Evening star., 1944-07-28
5000 Planes Hill
Nazi Oil Plants
In 2-Wdy Raid
Mersebure in Reich
- And PIoesti Blasted
By U. S. Bombers
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 28.-American
air forces hurled more than 5000
planes today at dwindling Ger
man oil resources, striking syn
thetic fuel plants at Merseburg
in the heart OF the Reich and the
rich Ploesti oil fields in Romania.
Half the force was heavy bomb
ers, striking from both England
and Italy.
Other flights of tactical aircraft
returned to the Normandy front in
France supporting the American
Army advancing on Coutances by
bombing and strafing enemy trans
port from Paris TO the Atlantic
coast. Yesterday, the tactical units
destroyed or damaged at least los
Nazi tanks.
Around 1000 FLYING Fortresses
with an equal number of fighters
bombed the Luena synthetic oil
plants at Merseburg for the third
time this month. and other central
German targets. Merseburg is on
the Saale River west of LEIPZIG and
is an important rail junction. The
Germans said nearby Halle and
Dessau also were attacked amid
great air battles.
18th Raid on Ploesti.
In co-ordinated strike from
Italy, more than 500 Liberators with
probably an equal escort bombed
the Ploesti oil center IS miles north
of Bucharest for the 18th time
P!oesti had been bombed by Raj
air forces before dawn.
On the eastern front, the Rus
SLAMS said they again bombed the
East Prussian rail center Of Tilsit
destroying five military trains and
setting dozens of fires The Rus
slams said they destroyed AZ Ger
man planes. ---..
Fortresses were guided to Ger
many by patht1nders who found
Merseburg covered by thick clouds
They used the overcast bombing
technique.
At Ploesti, the Germans ATTEMPTED
to make their own clouds bv Great
ing dense smoke screen. but the
Operators rained their bombs on
tN target, causing explosions and
fires. A number of enemy fighters
were destroyed, adding to the toll
OF more than 200 shot down by the
1taly-based airforces from Monday
through Thursday. FLAX was in
tense. The Germans said Bucharest
also was bombed during the night.
Nazi lnterceptors Destroyed.
Escorting fighters from England
destroyed four German interceptors
and the bombers got a fifth. Seven
bombers and two fighters of these
forces are missing.
The assaults were launched de-
spite continuation of the cloudy
weather which has restricted air
operations over the Normandy bat
tlefront, except for one day during
the last two weeks.
Raj Mosquitoes attacked Stutt-
CART last night for the third time in
four nights.
The German radio said Bucharest
also was bombed.
To-Day was the first time daylight
bombers have been over the Reich
since they wound up the wars
heaviest week-long offensive July
Il and the first time British based
American heavy bombers have been
out in great strength since the rec
ord fleet of we'll over $500 helped
launch the American advance west
of st. Lo Tuesday.
Fighter Opposition Increases.
With thousand-foot ceiling and
few breaks in the heavy clouds.
Normandy weather today was about
the same rs yesterday, when the
tactical air units flew approximately
1000 sorties - 1,500 of them by
hghter bombers and rocket firing
aircraft in direct support of troops
all along the battle line.
Allied airmen, noting a slight in
crease in German fighter opposi-
ton, reported at least ITS enemy
planes seen over the battle area
yesterday. OF these % were downed
in combat, against a loss of 2l
Allied planes.
Allied headquarters said tactical
air squadrons, cooperating with
Allied artillery, succeeded in break
ing up number of attempts by
enemy to develop counterattacks.
Thunderbolts returning from a
dive-bombing mission late last night
surprised five Nazi planes about to
land on the field at Rommily-sur-
Seine and destroyed all of them
without loss.
Allied headquarters confirmed
nightly raids over Allied lines bv
small numbers of enemy planes.
'See AERIAL, Page A-5J