The U.S. came out of the clouds last week. For months the stories of the U.S. Eighth Air Force raids on Germany had followed a palatable patternGerman factories demolished, U.S. losses relatively light, the Luftwaffe frantically impotent. Suddenly, the cost of victory loomed large.
Sixty four-engined bombers, possibly 15% of the attacking force, went hurtling down on to the Continent of Europe as they fought swarms of Nazi fighters 500 miles into Germany. The target: three plants at Schweinfurt, producing 50% of Germany's ball and roller bearings. In the Eighth's greatest single loss, $20,000,000 worth of bombers carried 593 U.S....
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