Current Events October 15, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY OCTOBER 16, 1943:

The United States suffered its biggest single aerial loss of the war—60 Flying Fortresses costing S18.000.000 and cans ma 6OO men—yesterday in a raid that crippled and perhaps destroyed plants producing half of all the bearings required by the German war machine, it was revealed today.

German forces were reported preparing today to withdraw from Ihe Crimea to avoid entrapment by Russian troops closing in swiftly from captured Zaporoshe.
Front reports said the German defense of the entire southern Ukraine were on the verge of. collapse after the fall of Zapoioshe, industrial stionghold in the Dnieper bend.

New Allied air blows all along the vast South Pacific battle line were revealed today, anmid increasing speculation that the damaging raid on Rabaul, New Britain, earlier this week may lead to the virtual abandonment of that once formidable Japanese stronghold.
A communique from Gen. MacArthur's headquarters disclosed that the Rnbaul assault was preceded by a strong American rad against the Kahili airdrome on Bougainville Island in the Northern Solomons, 300 miles southeast of Rahaul


        Edwardsville  Madison County's Home Daily  Intelligencer                                  EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1943

60 Fortresses, 600 Men Lost In Damaging Raid On Nazi Bearings Plant
EQUIPMENT WORTH 
18 MILLION FAILS
TO ESCAPE ENEMY
104 German Planes Shot
Down, Total May Reach
149, Photo Will Determine
Real Damage.
BOMBERS MADE 900-
MILE TRIP THURSDAY
Schweinfurt Recently Described
as Most Important
Target, Bearing Needed
In Engines.
London. Oct. 15—
The United States suffered its biggest single aerial loss of the war—60 Flying Fortresses costing S18.000.000 and cans ma 6OO men—yesterday in a raid that crippled and perhaps destroyed plants producing half of all the bearings required by the German war machine, it was revealed today. .
The giant four-engined bombers encountered the greatest fighter opposition yet seen in the European theater, an official statement said, and, with the aid of fighters which escorted them part of the 900-mile flight, shot down at least 104 and perhaps 149 enem\ aircraft. Onlv two of the escorting Thunderbolt fiighters were lost.
Returning crewmen reported the targets, three roller bearing plants at Schweinfurt in central Germany, were left wreathed in smoke and flames, but only later reconnaissance photographs can prove whether
the results justified the cost to the Allies in men and machines,

GERMAN ARMY IS
WITHDRAWING TO
ESCAPE RED TRAP
Russians Claim Enemy Defense
In Southern Ukraine
Is on Verge of Collapse
After Zaporozke Fell.
JAPS MAY BE FORCED
TO ABANDON RABAUL
Bougainville Air Base Bombed
By More Than 100
American Planes to Knock
Out Area.
Moscow, Oct. 15—
German forces were reported preparing today to withdraw from Ihe Crimea to avoid entrapment by Russian troops closing in swiftly from captured Zaporoshe.
Front reports said the Geiman defense of the entire southern Ukraine were on the verge of. collapse after the fall of Zapoioshe, industrial slionghold in Ihe Dnieper bend.
The reports said Zapoioshe was a "wilderness" of wreckage when the Russians moved in. The newspaper
Izvcslia said that in two years ol war such "monstrous devastation" had nol been encountered.
The Germans abandoned enormous quantities  of tanks, guns, rifles
and other arms and munitions.
In one sector, 3,000 Nazis were killed.
______________________________________________________________

Allied Headquarters, Southwest Pacific, Oct. 15—
New Allied air blows all along the vast South Pacific battle line were revealed today, anmid increasing speculation that the damaging raid on Rabaul, New Britain, earlier this week may lead to the virtual abandonment of that once formidable Japanese stronghold.
A communique from Gen. MacArthur's headquarters disclosed that the Rnbaul assault was preceded by a strong American rad against the Kahili airdrome on Bougainville Island in the Northern Solomons, 300 miles southeast of Rahaul.
In nn apparent, effort, lo knock out the last remnants of Jap airpower i n . t h e Solomons, a force of more than 100 American planes hammered the airdrome Monday.
The raiders set big fires raging through the base, silenced anti-airrnft batteries, wrecked buildings and blew up a bridge. Twelve of 25 Intercepting enemy fighters were shot down without loss to the Americans.