy the Associated Press.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, May 20.-Al-
lied fighters and bombers, in
mighty smashes at Axis air
power, destroyed 73 planes yes
terday in the greatest aerial
blow they have inflicted since
the collapse of the German
ground forces in North Africa,
it was announced today.
Twenty-nine planes were shot
down in fierce dog fights off Sicily
and Sardinia in an area where the
German and Italian air forces have
concentrated hundreds of aircraft In
an attempt to stem the great and
continuing Allied onslaught and at
least A others were destroyed on the
ground.
Challenged by Axis Fighters.
For the first time since the fall
of Tunisia. enemy aircraft rose in
large numbers to challenge Allied
domination of the skies over Sar-
DINA and Sicily and their squadrons
were ripped to pieces in what ofn-
cial sources described as several
long and gruelling dog fights"
Fifty Axis fighters attacked Fly
ing Fortresses, which bombed the
Milo airfleld near Trapani, Sicily
and more than 80 fighters attacked
United States Marauders and War
hawks when the Americans bombed
Monserrato. Elmas airfield and the
harbor Of Cagliari, in Southern Sar-
dinia.
Thirty-seven of the Axis planes
destroyed on the ground were on the
Milo field. At Milas airfield. in Cen
trail Sardinia, Mitchells scored di-
rect hits on at least six grounded
planes and at Villacidro, where ap-
proyimately so planes were parked,
hits were seen all over the dispersal
area and several explosions were
observed in fuel dumps.
H- The dispatch did not bring
out where the Americans de-
stroyed the 44th grounded plane,
but presumablyit was one of those
at Villacidro, Is miles northwest
OF CagliariD
Italian Outposts Blasted.
A lone Beauf1ghter patrolling the
Eastern Sandman coast encoun-
tered five torpedo-carrying Junkers
88s. 1t destroyed one, probably de-
stroyed a second and damaged a
third.
The 28 others shot down in COM
bat were bagged by American
bombers and their fighter escorts
in raids during which tons of bombs
were dropped on Italy's island out
posts.
The biggest fight of the day oc-
CURED between the Sicilian coast
and the Egadi Islands when so
enemy fighters attacked Fortresses
which had just bombed Milo Field.
The Fortress gunners shot down
10, and P-38 Lightnings which were
escorting, damaged three more in
a spectacular running battle which
continued 20 minutes, with the op-
posing forces flying at heights rang
ing from sea level to $4,000 feet.
Fourteen Allied aircraft were de-
clared by the German high COM
mand to have been destroyed in the
coastal regions Of Sardinia and
Sicily.
The italian high command said
in communique broadcast from
Rome and recorded by the Asso-
ciated Press that Axis planes had
torpedoed and probably sank two
medium sized Allied steamers of the
the Algerian coast and heavily dam
aged a third vessel of 10000 tons.
The italian bulletin said the ports
of Sfax. Tunisia. and Oran, AL
geria, were effectively attacked by
Axis bombers.'
Some casualties and small dam
age were caused at Trapani (Sicily)
in the region of Campidano (Sar-
denial and in Cagliari Province by
enemy aircraft. which were strongly
engaged by Italian and German
fighters and suffered total loss OF
13 machines" the communique said
"A four-engined bomber also was
destroyed over Sicily by antiaircraft
defenses."
Among the Lightning pilots who
blasted enemy fighters from the
skies in the Villacidro Airdrome raid
was 1t. Ralph c. Embrey, whose wife
lives at 2115 F street NV. 1t. EN-
brey. a native Of Kansas, enlisted al
Randolph Field, Tex. about three
years ago and later was selected to
take training In plotting.
Mrs. Embrey, who had not heard
of her husbands air victory, his sec
ond, until called by The Star. said
1t. Embrey had been out of the
country since last September.