The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-02-26
Augsburg; Steyr Targets of
Night Raid; laps Lose 1876
Planes in Marianas Attack
Details Not
Available
onCuann

nv International NeWs Service
Allied bombers rounded out a
week OF powerful air raids on i'm.
portaut Na.i aircraft factories IN
the Reich today with a mighty two.
way night attack against Augsburg
and Steyr both OF which were bat.
tered earl or In the week.
The raid on Augsburg by Royal
Air Force bombers came scarcely Il
hours after formations OF Amer
lean Fortresses and I.iberatoYs
wrought widespread devastation on
the city's Messerschmitt works and
fighter experimental station.
Although size OF the fleet that
struck at Augsburg during the night
vas not immed lately disclosed.
COASTAL Obsereers in England said
two waves OF bombers roared to-
ward the continent, These spoilers
expressed the opinion that pos.
sibiy 2.2i0 tons OF explosives were
unloaded by the raiders.
Targets other than Augsburg
were believed hit too. for the Air
Ministry communique said that
city was 1.-THE main target OF strong
Raj forces" which attacked tho
continent Frankfort. the enemyS
great industrial center OF the
Rhlneland. was identified by the
German radio as one OF the other
detectives.
Though Augsburg was blasted
yesterday, the principal target on
,Eriday Mas Regensburg which I'M
derNenl a two-way assault by tbs
United States bombers.
The two-way operations again
proved successful An Allied head
quarters communique from the
Mediterranean revealed that Italy
based planes attacked the import.
ant aircraft center OF Steyr. in Aus
tria. This town and It's important
Messerschmitt factory was hit by
U. s.. heavy bombers on Thursday.
Deep Penetration
During yesterdays daylight on
erations, the greatest" number OF
american fighters accompanied the
Yank bombers and made their deep.
est penetration OF the continent TO
date.
In the central Pacific, an Amer.
lean naval task force which made
It's deepest penetration OF Japan
defenses and destroyed 1876 enemy
planes in the Marianas Islands. was
revealed to have launched an al
tack also against Guam. American
island seized by the Japs III miles
southwest OF Saipan.
Although details were lacking
concerning the American assault
upon Guam, as mentioned In Adj
miral Chester w. Nmltz's commun'
ique. the enemy radio Indicated
that the operations we're still ~
progress. 4 Tokyo dispatch to the
German overseas agency reported
that "a bitter battle has been rag
ing for days" between the Japan.
csc garrison at Guam and an a.
lacking Z. 5. naval formation.
There was no confirmation or
this enemy report. Nimitz said the
Guam attack was small
The Marianas assault. directed
against Saipan and Tinian islands.
failed TO disclose any Japanese war-
ships, but II other type vessels felt
the devastating blows OF American
explosives. III the attack. Yank
losses we're only six planes. de-
spite the fact that torpedo and dive
bombers spotted the L. S. flotilla
as 1t approached the Marianas.
Heavy Bombing
Cen. Douglas MacAythur's air.
men appeared 10 have done well
their Job of neutralizing the Jap's
bases IN the Bismarcks. For the
fourth successive day. the Allied
tliers subjected the once-mighty
stronghold OF Rabaul to heavy
bombing without meeting enemy op-
position.
Other Macarthur raiders bat.
tered Jap installations at Rein Bay.
on New Britain. and attacked We
wax on New Guinea. where his
ground troops occupied two more
villages IN the Saidor area.
Ground action in the European
theaters was marked by the steady
advance OF Russian forces in nor
thevn. parts OF the eastern front.
and by stubborn resistance Of Allied
troops in the Italian battle areas.
Nazi attacks we're repulsed at An
zio. Casino and on the Eighth
Army front.
After a l5.mile advance within a
single day. Red army spearhesds
drove into the outskirts OF Pskov,
key rail junction known as the gate
way 10 lower Estonia and northern
I.atvia While one Soviet column
pushed into the outer rim OF the
city from the east. another was
within six miles north. Three other
rail towns shielding the Baltic
states we're menaced by Russians
advancing north Of captured Roga-
chcv.
NEW YORK INS-The Hungar-
ian NIT agency reported today
that strong earthquake accom-
panied by underground rumblings'
shook the Rumanian capital OF