Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-04-04
ii. ). Bornbers
lin First Raid
lon Bucharest
| Attack on Capitol
| Of Rumuniu Follows
Budapest Assaults
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ALL I E D HEADQUARTERS,
Naples, April 4.-Heavy bombers
of the 18th Air Force subjected
Bucharest to it's first American
aerial bombardment today, while
Russian troops pushed on by
land 200 miles northeast of the
Rumanian capital.
The Liberators and Fortresses,
attacking "in considerable strength"
struck at military detectives in
Bucharest only "a hours after they
had given a similar drubbing to
Budapest, the capital of Hungary.
Like Budapest. Bucharest has be-
come important to the German
defenses of Eastern Europe, and
great quantities of war material
have been pouring through both rail
centers.
Mustang and Lightning fighters
accompanied the Bucharest bound
bombers. The bombers flew within
few miles of the Ploesti oil fields,
which American aircraft struck last
year.
1000 Tons Blast Budapest.
In disclosing the Bucharest at
tack, Allied headquarters also an
nounced that 1000 tons of bombs
were used in Mondays assault on
Budapest railroad yards, aircraft
components factories and other
military and industrial targets.
In addition, headquarters an.
nounced that lis enemy planes
were destroyed in the attack Sun
day against aircraft factories at
Steyr, Austria. This was the great
est number of planes ever officially
claimed for single days flying in
the Mediterranean theater.
The bombings of the two Balkan
capitals foreshadowed more difficult
days for Hitler's satellites in that
region. Sofia. capital of Bulgaria,
already has felt the weight of 18th
Air Force bombs several times, and
Budapest now has been hit twice
once Monday by the 18th and again
last night by Wellingtons and Liber-
ators OF the Raj, which attacked
steel works, armament factories and
railroad yards.
This widespread assault against
Balkan capitals, undertaken in con.
junction with the Britain-based at
tacks against German railroad COM
munications, may have political re-
percussions in the harried Balkan
chancelleries.
The Manfred-We steel works
and armament factory was the main
target of the night attack on Buda-
pest and Raj crewmen said they
left at least five fires burning and
saw one large explosion
The assault came only few hours
after the United States 18th Air
Force bombers had dropped hum
| dreds of tons of bombs on the rail.
road yards, the Tokol aircraft COM
ponents factory, a nearby airfield, a
refinery, barracks and other targets.
Successful U. S. Attack.
Photo Interpretation reports in
dictated the American attack was
very successful, with more than $50
craters counted within the grounds
of the Tokol factory, while the
main buildings were severely dam
aged.
An officer summed up the raids
this way: About the best way to
locate a Balkan capital these days
Is to look for a column OF smoke"
Between so and 60 enemy planes
were met over Budapest and the
bomber gunners and fighter pilots
shot down "a, first reports said. An
Allied communique said rs enemy
planes were destroyed during yes
terday's operations in this theater,
| against loss of Is Allied craft.
More than 1900 sorties were flown.
Yugoslav Targets Bombed.
Other FortreSses and Liberators
roared over Yugoslavia for the sec
ond straight day yesterday, dump
ing bombs on freight yards at Brod.
Knin and Drnis Is a systematic
campaign to cut off German sup
plies. Medium bombers and fighter
bombers continued their attacks on
targets in Italy.
FortreSSeS hit Budapest in three
waves yesterday and Liberators fol-
lowed half hour later in two
waves, blasting the railroad yards
and the refinery. Smoke from the
refinery concealed much of the
damage, it was said, but at least 80
hits were reported counted in the
center of the rail yards and $50
units of rolling stock were reported
destroyed or damaged.