The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-03-06
Raiders Score Great
Success; Nazis Stunned
Continued from Page y

THE North American planes set a
direct course for Berlin" the agency
said. German defenses had expect
ed the attack. The bombers few
In close formations, protected OH
both sides by fighters. The forma-
ton was on the largest scale.
BY all signs Maj. Gen, James H.
Doollttle had launched his Eighth
Air Force on the long delayed sys.
tematic reduction Of the remaining
Industries IN Berlin.
Air leaders long have been await
ing the ime when American bomb
ers could reach Berlin by daylight
and single out targets which British
night bombers may have missed.
Contrary TO Saturdays announce
ment. today's first word from the
air force specified that every strong
formations" were engaged, In Royal
Air Force operations, where the term
has been used frequently, 1t came
to mean about 600 heavy bombers.
Early Announcement
The early announcement men,
toned the Berlin distr y but
soon thereafter the censo' - per-
mltted the use of Berll tself az
the target confirming nat the
bombers had reached the city.
| The American bomber crews were
routed out hours before dawn for
breakfast followed by the briefing
when they learned that the "big
town" was the target for today.
The takeoff came shortly after
dawn. This time the bombers did
not face the olninous weather, in
Guiding snow. that hung heavy over
the Channel and the North Sea Sat-
urday.
An hour later coastal observers
reported the roar Of aircraft pass
Ing over so high they were not Wis.
ihle. but attention was distracted
from the heavies by hordes Of medi-
um bombcrs and fighters shutting
ut lower altitude 10 targets IN
France.
Hours after the bombers were on
their way, American Mustang and
Lightning fighters which had q
rendezvous with the bolnbers over
Berlin were on their way.
Today's attack was the second
American bombing Of the Berlin
district and the third daylight raid
OF the war by Allied planes. British
Mosquito bombers thrust lightly at
the capital on January 80, l943
Big Formations
Big formations OF United States
fighter planes escorted the mighty
armada OF Eighth Air Force bombers
returning TO the Berlin region only
two days after their FIRST assault OF
the war on the German capital.
every strong forces Of heavy
bombers OF tho Eighth Air Force,
escorted by large formations Of AAF
fighter, attacked targets In the
Berlin district today" O communi.
que said.
II was the fifth time In six days
that the four-motored bomberG
based In Britain had struck at Nazi
targets by daylight,
The Headquarters announcement
said that i3 German fighters were
destroyed by gunners Of the LIBERIA
tor bombers which attacked German
air fields In southwest France yes
terday. The bomber bag brought to
~ the total number Of enemy planes
downed yesterday.
Flying fortresses OF the Eighth
air force struck NJ Berlin Saturday
In the first attack OF the war on
the German capital by American
bombcrS. Bad weather reduced the
scale OF the bombardment.
Wave After Wave
TodayS offensive against the con-
tincnt began when wave after wave
OF bomberS roarcd out OF Britain
after Mosquito night bombers OF
the Royal Air Force had attacked
western Germany without loss.
Heavy explosions rumbled across
the Straits Of Dover soon after AL
lied squadronS headed through bril-.
liant sunshine toward the battered
Pas De Calais coastal strip OF
France.
Coastal observers said the sound
Of the motors overhead indicated
that both bomberg and fighters were
In action, but the planes were flying
TOO high TO be identified. Still later
formation Of Typhoons attacked
the Boulogne area.
The detectives OF the night raid
ers were not disclosed, but they were
believed 10 lie In the industrial Ruhr
or Rhlneland. (FCC Monitors said
Frankfurt radio reported that some
aircraft entered the citys warning
area from the dlTectiin OF LaxeTn.
notltg and BelgiuIn)
/ American Lberetor bonberS fol-
lowed up saturdays flying fortress
raid on Berlin with attacks yesteF.
day on German aiFflelds In south
western France, including O fighter
and bomber base ct Cognac, 10 miles
north Of Bordeaux, and q training
field at Befgerac, So miles east Of
Bordeaux.
n Shot Down
Fourteen enemy planes we're shot
down by escorting Thupderbolts
Lightnings and Mustangs and az
additional number destroyed by tho
boribers themselves. -Four borfberi
and five fighters were lost.
=