America at war! (1941– ) (Part 1)

U.S. indicts 28 in conspiracy

Group accused of interfering with war effort

Hull to make vital war address tonight

Washington –
Secretary of State Cordell Hull will make an extremely important speech regarding the war and the future world outlook tonight.

All Pittsburgh radio stations will broadcast the speech at 9:30 p.m.

Indicating the importance of the address, President Roosevelt himself announced at his Tuesday press conference that Mr. Hull would speak. The address will be carried around the world by shortwave in nine languages.

Several hundred arms plants may curtail production

WPB says materials shortages will curb, but not delay, war output; Nelson disagrees with Somervell’s unlimited expansion plan

Packers urged to help solve meat shortage

Henderson asks them to take loss to keep normal trade supplied

Recess called in spies’ trial

Final arguments may be started tomorrow

City may appear OCD-approved air raid noise

Test of equipment awaits local police okay

Morgenthau demands end of tax leaks

Administration program inadequate, Republican Senators assert

U.S. warship battle planes

Task force serving with British attacked

London (UP) –
Several warships of the United States Navy task force with the British Home Fleet have been in action and attacked by Axis planes, Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen, commander of the task force, announced today.

Admiral Giffen said that the U.S. vessels suffered neither damage no fatalities, although:

…there may have been some wounded.

The admiral said that cruisers, battleships and destroyers at present make up his force based in Britain.

He said:

We are carrying out orders of the British Home Fleet in the tradition of the British Navy, of course leavened with our ideas.

Admiral Giffen did not reveal when or where the United States warships engaged the enemy, but he said:

I am not at all ashamed of our part therein.

He said he believed the submarine menace would be beaten as it was beaten in the last war, and added that thus far his force operating in northern waters had not encountered any U-boats.

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U.S. building big fleet of cargo planes

United Nations lose 3 more ships to subs

35 men reported dead or missing; boat toll reaches 418
By the United Press

Airpower can win

Americans cry for joy as ship reaches Africa

Some 1,500 from Japan to be exchanged; envoys may be included

Philippine guerillas still battling Japs

Washington (UP) –
Remnants of American forces in the Philippines are still carrying on guerrilla warfare against the Japs and residents of the islands are “committing arson, murder and robbery,” according to Japanese radio reports quoted today by the Office of War Information.

The broadcasts said that the guerrilla bands are operating in isolated units from the jungles of Luzon, Mindanao and other islands, and are:

…unfortunately continuing their useless resistance to the Imperial Japanese Army.

The OWI said that early in June, the Japs broadcast an appeal for surrender, but:

…there have been no broadcasts received from government listening posts that any of the guerrilla units accepted the offer.

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U.S. fliers disrupt Jap supply service

Chungking (UP) –
American bombers have disrupted operations at the Yangtze River town of Kiukiang, main base of supplies for the Jap armies in southeastern China, a communiqué from the headquarters of Lt. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell indicated today.

The railroad, river and highway terminal 90 miles north of Nanchang were raided Monday night and Gen. Stilwell announced that the bombers had sunk two river boats totaling perhaps 4,000 tons.

Today, he revealed that three direct hits were scored on the railway station. Docks and warehouses were hit many times and 10 fires were left burning.

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Two officers decorated for service in Far East

Washington (UP) –
The War Department announced today that the Distinguished Service Medal had been awarded to Col. Francis G. Brink, of Marathon, NY, and Lt. Col. Warren J. Clear, of Newton, Mass., for meritorious service in the Far East.

Col. Brink was cited for service in Singapore, Java and Burma.

The citation stated:

By his resourcefulness, exceptional ability and untiring zeal, he rendered services of outstanding value to the government as liaison officer and military observer.

Col. Clear was cited for:

…meritorious and distinguished service while on an intelligence mission for the United States government in the Far East from July 1941 to April 1942.

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Japs thrust nearer to coast of Australia

Nipponese invasion force lands on New Guinea only 100nmilrs from American base at Port Moresby
By Brydon C. Taves, United Press staff writer

$30 million voted for ‘secret weapon’

Washington (UP) –
The House yesterday, without a dissenting vote, passed and sent to the Senate $974,634,000 authorization for naval shore facilities, including $30 million for a “kind of secret weapon” developed by American experts.

Naval Affairs Chairman Carl Vinson (D-GA), who told the House of the existence of the new weapon, said the measure also authorizes expansion of naval bases in Alaska, Panama and “some Pacific Island.” He was purposely vague in his reference to the weapon.

He told his colleagues:

All I can say is that $30 million is to be spent for a kind of secret training and a kind of secret weapon. This was a matter that the Naval Affairs Committee should leave entirely to the prudence of men who are going to carry out this secret work. I do not know except in a most general way where they will be located – within so many miles of the coast and so many miles back of that.

His disclosure marked the first American claim to a “secret” weapon. The Germans have proclaimed repeatedly that they have new, lethal instruments of war but thus far they have introduced nothing that proved as much as a surprise as Great Britain’s introduction of the tank in World War I.

And that’s what people believed.

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Appointment of Admiral Leahy as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief
July 24, 1942

My dear Admiral:
In calling you to active duty as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the United States Army and Navy, I accept your resignation as Ambassador to France.

In so doing I want you to know first of all of my great satisfaction in the way in which you have carried out an extremely difficult task at an extremely difficult time and, second, that there has been such good agreement in our national policy in respect to France during your Ambassadorship. In the words of the Navy – “well done.”

Always sincerely your friend,
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

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Hull suggests peace patrol

Urges post-war watch of aggressor nations