Americans Dropped 24,000 Tons Of Bombs On Nazis Last Month

Northern Advocate, 13 March 1944, Page 5

Americans Dropped 24,000 Tons Of Bombs On Nazis Last Month

(8.0. W. 1 p.m.) RUGBY, March. 12. Brigadier-General George MacDonald, in a broadcast, stated that in February, the United States strategic air forces, composed of the Eighth Air Force in England and the 15th in Italy, together dropped 24,000 tons of bombs on German aircraft factories and other precision targets. At the time big daylight bombers and escorting fighters destroyed 905 enemy planes in the air while losing 445. Brigadier-GeneraL MacDonald added: “The United States strategic air forces in Europe, together with the R.A.F., represents the greatest striking air force ever assembled over the earth. This force is working to a schedule laid out by the combined Allied air command. That schedule is a carefully devised plan for destroying Nazi war installations in order of priority. “Last month witnessed a quickening of the tempo of that plan, culminating in the battle of Regensburg on February 25 which involved the greatest number of aircraftf ever put into the air against the Germans. “The February record was the beginning of the story mounting toward the climax of the week just past. That week had made history in the saga of daylight air warfare when the United States air armadas penetrated _ the nerve centre of Germany four times in six days. “Last week the Erkner ball-bearing plant came on our schedule. This factory, turning out half the minimum replacements of the Luftwaffe, was bombed. Fortresses and Liberators, with fighter cover all the way, carried out the attack on this factory and other vital military targets.”