Evening star., 1944-05-09
Yanks Pound 10 Enemy Targets
In France Belgium Luxembourg;
Record Aerial Assault Indicated
1000 Planes
Take Part in
Day Attacks
By the Associated Press.

lean Air Force based in Britain
hurled nearly 1000 planes at
Europe today in the 25th day OF
the nonstop preinvasion air Of
fensive, smashing at railroads
and airdromes in France, Bel
gium and Luxembourg.
A great fleet of Flying Fortresses
and Liberators and their escorting
fighters struck 10 separate targets in
the three countries-seven airfieldS
and three railroad yards handling
German war freight, setting the
pace for a series of widespread
blows. Judging from Channel ac-
tivity, today may be the heaviest
day yet in the huge air campaign.
1t was the 18th straight day of
heavy bomber operations and the
third time in as many days that
1000 planes, including all types, had
been in operation.
Raj in Night Assault.
Today'S assaults followed strong
attacks on enemy targets by the
Raj last night and came after yes
terday's big operations in which
4,500 American planes bombarded
Berlin, Brunswick, Channel coast
targets and rail centers and de-
stroyed 119 German fighter planes
American Air Forces lost 36 bomb
ers and 13 fighters in a great sky
battle over Brunswick.
Marauder medium bombers of the
United States 9th Air Force, which,
like the FortreSses and Liberators.
flew two missions yesterday, joined
with A-20 light bombers in today's
forenoon assault on military objec-
tives and railroads in Northern
France and Belgium.
Railroad yards hit by the heavy
bombers today were at Liege, Bel
gium, near the German border;
Thiomville, France, north of Metz,
and in the city of Luxembourg.
Other Targets Attacked.
An airfield at Thiomville also was
attacked along with others at St.
Dizier. west of Nancy; Laon- Cow
ron and Laon-A -Athies, northwest of
Reims, and Laon, all in France, and
at st. Trond, northwest of Liege,
and Florennes, near the French
border, both in Belgium.
In last nights attacks the RAF
hit railway targets, airfields and
other objectives in France, Belgium
and Germany. 1t was the RATS
third straight nightly assault on
multiple targets.
The heavy American bombers
alone probably scattered at least
$500 tons of explosives over 10 vital
targets today.
In todays forays the American
"heayies" returned to the preinva-
sion task of ripping up installations
not far behind Hitler's Atlantic wall
after two days of deeper penetra-
tions. with Berlin itself the principal
target.
Many returning crewmen said fax
and fighter opposition were negligi-
BILE today in contrast to yesterday
The first airmen back from Belgium
said they attacked a night fighter
field at F1orennes and reported hits
on hangers, runwayS and parked
planes.
Later today, RAF Mitchens and
Bostons struck another blow at rail-
roads in France, blasting the yards
at Valenciennes, 81 miles southeast
of Lille.
Planes Pour Across Channel.
Tremendous aerial activity con-
tinued over southeast coastal dis
tricts throughout the forenoon, with
nearly every type of daylight raider
seen in the clear skies over the
Channel.
Between 8 am. and noon explo-
sions on the French mainland shook
buildings in the Folkestone area.
British coastal residents said both
bombs and guns created the din.
Many formations were seen re-
turning, while others still were going
over in a veritable nonstop shuttle
service.
Despite bright moon, a force of
probably $50 British Lancasters and
HalifaxeS dumped probably $500
tons of explosives on last nights
targets with loss of 10 bombers.
Returning flyers said most of the
German fighter opposition encoun-
tered was at Haine St. Pierre. Bel
2ium, where one Halifax of Cana
dian bomber group was attacked
three times by FW-l90s Rail yards
were bombed in this area.
Base Near Brest Attacked.
An airfield and Seaplane base near
Brest were hammered and coastal
installations in France were bombed
RAF bombers also ranged into West
ern Germany, striking at Osna-
bruck and an unidentified objective
in the Ruhr.
Pilots who raided BreSt said visi-
bility was perfect and they could see
hangers OF the Seaplane base clearly
enough to drop their bombs without
the aid of flares Hangers and other
buildings were hit by many bombs
and left in flames.
Weather grounded heavy bombers
OF the Mediterranean air force after
70 hours of round the clock blows
at Balkan communications.
Nearly 1000 FortreSSes, Liberators
and their fighter escorts participated
in yesterday mornings attack on
Berlin and Brunswick.
In the afternoon about $50 Lib
orators and Fortresses hammered
rail- yards near Brussels and coastal
Notifications in the Calais and
Cherbourg areas, losing five
bombers.
Great formations of American
Marauder mediums, Havoc dive
bombers, British Mitchell and Bos-
ton bombers added their weight to
the job OF tearing away Hitler
anti-inVaSiOn works