Evening star., 1944-03-18
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Mar. 1S.-Hundreds
of American and British planes
were thrown against the conti-
nent in an aerial offensive re-
newed with force today, and
Berlin broadcasts said strong
American bomber formations
were roaring over Southwestern
Germany at noon.
The daylight forays followed
night blows by Mosquitoes of the
Raj against unnamed targets in
Western Germany.
The Berlin broadcast said the
American bombers were escorted by
fighters and were engaged in violent
battles by strong forces of the Ger
man air defense.
Fighters Streak Toward Boulogne.
The procession Of daylight at
tackers was joined shortly afterward
by fighter planes, streaking out in
force toward Boulogne on the bomb
ers' flank.
Today's bomber and fighter forays
followed up far-f1ung blows yester-
day in which Italy-based American
heavy bombers made the trip over
the Alps and loosed heavy explosives
on Vienna, in old Austria, and
Britain-based Allied planes resumed
the attacks against communications
in France and Holland
The German controlled Vichy
radio claimed % bombers and IL
fighters were lost in the Vienna
attack, adding that many planes
were believed to have crashed in
snowdrifts over the Alps" United
States headquarters did not imme-
diately specify the number of planes
falling to return, but Allied head
quarters at Naples said IL planes
were lost in all operations of the
Mediterranean air force yesterday
18th Mosquito Raid of Month.
The Paris radio said Is persons
were killed and 80 wounded in a
"British-American" attack yester-
day on Oise. 1t referred apparently
to the American Marauder blow
against the railway center of Creil
80 miles north of Paris.
Last nigt9bu fosquito forays were
the 18th Of the month for the all
wooden bombers, and they made the
assault without loss.
Today's offensive grew to for
midable proportions as the hours
advanced, with another great force
Iof planes following the first waves
A haze later turning to fog failed
to discourage the hundreds of
bombers and fighters which swept
across the strait and disappeared
over France. Their faith in their
Weathermen was justified when the
sky cleared later, exposing a great
mass of vapor trails leading to the
Continent.
The assault on Vienna, second
city in greater Germany and the
site of many ministries driven from
devastated Berlin, was the first of
the war by the American heavy
bombers and came as a climax to
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during which Fortresses also struck
at Beliberg in Austria and bombed
shipping in the Yugoslav port OF
Sibenik. Medium bombers blasted
Cacena and Monte Pescara, import
ant rail hubs in Northern Italy.
Britain-bas American Maraud-
ers smashed at the rail center of
Creil, serving both the German gar
rlsop in Paris and installations closer
to the Atlantic Wall. The blow was
| the ninth OF the month against
transportation points behind that
section of the anti-invasion front
No Marauders were lost, but two
fighters did not return.
American Thunderbolts bombed
airfields in Northern France and
Holland yesterday afternoon. Targets
in Northern France also were hit
by British Mosquitoes.
Allied headquarters in Italy did
not Immediately announce the
targets in Vienna. but it was be-
lleved they included railway facil-
tiles and port installations on the
Danube.