Current Events February 21, 1944;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY FEBRUARY 21, 1944:

 Gen. Henry H. Arnold. U.S. Army Air Force's commander, estimated in Washington last night that 25 per cent of Germany's fighter plane production capacity had been knocked out in yesterday's assault on Luftwaffe plants. The attack, he disclosed, was carried out by 2,000 planes. . . .In what Gen. Arnold described as "the biggest united air mission in history," approximately 1,000 American heavy bombers drove deep into Europe to hit the vital aircraft production centers of Leipzig, Aacherserben Bernburg, Halberstadt, and other undisclosed places

 PEARL  HARBOR. Feb. 21—

 U S. Headquarter-based planes have sunk at least 19 Japanese ships, probably even more, and destroyed 201 Jap planes and damaged more than 50 olthers in a two-day raid on the enemy's naval base at Truk. Adm. Chester W. Nimitz's Pacific Fleet headquarters announced last nigh

 Seattle Paper Says liberty

Troopships 'Split Open’

,The Post Intelligencer alleged yesterday that a Liberty ship laden, with troops recently split open while tied up in an Alaskan dock in calm weather. It also claimed that two other which had been converted into troop carriers being held in this area after the Army and Navy refused to use them.

 
 

2,000 Planes Raid Luftwaffe Plants

 Nazi Fighter Output

Cut 25% By 'Biggest

Attack/ Arnold Says

USAAFChiefImpIiesl5,000 Men

Were Employed In Assault

Gen. Henry H. Arnold. U.S. Army Air Force's commander, estimated in Washington last night that 25 per cent of Germany's fighter plane production capacity had been knocked out in yesterday's assault on Luftwaffe plants. The attack, he disclosed, was carried out by 2,000 planes. . . .In what Gen. Arnold described as "the biggest united air mission in history," approximately 1,000 American heavy bombers drove deep into Europe to hit the vital aircraft production centers of Leipzig, Aacherserben Bernburg, Halberstadt, and other undisclosed places. A record number of U.S. fighters, plus RAF. Allied and Dominion fighters, escorted most of the bomber formations to their targets.

Fighters assigned to escort the bombers totaled approximately 1,000, and General Arnold said the operation involved more men than in an infantry division, indicating upwards of 15,000 airmen participated in the assault.

The USAAF commander said that visibility over the targets was good and bombardiers reported that bombs struck and heavily damaged the targets and factories at Ieipzig, Aschersehren and Bernburg, which were struck for the first time by American bombers. The factory at Halberstadt was damaged by USAAF bombers on Jan. II.

A Tactical Victory'

American losses were described as light while more than 100 German fighters- were destroyed or damaged by escorting fighter squadrons. The bag credited to bombers gunners was not immediately made known.

Arnold hailed the operation as a "tactical victory," as well as a strategic achievement, saying:

"The routing of heavy bombers and the timing of attacks by the opponents of the main force, and by medium bomber planes in regions. was  skillfully planned.

 

Yanks Sink 19 Ships At Truk

Destroy 201

Jap Aircraft

In 2-Day Raid

U.S Loses Only 17 Planes;

Four Task Forces Now

In Pacific Area

PEARL  HARBOR. Feb. 21—

U S. Headquarter-based planes have sunk at least 19 Japanese ships, probably even more, and destroyed 201 Jap planes and damaged more than 50 olthers in a two-day raid on the enemy's naval base at Truk. Adm. Chester W. Nimitz's Pacific Fleet headquarters announced last night.

The communique also slated that American losses included only 17 planes. One U.S. ship was damaged in the attack by a Navy task force  reported to have been larger than the Japanese carrier unit which raided Pearl Harbor.

Nimitz said that the initial approach of the United States forces was not detected, and "there was no enemy air offensive on the second day of the attack." probably explained  the reason for the small American losses

Sink Two Light Cruisers

Japanese ships listed as sunk by the Americans in the raid were two light cruisers, three destroyers, one ammunition ship, one seaplane tender, two oil tankers, two gunboats, and eight cargo ships. The Japanese ships reported hit and probably sunk included one cruiser, or a large destroyer, two oil tankers, and cargo skips.

Nimitz's failure to mention Jap aircraft carriers or battleships was regarded here as probably, meaning. that the enemy had no ships of those

classes at Truk at the time of tbe raid which began last Wednesday

One assumption was that the aircraft carriers might have been recalled to guard Tokyo itself. This was based on Tokyo's repeated broadcast that the Japanese homeland is "menaced by the new U.S. might in "the Pacific.

Adm. Spruance In Command

... Pilots of carrier based planes shot down 127 Japanese planes in aerial combat destroyed 75 on the ground, and damaged more than 90 others which were never able to take off. Shore positions on principal islands, including airdrome runways and installations were bombed and strafed.

Seattle Paper Says liberty

Troopships 'Split Open’

,The Post Intelligencer alleged yesterday that a Liberty ship laden, with troops recently split open while tied up in an Alaskan dock in calm weather. It also claimed that two other which had been converted into troop carriers being held in this area after the Army and Navy refused to use them.