Us Official Photographs

Rail junction smashed below Rome

Another rail and road junction is smashed as part of the Air Plan, supporting the Allied land-ings below Rome on 22 Jan 44. Prior to D-day, the Strategic Air Forces smashed rail centers in Northern Italy; but on D-day the heavies moved in close and slugged the targets that would cripple the Huns in the immediate area of the beach-head. This picture shows the Fortress bombs of the 15th AF cutting thru the rail junction at Frascati, about 10 miles southeast of Rome, and just above the point of landing. On D-day also, the Lockheed P-38's of the Strategic Air Force were called in to help the fighter-bombers of the Tactical Air Force work on the roads over which the Huns might have rushed shock troops to oppose the landings before a beach-head could be established and built up.