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Historic Aerial Bombing Missions

Aerial photographs depicting bombing missions over Germany and the Philippines during World War II. Images show landscapes altered by airstrikes and smoke from explosions.

Peenemunde, Germany-Earthwork was hit by 8th AF on 4 Aug 44 and heavily damaged.
Peenemunde, Germany-Earthwork was hit by 8th AF on 4 Aug 44 and heavily damaged.
258 assets in this story
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Allied landing craft along...
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The Milo airdrome as attack began. 122 Axis aircraft can be seen on the field. There are 60 single-engined craft, 29 medium bombers, and 33 transports.
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Aerial View Of Bomb Damaged Shipbuilding Yards At Wilhelmshaven, Germany. 15 May 1945.
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Aerial view of Luftwaffe Airport Eindhoven during the Second World War.
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Bomb plot of an attack on Kowloon, China. 308th Bomb Group.
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Hanau, Germany After Bombing Attack By 9Th Af.
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Coastal gun batteries on Fort Hughes, Luzon, Philippine Islands. These positions were heavily shelled by the Navy and bombed by the Army Air Forces. Japanese were entrenched inside of rock when this picture was made. March 1945.
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Detachment 101, an enigmatic Allied intelligence and special operations unit during World War II, played a pivotal role in the Burmese theater. Operating deep in the jungles of Burma, their mission was multi-faceted, encompassing guerrilla warfare, espionage, and sabotage against Japanese forces. Comprising a diverse group of individuals, from OSS agents to indigenous fighters, they effectively disrupted Japanese supply lines, gathered critical intelligence, and supported resistance movements.
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Pola, Italy, 225 miles northeast of Rome, is an important Nazi submarine base and shipping port on the east coast of the Adriatic. On Jan. 9, B-17 Flying Fortresses of the U.S. Army 15th Air Force blasted the harbor areas and nearby factories in a
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German Ammunition Trian Destroyed In Italy The explosion of a German ammunition train hurls burning missiles hundreds of yards into the air as American bombers blast enemy railroad yards at Orvieto, Italy, on the main Rome-Florence rail line. The Orvieto yards are located approximately 60 miles north of Rome and the raid temporarily blocked German Supply trains. May 12, 1944. (Photo by U.S. Office of War Information Picture).
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A high altitude view of the Soviet air base on the Japanese Northern Territories island of Etorofu. Country: Unknown
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Bombs dropped by North American B-25 Mitchells of the 12th Air Force burst on railroad yards at Naples, Italy. 17 July 1943.
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Area Near Hingham, MA ,. Photographs of the First Naval District
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Well Developed Bomb Bursts Pattern A Railroad Bridge And Adjacent Highway Span At Nuttlar, Germany Near Bestwig, Following An Attack By 9Th Bombardment Division Martin B-26 Marauders Feb. 22 1945. Direct Hits Were Scored On The Railroad Bridge.
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Bomb bursts from Martin B-26 Marauders of the First Tactical Air Force slash a path for the 7th Army through the Siegfried Line defenses northeast of Wissembourg in the Otterbach area. As seen from the air easily picked out in the Nazi defense line
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Aerial View Of The American Airdrome At Nuthampstead, England. 15 March 1944.
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Tokyo, Japan -- Musashino Nakajima Aircraft Plant Is Shown Here During A B-29 Strike On 7 April 1945, Annotations:
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Close-up view showing bomb damage to a section of Baguio, Luzon, Philippine Islands. 27 April 1945.
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Attack On Dunkird By The U.S.A.A.F. Bombs bursting on the Trystian look can be seen as well as hits on the inner end of the eastern jetty and salvo of at least 15 bursts across the approach channel and the quay to the west. This photograph was taken by automatic cameras in the 8th air force bombers. A Photograph taken during an attack on Dunkird on 15.2.43. By liberator aircraft of the U.S.A.A.F. Escorted by fighters all the bombs across the northern part of the port. February 25, 1943. (Photo b
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Verifying bomb strikes from the air - World War I
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R.A.F. Raid On Le Havre -- Enlargement of a section of the comprehensive overhead view (see picture C.2350), showing bombs bursting on docks and buildings as the attack developed. (Note system of bomb-shelter trenches (above) and evidence of bomb damage sustained by quay side buildings in earlier raids. Bombers of the R.A.F. carried out a daylight attack on Le Havre on March 26th. When docks and buildings were hit. August 22, 1942. (Photo by British Official Photograph).
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An aerial view of Communication Station Northwest. Base: Chesapeake Bay State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Aero Engine Factory Supplying Luftwaffe Blitzed By U.S. Fortresses -- Action picture made during the attack shows: Bomb bursts ***** across the adjacent aerodromes, the Gnome and Rhone plants, and (in the foreground) the southern end of the ***** railway marshalling yards. The Gnome and Rhone aircraft factories at Le Mans, France, which not only manufactured aero engines for the Luftwaffe, but also does considerable repair work on F.W. 190 engines, was successfully bombed by the 8th Air Force F
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On the 20th of June 44 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the U.S. Army 8th Air Force successfully attacked and severely damaged 14 strategic targets inside Germany. The Europaische-Tanklager crude oil refinery at
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French Boston Squadron Attacks Transformer Station Guerladen - Action Pictures. Part of the target are envelope in some as a Boston (top let comes in to make its attack. Photographs taken during an attack by Bostons of the Lorraine French Squadron on the Mur De Bretagne transformer station near Guerledan Brittany, on 26/8/43. September 2, 1943. (Photo by British Official Photo).
