Evening star., 1944-02-24
Americans Raid
P| |ants at Gotha
And Schweinfurt
U. S. Heavy Bombers
Hit Germany for
Fifth Day in Row
BY the Associated Press,

LONDON, Feb. 24.-American
heavy bombers, hitting the Reich
for the fifth consecutive day,
bombed aircraft factories in
Gotha, the ball-bearing works at
Schweinfurt and other targets
in Germany today, it was an
nounced.
Announcement of the raids fol-
lowed flights by groups of American
medium Marauders and British
Typhoons, which swept across the
Channel to resume the Allied Of
fensive against Europe.
The Berlin radio reported extern
sive air battles over Northwest and
Central Germany. Several key con-
tlnental radio stations had left the
air.
Dutch Airfields Hit.
The Allied daylight assault was
resumed after Raj Mosquitoes made
scattered attacks over Western Ger
many last night.
Dutch airfields were the targets
selected for the daylight pounding
by the Marauders. They struck
under a cover of Allied fighters
while the RATS Typhoon fighter
bombers went after military objec-
tives in Northern France.
Meanwhile, the United States
Strategic Air Force headquarters
said concentrated American attacks
on German aircraft factories have
so reduced Nazi fighter production
that every enemy plane shot down
in combat now is a vital contri-
button toward knocking the Luft-
waite out of action.
The statement was made in an
official bulletin analyzing the re-
suits of the campaign which the
Americans began months ago and
which hit its peak this week with
four successive days of heavy bomb
ing in which planes based in both
Britain and Italy participated.
Official statements here and from
Allied headquarters in Naples said
a total of 343 German planes had
been shot down in the last four days
by American airmen in attacks on
Germany. Thirty-three of these
were shot down yesterday in an at
tack on Steyr, Austria, by Liberators
and escorting fighters from Italy.
Will Reduce Invasion Casualties.
Listing 80 German fighters as
shot down during the raids on Sun
day, Monday and Tuesday, the
statement made here said
Before the precision bombers be-
gan their concentrated attacks upon
the German aircraft industry months
ago, heavy losses inflicted on the
Luftwaffe in the air caused little re-
duction in its net strength. Losses
were replaced quickly by new planes.
Now, however, fighter production
capacity has been so reduced that
each existing plane knocked down is
a vital contribution
The offensive was sustained yes
terday by American heavy bombers
from Italy which fought their way
through strong opposition from
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important aircraft factories at Steyr.
Libefators Lost at Steyr.
The air command at Naples an
nounced that six Liberators were
lost in the Steyr attack. The bomber
crews shot down 80 enemy fighters
and escorting Iightnings accounted
for another.
In a visit to the Mediterranean
theater. 1t. Gen. Carl Spaatz, COM
mander of the American Strategic
Bombing Force based in Britain and
the Mediterranean, talked with the
Llberator crews who hit Steyr and
explained how the Italy-based air
offensive is being co-ordinated with
attacks from England. 1t. Gen. Ira
c. Eaker, Allied air commander in
the Mediterranean, accompanied
Gen. Spaatz on his tour.