The following transcript is from a newspaper article on the Berlin raid which was inserted in the Mark Woods, Jr.'s Diary near his June 21, 1944 entry. The news clipping is not dated and the name of the newspaper is not indicated. It is thought that the Berlin Raid referred to was the June 21, 1944 398th and 8th Air Force mission to Berlin given the proximity to that date in the diary.The only mission the 398th flew to Berlin during June was on June 21, had last been there on May 24 and didn't return until December 5, 1944. In addition, the Lt. Woods, Jr.'s diary mentions 12 B-17s landing in Sweden as does this article. Thus it is felt the article below is for June 21, 1944.
2,000 TONS DROP ON BERLIN IN GREATEST RAID
Two thousand planes yesterday gave Berlin the most shattering daylight bombardment.
More than 1,000 Fortresses and Liberators went there, with a screen of more than 1200 American Mustangs, Lightning and Thunderbolts aircraft. U S. headquarters stated last night that incomplete figures show that 43 bombers and 15 fighters have not yet returned. Fighters destroyed 21 enemy aircraft, bombers accounted for between 15 and 20.
This is the first time more than 1,000 heavy bombers have been sent over the Reich capital, previous biggest assaults having been made by between 750 and 1,000 of the bombers. Yesterday's 1,000 odd planes dropped a great weight of bombs on targets in Berlin and on Basdorf, on the city outskirts. It is probable that the tonnage easily topped the 2,000 mark. The attack was made between 10:30 and 11 A.M. The targets were FW-190 engine factories at Basdorf, rail yards and factories. Returning crews reported that there were so many Allied aircraft over Berlin at one time that the fliers were forced to observe prearranged traffic regulations.
SMOKE SCREEN – News Item
Though antiaircraft opposition was extremely heavy, the Luftwaffe failed to react strongly. About 60 ME-419s and 109s, Ju88s and FW-190s took part in an attack on one Liberator squadron and 50 Ju88s dived on a Fortress wing. The two attacks were not concentrated, and the enemy aircraft were soon driven off. Other formations reported that they saw no enemy fighters. In an attempt to beat off the attack, the Germans spread a smoke screen over the city. The bombers were able to see their targets, however, and pin point attacks were carried out. As the aircraft left, great clouds of smoke were coming up.
EASY FOR GUNNERS - News Item
First Lt. George W. Beese, who was in a Fortress, said of the attack by the 50 Ju88s: "it was quite a fight. Just about every Jerry I saw was smoking or blowing up or somebody was baling out. They were coming in so slowly and so close that they were easy for our gunners." The Thunderbolts were making their first trip to Berlin. A Stockholm message states that 12 American heavy bombers came down in Sweden yesterday.
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