Evening star., 1944-03-15
War S Biqqest Concentrated Raid
Aimed at Ending Italian Deadlock
Every Plane in
Euker's Air Force
Used in Assault
BY EDWARD KENNEDY,

"A L. l. T. ~ t1EADl9 AIT lEIO
Naples, Mar. 15.-Allied all
power devastated Casino today
with the wars greatest concen-
trated bombing attack, and Al
lied ground forces Immediately
charged in to drive the Germans
from the rubble of the fortress
town.
First reconnaissance photographs
developed after the aerial assault
showed Casino was leveled.
More than 1,400 tons of bombs
were hurled on a target of less than
a square mile by every type of plane
in an armada of 5000 sorties.
The Germans at Casino have
been blocking the main 5th Army
advance since early January.
Heavy Artillery Barrage.
British and American artillery
smashed out in a heavy barrage
after the morning-long bombing
stopped.
Casino, on main highway to
Rome, is rs miles southeast of that
capital. and some 60 miles east of
the Anzio invasion beachhead.
Lit. Gen. Ira c. Eaker threw every
plane of his Mediterranean Alice
Air Forces into gigantic blow te
smash the German grip on this towr
once and for all and end the long
deadlock. The planes ranged from
single-seater fighters to great Fly
ing Fortresses and Liberators. They
started in shortly after daylight ano
continued pounding the town until
noon.
Then the artillery opened up ano
the waiting infantry was flung into
battle.
Allied Troops Withdrawn.
Allied troops who had been hold
ing about one-third of the city were
withdrawn quietly during the night
to give the bombers free hand.
The rumble of the bombing shook
windows and houses in Naples, SO
airline miles away.
Never before has such weight of
high explosive bombs been poured
on so small an area in SO short a
time. In intensity the raid eclipsed
any ever inflicted on Germany.
The first waves started at dawn,
then returned and reloaded to
smash the same target a short time
later.
A headquarters ON m u n q u c
termed it a bombing operation un-
surpassed"
Timed to split-second perfection
the relays of bombers went over al
intervals of every 10 or Is minutes
throughout the morning.
Co-ordinated Plan.
An Army announcement said:
The large-scale air effort against
Casino the morning of March Il
was part of a co-ordinated plar
with the land forces.
Immediately after cessation o.
the bombing at midday, British anc
American artillery of the 5th Army
took up the pounding of the enemy'
position in and around Casino anc
our infantry pressed forward, ex
tending maximum pressure on the
enemy"
1t. Gen. Mark Clark watched th'
bombing from window in houS'
behind the front with a group o
correspondents and Air Force Off
GERS.
The operation against Cassint
was but one phase of an all-ou
offensive that continued into thu
afternoon with increasing fury.
approximately the same weigh
of bombs was rained on towns
bridges and communications cente
to the north and northWest-place
where the Germans might attemp
another delaying stand as at Gas
sino.
German troops in the AMI
beachhead also were hard hit at tn
same time.
Whistling Devices Used.
The Allied flyers hitting Cassin,
turned against the Germans on
of the LuftWaffe's own most fright
ening psychological weapons
whistling devices attached to a
many bombs as possible--to see hov
the enemy stood up under his owl
type Of ''screamers."
Mitchell bombers began the as
sault at 80 am. 1870 a m. Eastern
war time) and after two formation
had gone over the target, FLYNN
Fortresses and Liberators came in t
pound it from $50 am. to 11:1t
(See ITALY, Page A-4J
IA