Us Official Photographs

Martin B-26 bomber over Messina

When a crew member of a Martin B-26 bomber snapped his camera, this is the way the important ferry port of Messina in eastern Sicily looked during one of the raids on the city by the Northwest African Air Forces on July 14. Loaded with high explosives, the U.S.A.A.F. Martin B-26 & North American Mitchells B-25 & Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses knocked out port installations, marshalling yards, warehouses, power stations & many other military objectives. The city also was hit the previous night by RAF Wellington bombers. In all, nearly 200 aircraft raided the city, over which great billows of smoke arose and in which there were many fires.