Because of its industrial importance, especially its ball-bearing production, Schweinfurt was repeatedly targeted by Allied bombers, particularly on:
17 August 1943,
14 October 1943,
24/25 February 1944,
14 April 1944
The raid of 17 August 1943 was especially heavy, with 317 B-17 bombers dropping more than 700 tons of bombs on the relatively small city.
Report in The New York Times
The raid of 14 October 1943 caused exceptionally heavy losses to the attacking force: of 291 bombers, 77 were shot down and 121 damaged.
German fighter attacks disrupted the bomber formations, and many aircraft failed to reach their intended targets, dropping bombs over surrounding fields and villages instead.
German newspaper report on the victims’ funeral
About one third of Schweinfurt was destroyed in the raids.
