April 25,1943   In the War up to this point there had been a number of raids on the German Captial. Most had been with under 100 bombers carried out by the RAF at night. The 8th was headed that way this day and the coming ones with over a 1,000 and as nearly that many fighters. In Berlin the citizens had been accustomed to the Brit raids, little loss of life or property with the Luftwaffe making it a perilous trip. Well after the 8th visited Berliners would think different, things would never be the same. Sounds of planes and contrails in the Sky would send them running for whatever shelter they could find and once sticking their heads back out of the shadows it would be clear to most the War was going to be Lost. In the Briefing Room of the USAAF the crews cheered when it was announced Berlin was the target, after the initial cheer then the thought of 'So far there and so long over enemy held territory'. Yes the 8th had lost planes and men before but it was this Strategic Plan that could win the War. To stop it the Luftwaffe had to make the Cost Too High for the Americans to Pay. The 'Mustangs' of course would prevent it being stopped,so the 8th Command hoped.
