The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-15

NOOAANAAAN@A HUH EAAG ~  Hanover area northwest of Bruns- wick, which the Paris radio said was the chief target, returning crewmen said few German fighters were able to break through the U. s. shield and reach the bombers.
 The fortresses and liberators dropped their bombs through a so. lid cloud layer over the target, but reported their cargoes were on the aiming point. Anti-aircraft fire was moderate.
 Berlin radios reported that Ger man fighter squadrons went up to challenge the United States bomb- CTS, but emphasized that they were handicapped both by squally wealth CT and an exceptionally strong Am- erican escort.
 BOmbers' Target
 The Nazi-controlled Paris radio said Brunswick, battered plane and transport center 120 miles west of Berlin, was the target of the U. s. bomhers. Earlier Nazi broadcasts had referred only to Hanover as the area of action.
 Observers on the east coast of England reported seeing formations of Flying Fortresses and Liberators heading out over the North Sea, but 1t was not clear immediately whe- ther they comprised the force which U. S. headquarters said had struck into central Germany.
 American Marauder medium bombers of the Ninth Air force joined in the daylight campaign against the continent. Escorted by Royal Air Force, Dominion and Al- lied fighters, they attacked targets in northern France and Belgium.
 Strong Squadrons
 Strong squadrons of American fighters shepherded the four-mo- tored bombers striking into Ger many for the first time since the bombardment Saturday of Muen- ster, transport and industrial cen- ter of the northwest Reich.
 The first official announcement of the daylight attack said a medi- llm sized force of Eight Air Force heavy bombers hit military targets in central Germany behind 0 for- midable shield of U. s. fighter strength.
 If the Nazl report of heavy air battles were borne out, 1t would mean that the German air force recently reluctant to challenge American raiding forces, had made its first defense effort of any con- sequence since the big raid on Ber- lin week ago today.
 Even in its tentative propaganda fiourishes today the German radio laid the groundwork for any neces- sary admission later of feGbe de- fense effort aloft. It conceded that "only a part" of the German fighter and destroyer squadrons were able to contact the American bombers, which were escorted by an extra ordinarily large number of fighters"
 Actually there were more fighters than bombers over Germany today" broadcast dispatch of the DNB News Agency said.
 Clouds and heavy rain h some areas over which the raiders flew also handicapped the defense work aground as well as aloft, the NaAs reported.
 The broadcast indicated that 9th Ar Force flying fortresses and pos Sibly LiberatorS may have selected Hanover, one of the reich'S most important industrial and communi- cations centers, for the next objec. tive in their offensive to reduce key German production cities to ruins.
 Hanover lies l6O miles west of Berlin and has population of 500, 1000. It Is the site of the biggest rubber and tire factory In Ger many, oil reiineries and plants turning out arms, tanks and muni- tions.
 (FCC Monitors reported that the German controlled Hilversum and Friesland Transmitters in Holland and the Bremen radio in Germany went off the air,)
 The DNB dispatch said the rald- CTS were utilizing cloud cover in their efforts 10 escape intercepting German fighters over Western and Northwestern Germany.
 Air battles are continuing along the route of the bombers," DNB said.
 If the Na2i reports prove true, 1t will be the first time German fighters have offered opposition to U. s. raiders since the attacks on Berlin March 8 and 9. The Amer leans met no opposition in raids on Muster and Northern France last Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
 High Allied sources reported earlier this week the Americans would welcome any interception, since 1t would give them an op- portunity to wear down further Oermany's already weakened air force and speed the day when Allied planes can roam German skies un- challenged.
 A number of German. radio sta- tions went of the air this morning further indication that raiders were over the Reich.
 Last night British Mosquito bombers attacked the Rhineland industrial center of Dusseldorf in Western Germany without loss, while German planes made perhaps their heaviest fire raid on London since the io40.4l BlitS at cost of at least 13 planes.