SELF-PROPELLED HOWITZER nicknamed the Priest. The crisis which developed when the British were forced to retreat to the El Alamein Line threatened the Suez Canal as well as the Allied air routes to Russia and India. Reinforcements and equipment were rushed to Egypt from the United Kingdom and the United States. The United States sent about 90 of the guns shown above, more than 300 General Sherman M4’s, and a large number of trucks. By October 1942, the situation had improved. The British Eighth Army attacked at El Alamein and drove the enemy out of Egypt, through Libya, and into Tunisia. (105-mm. howitzer, M7 howitzer motor carriage.)] [Illustration: ROMANIA LIBERATORS BOMBING PLOESTI OIL FIELD installations in Romania. The first U. S. air mission flown against any strategic target in Europe was on the Ploesti oil fields, a twelve-bomber raid by B-24’s from Egypt on 12 June 1942. The next raid on this target, 1 August 1943, was a low-level attack by 177 Liberators from Bengasi in Libya with the loss of 54 bombers. Refinery production was interrupted by these raids from Africa, but was not stopped until the spring of 1944 when continuous large-scale attacks were carried out from bases in Italy. (Heavy bomber Consolidated B-24 Liberator.)] [Illustration: EN ROUTE TO NORTH AFRICA CONVOY BOUND FOR NORTH AFRICA. Troops in the first landings approached their destinations in several large convoys, escorted by aircraft carriers and other warships. The convoy to Morocco originated in several ports of the United States on 23 October 1942, and when near the African coast separated into three major parts. The convoy steaming to the vicinity of Oran and Algiers left the United Kingdom on 26 October. Before passing through the Straits of Gibraltar it separated into two parts. Inside the Mediterranean the two sections overtook slower cargo convoys and continued on a course toward Malta until sundown of 7 November. That night each section wheeled southward and separated further to reach several landing points near Oran and Algiers. Other convoys had already left both the United States and the United Kingdom before the attacks began.] [Illustration: EN ROUTE TO NORTH AFRICA NAVY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT on flight deck of a carrier approaching the coast of North Africa. In the background is a destroyer escort. Two to four destroyers operated with each carrier, providing antisubmarine protection, picking up personnel from wrecked aircraft, and augmenting the antiaircraft screen around their charge. (Grumman F4F Wildcat, single seater, carrier fighters.)] [Illustration: EN ROUTE TO NORTH AFRICA OIL TANKER refueling aircraft carrier en route to North Africa.] [Illustration: EN ROUTE TO NORTH AFRICA