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Aircraft, Burma, India &Fields & Installations,MISCELLANEOUS War
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"View of part of Sumber Au Camp at Camp Pike, Little Rock, Arkansas. The photograph was taken at 1800 ft by the Photographic Section of Eberts Field in Lonoke, Arkansas. This image is not intended for publication and is for official use only."
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Area Near Hingham, Massachusetts. 1939 - 1947.
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12/31/1940. The Aircraft of the 10th North American Air Force Drop Parachutes with Food and Supplies for the Chinese Troops Who Are in the Corridor between Myitkyina and Katha, northern Burma.
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An aerial view of Naval Air Station, Oceana. Base: Virginia Beach State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Lae N.E., New Guinea-BOMBING
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The Bomb Damage In The Central Area Of Krefeld, Germany, June 1945.
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Water-filled bomb craters on and near Gasmata runway evidence pounding this Japaneseanese-held airdrome in New Britain has taken from recent Allied bombings.
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Aerial view of the Italian Fleet which surrendered at Manoel Island and Fort Manoel, Sliema, Malta. 1943.
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Fighting French forces are shown in this aerial photograph as they land on the island of Elba under the protective cover of the Mediterranean Allied Air Force. A smoke screen can be seen being laid by a landing craft as it approaches the shore.
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Germany - Buzzing Low Over Deserted Streets And Bomb-Scarred Houses In Mertert, The F-5 Plane Was Then Headed Southwest Back Up The Moselle Valley Toward France. The Area Across The River In The Upper Left Fell To The 3Rd Army Troops On 23 Feb 1945. "Di
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Area Near Hingham, MA ,. Photographs of the First Naval District
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The Japs still held Luzon and all the Philippines on 12 May 1944 when Capt. John M. McNicholas of Mannington, W.Va., attached to a 14th AF Reconnaissance Squadron, flew from an advanced eastern base in China to Luzon, for the first mapping strips of
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Hanau, Germany After Bombing Attack By 9Th Af.
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1 The cafe where the riots between Italian and Austrian students happened, 2 the Museum, 3 the University, 4 the Barracks, 5 the Hofburg, 6 San Jacob, aerial photo of Innsbruck, the Italian raid of August 16, 1918, World War I, From l'Illustrazione Italiana, Year XLV, No 38, September 22, 1918.
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Aircraft, Burma, India &Maintenance, ASSEMBLY OFPLANES War
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Air Ministry Second World War Official Collection 12th BG USAAF photograph; not RAF/SAAF
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Aerial photo of Roeselare, Flanders, Belgium, World War I, from l'Illustrazione Italiana, Year XLV, No 41, October 13, 1918.
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DD-ST-88-09431. Country: U.S.S.R. (SUN)
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U.S. Bombers Destroy German Bridge in Italy Smoke billows up form bomb bursts covering this German-held railway bridge at Orvio, Italy, a town 45 miles northwest of Rome. A squadron of U.S. Army B-25 Marauder medium bombers blasted in the bridge during a raid over German communication lines in the area. February 14, 1944.
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At least 30 large oil tanks have been destroyed at the Europaische Tanklager oil refinery at Hamburg during the 20 June 44 attack by U.S. 8th AAF heavy bombers. Severe damage has been sustained by the distillation and cracking plant and five boiler
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Cuba, October, 1962 - Surface-to-Air Missile-assembly depot showing Soviet offensive weapons. Department of Defense photo
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Martin B-26 Marauders and Douglas A-20 Havocs of the 9th Bomber Command score direct hits on a heavy gun emplacement and ammunition reserves during a recent daylight assault on the prize Atlantic harbor of Brest, France.
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Bombing Of Enemy Defense Installations At Rimini, Italy, By Martin B-26 "Marauders" Of The 12Th Air Force.
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LITERATED AMSTERDAM CELEBRATES VE DAY-The people of Amsterdam, Holland throng the cathedral square to celebrate VE Day. It marks the end of five years of German oppression and they are overjoyed that the war has come to an end.
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Attack on Pisoc, September 24, 1943.
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Bombing by aircraft of 320 squadron on ammunition storage sites in Le Mesnil Bront in the Foret de Buurse, France.
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Area Near Hingham, MA ,. Photographs of the First Naval District
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Aerial view , Air bases. Photographs of the First Naval District
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DN-SN-87-08974. Base: Naval Station, Charleston State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Raids of German submarines on United States shipping on the Atlantic Coast
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A bomb damage assessment photograph of the Tikrit Radio Jamming Station in Iraq used by Pentagon officials to brief the press during DESERT FOX. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT FOX Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)