Purchased by the Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College on August 12, 2020 from Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York.

Swarming Over German Airfield: Evidence explaining the success of the Allied air war against Germany is seen in this photo. Bombers of the U.S. Army 8th Air Force, contemptuous of the Nazi's aerial strength, fly directly over a German airfield on their way to bomb Munster, Germany.

8th Bomber Command's early operations in 1942 and 1943 showed them that because of the weather conditions in the European Theater, the Command would need to be able to bomb through overcast in order to conduct a successful bombing campaign. 8th Air Force formed the 813th Bombardment Squadron on August 20, 1943. Specially selected aircrews that would act as "Pathfinders", using radar-equipped bombers to lead each wing's bomber formation. The Eighth Air Force had prided itself on not targeting civilian populations. The attack devastated the city center, heavily damaging the cathedral and starting fires that burned for days. Civilian casualties were estimated to have been over 700. The Munster raid wrapped up the bloodiest three days in Eighth Air Force’s history to that point. Eighty-eight B-17s had been lost in three days and nearly 900 men. On March 4, 1944, a crew from the 813th Squadron was leading Eighth Air Force's first B-17 raid on Berlin. Because they were in the lead, the 813th lays claim to being the first B-17 squadron to bomb Berlin.

Ferrotyped prints are processed in such a way that they are shiny. The print has a sensitive surface, usually thinner, because it was put through a press while still wet.

On recto: Label in bottom right corner, "DISPATCH / PHOTO NEWS / SERVICE / INC. / NEW YORK".

On verso: Typewritten label attached in center, "SWARMING OVER GERMAN AIRFIELD / Evidence of the reason for the success of the Allied air war against Germany is seen in / this photo. Bombers of the U.S. Army 8th Air Force, contemptuous of the Nazi's aerial / strength, fly directly over a German airfield on their way to bomb Munster, Germany. / Produced Exclusively by Dispatch Photo News Service, New York City". Handwritten in graphite in top left corner, "DP-WW2-081".

Ferrotyped prints have a sensitive surface, usually shiny and thinner, because they are put through a press while still wet. Ferrotyping makes the surface of the photograph smoother. Light does not scatter as much on a smoother surface, so this increases contrast. That makes ferrotyped images better for press photography.

This object has the following keywords:

• Air raids
• Airfields
• B-17s
• European Theater
• Germany
• Munster
• Radar
• U.S. Eighth Air Force
• U.S. Eighth Air Force
• World War II

This object is a member of the following portfolios: