Evening star., 1944-03-17

this afternoon, supported by PAT
Thunderbolts.
"a U. s. Planes Lost.
Fortress and Liberator gunners ac-
counted for 48 of the enemy single
and twin-engined aircraft which
swirled about the American forma-
tions yesterday, Strategic Air
Force announcement said, while the
fighters shot down n. Twelve
American fighting planes were lost,
while "a OF the bombers failed to
return.
First reports did not include the
48 planes shot down by the bomber
gunners.
The smash at Southern German
targets was followed last night by
small but heavily freighted lombard
ment fleets of the Raj which struck
again at German transport in
France, pounding the Michelin tire
factory at Clermont- -Ferrand, 80
mile southwest of Vichy, and the rail
yards at Amiens, both master cogs
In Hitler's anti-invasion machinery.
The RAF unloaded some of its
new 10000 pound factory busters"
on the Michelin works in a precision
attack, the Air Ministry said.
Not plane was lost in this second
successive night operation of the
RAFs heavy bombers which hit a
peak stride Wednesday night when
more than 1000 of the four-engined
British planes pounded Stuttgart
and other targets with over 1850
tons of bombs
Mosquitoes Hit Western Reich.
Mosquitoes last night also hit OBJ
Jectives in Western Germany and
fleets of minelayers carried out
widespread operations, while RAF
heavy bombers, disclosed to be oper-
ating in the Mediterranean for the
first time in recent months, delivered
the second consecutive night attack
on Sofia, capital of Bulgaria
The Air Ministry said Lancasters,
laundering to Clermont-Ferrand in
a clear night sky, deposited a we'll
concentrated pattern of bombs.
Amiens, a key rail junction be-
tween Paris and the Channel, had
been hit three times, in 48 hours and
four times this month. 1t was one
Of the targets in the RATS 1000
bomber operation Wednesday night.
Marauders also struck in daylight
Wednesday at the rail yards at Aul-
noye, only miles south of Amiens
and an important point in the line
between Lille and the Channel
ports Of Dunkerque and Calais.
Seven Forced Down in Switzerland.
Amiens is 81 miles north or Paris
and about 80 miles from Pas-de-
Calais. 1t has a peacetime popula-
tion of more than 10000.
Clermont-Ferran is one of the
most important centers of the rub
Der industry on the continent of
Europe and was last hit by Mos
Quitos on March IL.
Bern dispatches said seven of the
American bombers in yesterdays
smash into Southern Germany were
forced to land on Swiss soil, three
of them crashing. Most of the crew
members parachuted to safety and
were interned, but one Liberator fell
into Lake Zoug, and one of its crew
perished
Two British bombers and one Ger
man night fighter also were forced
to land in Switzerland.
A total of 10 foreign planes have
landed on Swiss territory since
March 16
The foray yesterday, in which the
Germans said Augsburg also was
bombed, netted one of the biggest
bags of enemy fighters ever shot
down in a single day.
1t was the largest toll of the en-
emy since March 8, when 125 Ger
man fighting planes were shot out
Of the sky, but not up to the mark
of 176 shot down on March 6 in the
heavy raid on Berlin. when 68 bomb
ers were lost.
Yankee fighters, in accounting for
II yesterday, were only 6 short Of
their one-day record of 83, estab-
lished in the Berlin raid of March g.
Attack in Every Great Strength"
The headquarters communique
said the FortresseS and Liberators
attacked in very great strength. ."
The phrase taken to mean that the
force probably was as strong as
that which raided Berlin March g.
an armada estimated at about $50
planes. The raiders yesterday
bombed their objectives through a
heavy overcast by use of instru-
ments, the bulletin said.
The Berlin radio declared a new
Nazi destroyer" fighter was used
In the defense. One group of Amer
lean flyers reported seeing a for