Evening star., 1943-08-27
Key Italian Airfie|ds
Are Blasted Again
BY u. ). Bombers
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, Aug. 27.-
American heavy and medium
bombers in strong force renewed
their assault on the Italian Pc
ninsula yesterday with heavy
attacks on key airdromes. Flying
Fortresses smashed the Capua
airfields and Marauders raided
the aerial installations at Graz
Zanise.
Large numbers Of dispersed planes
on the target fields were hit and
Is enemy fighters were destroyed in
stiff running battles. Enemy planes
shot down in the 24-hour cycle up
to this morning totaled 10, Allied
headquarters announced
While the Fortresses hit Capua,
II miles north of Naples on a rail
line, and the Marauders visited
Grazzanise, in the vicinity of Naples,
RAF Wellingtons also carried out
night operations in the suburbs OF
Naples, roaring over Bagnoli again
with blockbusters.
Power Lines Strafed.
In other widespread operations
over Sardinia Warhawks strafed
power lines, motor transport and
buildings and destroyed three
planes on the ground near Guspini
and bombed the harbor at Carlo
forte.
Mitchell medium raiders shot I'D
the railroad junction at Locri and
A-36 Invaders dive-bombed gun
positions near, Reggie Calabria.
Seven Allied planes were missing
from all operations
The continued air onslaught CO.
incided with announcement OF new
bombardments of the italian main
land by British warships and the
enemys first serious attack on AL
giers in two and half months.
A few planes penetrated Algiers'
defenses, dropping bombs in and
near the city shortly before dawn.
The damage was officially termed
negligible and three raiders were
shot down. There were a few cas-
ualties.
Many Bombs Dropped.
Fortresses, escorted by Lightnings,
dropped thousands of augmentation
bombs and many tons Of high ex-
plosives on Capua's airfields in the
same pattern of attack which laid
waste the master airdrome and its
satellites at Foggia the day before.
Strings Of bombs covered the
fields dispersal areas. Many parked
planes were knocked out, and one
hangar was set af1ame as many
smaller fires blazed up.
The Fortresses and Lightnirgs
were attacked by As to so enemy
fighters and the running battle
continued from the target to Is
miles out to sea on the return trip.
The Fortresses knocked down eight
OF the enemy and the Lightnines
shot down four.
Runways, dispersal areas, hangars
and barracks at Grazzanise, lust
north of Naples, received thorough
working over from the B-26s, which
also had a Lightning escort. The
whole area was blanketed with
bombs and when 10 to Is enemy
lnterceptors attempted to repel the
attack the bombers shot down two
and the Lightnings one.
A the same time American Mitch
ellis attacked satellite field and
destroyed several aircraft on the
ground At Locri, on the toe, the
Mitchells scored a direct hit on the
rail line from Gioia and other hits
on tracks and functions.
Enemy Not Encountered.
One Warhawk pilot on the visit
to Gaspini, Flight Officer Robert A.
Bormillion, of Columbus Ohio, said
we've been going over Sardinia
almost daily and haven't encoun-
tered an enemy plane in the air
for weeks. We did see some on the
ground and knocked out several OF
them"
A British naval force bombarded
a railway and bridges in the vicinity
of Locri Tuesday night, a naval
communique announced.
Enemy shore batteries made some
reply the bulletin said, but their
fire was inaccurate.
Calabrian Coast Shelled.
l. A British cruiser also shelled
enemy positions on the Calabrian
coast toward the southern end of
Messina Strait Wednesday afternoon,
The communique gave no results of
this attack
CThe Italian communique broad
cast by Rome and recorded bv
the Associated Press reported
Allied raids on the city of Tararto
and localities in the province of
Naples. The Rome announce
ment declared nine of the attack
Ing planes were downed.
CIhe communique said German
planes had dropped numerous
bombs on Allied targets in Catania
and had scored direct hits on a
medium sized merchant yesseD