SHUTTLE BOMBING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25553, 5 June 1944, Page 5

SHUTTLE BOMBING

AIR BASES IN RUSSIA USED BY AMERICAN PLANES (Rec. 7 p.m.) MOSCOW, June 3. American heavy bombers and longrange fighters, after raiding targets in Eastern Europe, to-day landed at speci-ally-built American air bases in Russia. The shuttle operation was one of the best-kept secrets of the war. Elaborate preparations and negotiations went on many months before shuttle Dombmg across the Russian-German front was made possible. A number of American bases were established in Russia, and now all are ready down to the last spare part for the servicing, refuelling, and rearming of American bombers. An agreement regarding shuttle bombing was reached at the Moscow conference last October. Major-general John Deane, of the American Military Mission to Russia, after the arrival of the planes said: “ These operations mark the first largescale collaboration between the British, American, and Russian air forces. This shuttle bombing makes all Germany’s eastern industrial facilities vulnerable.” For months American and Russian soldiers have been working to pre-, pare the bases where the bombers landed. There was a brief and happy celebration before the bombers were serviced for another call on the Axis cn route for their home bases in England. Italy, or Africa. Photographic reconnaissance for some time has been made along various possible shuttle bonibing routes, the first of which was made by Colonel Paul Cullen. High-ranking American Air Force officers recently visiting American air bases in Russia include Major-general Anderson, deputy commanding officer of the United States Strategic Air Force in England, also Brigadier-general Curtis, his chief of staff, and also President Roosevelt’s second son, Colonel Elliot Roosevelt. Hitler and his generals to-day face new perplexing problems as the result of the shuttle bombing instituted on the eve of the great invasion from the west, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. It immediately does two things: First, it makes vulnerable all industrial facilities in Eastern Germany and Eastern Europe; secondly, it compels a redistribution of the German fighter defences. A new powerful blow has been struck at the German war machine. It is a perfect example of British, Russian, and American military co-operation, and is the first of its kind apart from the convoy services.

The Times Moscow correspondent points out that shuttle bombing also offers great possibilities for assisting the Russian advances, w'hile the moral effect on the Germans and their satellites is also likely to be great. It is the clearest indication so far of the pattern of future co-operation between Russia and America.

The story of the secret transfer of a detachment now known as the Eastern Command of the U.S.A.A.F., which is running the new air bases in Russia, is revealed by the Air Service Command of the U.S.A.A.F. At repair depots and bomber stations all over England, specially selected American soldier technicians were handed secret shipping orders and given a few hours to pack. The men were then taken to an isolated camp, where special guards were set up and quarantine notices were posted to frighten away the curious. The men were shipped out under the cover of darkness, and not until they were en, route were they told where they were going. Hand in hand with the first Americans. Russian men and women started work on the airfields.