Evening star., 1944-05-20
j. ). Bombers
AirfieIds
In NorthF France
Very Strong Force
Of Fighters Aids in
FoI|owup Attack
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 20.-American
heavy bombers, possibly $50
strong, attacked three enemy
airdromes in Northern France
and the railroad yards at Reims
today less than IL hours after
heavy RHF forces smashed four
French railroad centers in night
attacks.
Accompanied by Every strongs
forces of escort fighters-between $50
and 1000 Thunderbolts, Lightnings
and Mustangs-the big daylight
bombers struck the Orly and Villa
coublay fields near Paris and the
Champagne field near Reims.
The Americans lost two bombers
and five fighters while shooting
down two enemy fighters.
The Berlin radio had indicated
earlier that Allied fleets also were
over Germany today in fast follow
up to the RATS blows at rail net
works in Boulogne, Orleans, Lemans
and Tours, all in occupied Frence
1t was estimated the Allies had
thrown 1000 planes at German de-
fenses since midnight, most of them
against targets in France.
$50 B0mbers in Night Attack,
The unusually large number of
fighters accompanying the light
force OF heavy bombers in their
morning mission indicated airforce
headquarters either anticipated
heavier resistance from the Ger
mans or planned possibly an am
bilious ground strafing assault CO.
ordinated with the bombardment.
An Air Ministry's communique
indicated possibly 750 heavy bomb
ers were used and more than 5000
long tons of explosives dropped in
last nights raids on France. In
addition to the rail centers. military
objectives on the west coast of
France were bombed. Fast flying
Mosquitoes also attacked the Ger
man city of Cologne.
Seven aircraft were reported miss
ing in the nights operations.
The great waves of Raj night
bombers followed up the pounding
given Berlin and Brunswick yester-
day by 1,500 American bombers and
fighters, who shot down 125 German
planes at cost of 26 bombers and
10 fighters.
A German news broadcast claimed
II American planes, mostly four
engined bombers, were downed.
Heavy Damage in Berlin.
The assault on Berlin flattened
some Of the largest workers dis
tricts of the city," destroying hun
dreds of dwellings, the Berlin cor
respondent of Stockholm's Alton
biadet said, terming it lone of the
worst attacks" on the Nazi capital
One of Berlin's most historic build
ings was destroyed, he added.
A Strategic Air Force bulletin to-
day said photographs indicated dam
age to industrial areas and railways
in Berlin, and to a Messerschmitt
components factory, and a pipe and
boiler factory near Brunswick. Rail
shops and yards were hit at both
cities.
Disclosing another operation yes
terday, an official announcement
said strong forces of medium, light
and f1ghters-bombers pounded OBJ
jectives including docks at Dieppe
rail targets at Valenciennes, Busigny
Formerie and Buchy, and the St
Denis 'd'Aclou airflelds. One fighter
bomber and two fighters were lost.
Approach of the RAF planes last
night caused the Germans to halt
the second bombardment of the
Dover area within six hours. A
short time later i-aircraft flares
fiecked the cloud-covered strait and
the crash OF explosions along the
French coast could be heard.
The Berlin radio said 4,318 Ameri-
can planes, including 3,426 four
engined bombers, were destroyed
during American raids on Germany
in the first four months of this
year, "The Allies lost 10000 flying
personnel during this period" the
DNB home service broadcast said.
No enemy planes were over Brit
ain during the night