Radio-guided bombs threaten Salerno's bombardment ships

German aircraft concentrated on Allied bombardment ships with a radio-controlled glider bomb rather than heavily attacking Force V's fighters. The Allies had partial warning because the weapon had already appeared against anti-submarine forces in the Bay of Biscay, but they lacked a sure countermeasure. USS Savannah and HMS Uganda were both hit and only reached port with difficulty, while USS Philadelphia narrowly escaped. The attacks show how a new guided weapon could disrupt naval gunfire support even without defeating the carrier air-cover system. They also explain why technical intelligence must be paired quickly with operational countermeasures.