1944 Allied Bombing Raids Into Poland
		From April to December, 1944, Allied aircraft flew over 40 air photo, bombing, and supply missions, or about one mission every four days, from Foggia, Italy, 950 kms. (600 miles) to Poland, flying either directly over, or very close to, the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. The number of planes in each mission varied from one Mosquito air photo reconnaissance plane to hundreds of heavy bombers. 1. Air Photos: April 4th to December 21st, 1944: at least once each month, Mosquito light, fast, twin-engined aircraft photographed the Birkenau camp and Monowitz complex from 9,000 metres (30,000 feet) elevation. 2. Bombing: August 7th: 76 U.S. bombers, and 64 fighter escorts bombed Trzebinia oil refineries, located 13 miles (20 kms) east of Birkenau, August 20th: 127 bombers, and 100 fighters, dropped large 500 pound bombs on Monowitz, 5 kms. (3 miles) east of Birkenau, Sept. 13th: 96 bombers, and fighters, bombed Monowitz, and Dec. 18th: bombers, with fighters, bombed Monowitz for the last time.
	Above Photo: Sept. 13th, 1944: Ten of a total of 943 five hundred pound bombs which were dropped by 96 U.S. bombers on the Monowitz complex, fall on their target. The smoke trails visible in the photo are smoke generators placed to obscure vision of the Monowitz buildings. Notice Auschwitz I camp located in the upper left corner of photo.