Evening star., 1944-01-12
Nazis Raise Claim Of u. S. Toll
To 124 Bombers and II Fiqhters
In Three-Hour BattIe Over Reich
London SpecuIotes
Thut Raid Cost
so Big Ships
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. 12.-The Lon.
don press speculated today tha
the United States 9th Air Force
had lost three score bombers ir
yesterdays attack on Germany
The German high command
claimed 1856 planes, 124 bomber.
and II fighters were shot down
and a German-censored report
reaching Sweden estimated the
Americans lost Is per cent oi
the planes sent over Western
Germany.
All these figures were without Of
fclal confirma tion-the 9th Ali
Force still was compiling its reports
almost "a hours after the bombers
return from the raid, which turned
into three-hour running battle.
The Evening News speculated that
American losses might have been
so bombers-possibly on the basis
of the October IA attack on Schwein-
furt, Germany, when that record
loss was suffered The Germans at
that time claimed 1913 planes downed.
Figure Is Raised.
A special communique from the
German high command, broadcast
last night, also said 1913 planes were
shot down in yesterdays attack, but
this figure was raised today to 1876.
The loss of only nine planes was ad-
nitted.
Meanwhile, the Scandinavian
Telegraph Bureaus Berlin corre-
spondent, estimating losses at Is
per cent, said there was speculation
that Nazi planes were equipped with
new secret device which improved
their effectiveness in combating the
heavy bombers.
A preliminary announcement last
night said the escort of the bomb
ers-Flying Fortresses and Liberia
tors-included Thunderbolts, Light
nings and new type of long-range
fighter. Unquestionably the battle,
fought in stormy weather, was one
of the greatest aerial engagements
of the war.
Fly Across Berlin Outskirts.
The Berlin correspondent of
Stockholm'S Aftonbladet said part
of yesterdays attack, at least, was
directed against Magdeburg, impor-
tant arms and railroad center about
100 miles west of Berlin, and Hal
berstadt, in the same vicinity. The
correspondent added that Fortresses
flew across the outskirts of Berlin
for the first time in attacking these
places.
Aftonbladet said the American
flyers feinted toward Berlin and an
alarm sounded there just before
noon yesterday-the second time
since the wars start that real day.
light warning has been given in Ber-
lin. An "unimportant part" of the
bombers swept over the outskirts of
Berlin and was met by antiaircraft
fire, while most of the planes turned
south toward the main objectives, it
added.
mo large damage was caused at
any of these places" Aftonbladet as
serted.
Continuous Attack.
Last nights 9th Air Force COM
munique said merely that targets in
Northwest Germany had been at
tackled and that strong fighter op-
position" was encountered. A sup
Elementary statement told of the
three-hour battle and said the
bombers were subjected to continu-
GUS attack going to and from the
target.
THE Germans threw in virtually
every type of aircraft that could
give battle to the bombers and their
assault was vicious and determined, u
the statement said
The leader of one formation, Brig
Gen. Robert F. Travis, said there
were only three minutes between the
time the first enemy planes we're