In order to combat the German FLAK menace destroying US bombers, various anti-FLAK measures were tested. In April, 1945 the 15th air forces deployed 36 B-24s whose purpose was to fly ahead of the main strike formation and attack ground FLAK batteries with proximity fused fragmentation bombs. The results were deemed excellent, no bombers were lost on the anti-FLAK mission and none of the strike bombers were fired upon when passing over the FLAK batteries. FLAK suppression, by bombing, was credited with reducing Bomber losses by 1/2.