Evening star., 1944-04-03
u. S. Bombers Attack Budapest;
Reds Push 5 Miles Into Rumania:
Japs Sever Roads Around |mpha|
Hungarian Capita
Suffers Its First
American Attack
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, April 3.-A great
formation of American heavy
bombers attacked Budapest to-
day, carrying out the first United
States attack on the Hungarian
capital. The bombers flew from
bases in Italy, and the Berlin
radio told of violent battles be-
tween American and German
planes over Hungary.
The Budapest railway center and
an important aircraft factory just
south of the capital were the targets
of the 18th Air Force, g. Naples
announcement said
IA Planes Downed, Nazis Say.
First fragmentary reports from
the Berlin radio said IA American
planes were downed over Budapest,
only recently occupied by the Ger
mans. The Nazi DNB agency said
"American-escorted bombers" had
been engaged over Hungary by
German bomber and fighter forma-
tions.
Budapest, one of Europe's most
beautiful cities, lies on both sides
of the Danube American and Brit
ish planes had not bombed it pre-
viously, but the Russian Air Force
attacked it in September, 1912, and
again last week.
AS a result of the bombing of
Germanvs industrial centers, the
Reich has been reported moving
factories into Hungary and also to
be relying on the production of
established Hungarian factories.
Budapest is key point on rail-
road networks liking Germany with
the Balkans.
Details of today's attacks were
not Immediately announced, but it
was known to be a very big one,
with Flying Fortresses and Lib
orators participating.
100 Nazi Aircraft Bagged.
1t followed yesterdays heavy
bomber raid on Steyr, Austria, in
which more than 500 Italy-based
bombers were escorted by Thunder
bolt and Lightning fighters More
than 300 German planes attacked
the Steyr raiders and more than 100
OF the attacking aircraft were shot
down, the United States Air Forces
announced.
The Americans lost SO planes in
yesterdays Mediterranean opera
tions, most of them presumably
falling in the Steyr raid, in which
the German aircraft parts factory
and ball-bearing works were
bombed.
The 100 enemy planes destroyed
constituted a record toll in one raid
by Mediterranean forces.
Coming after last weeks attack on
Budapest by the Russians, today's
raid may indicate the beginning of a
co-ordinated air attack by the two
Allies.
Budapest is 450-miles northeast of
the Allied air base at Foggia, Italy.
Other Targets Raided.
Other Liberator and Fortress for
nations today bombed several Yu-
goslavian railroad yards-at Knin,
junction Of the main line from
Flume to Sibenik and Split, Yugo-
slavia; at Brod, which forms a juno
ton of lines from Zagreb to Bel
grade and Sarajevo, and at Drnis,
halfway between Sibenik and Knin.
The attack on Steyr yesterday
came on the heels of Saturday
night attacks by Britain based RAF
Mosquitoes against Hanover, Kre-
field and Aachen.
While Steyr, which is 90 miles from
Vienna, was being pounded. other
Fortresses and Liberators struck
across the Adriatic TO blast targets
In Yugoslavia
Reminder Assaults.
The Mosquito stabs from Britain
Saturday night were in the category
Of reminder" assaults on German
industrial centers, which recently
have shown new signs Of activity.
Meanwhile, the Swiss government
made diplomatic representations
over the accidental bombing Satur-
day of SchaffhauSen, Swiss north
ern frontier town, which is bounded
on three sides by German territory.
The Swiss radio said the death
toll stood at 35 and that 55 persons
were injured by the bombs dropped
by small portion Of a LiberatOr
force, which United States head
quarters said encountered "difficul-
ties Of navigation in bad weather."
The Swiss said their Minister at
Washington had asked the United
States Government 10 take neceS-
sary steps and that the American
envoy at Bern had formally called
on Swiss officials to express regret.
An official communique broadcast
BY the Swiss radio said Swiss air
space again was violated by isolated
planes yesterday afternoon. The
nationality Of the planes was not
given.
Recapitulating last months Allied
operations. the All Ministry last
night said March was record
breaking month for the Raj, which
flew more than 5000 bomber flights,
dropping 3l,36O tons of bombs on
France and Germany at loss Of 33l
planes.
The report said 1850 tons of
bombS-a new record-Were dropped
twice during the month in attacks
on single cities - Frankfurt and
Stuttgart, The Raj destroyed 100
enemy planes during the month, in
cludlng SO German raiders over
London.