President Roosevelt’s statement opening the Red Cross Fund Drive February 28, 1943, 4:15 p.m. EWT
Broadcast audio (read by Norman H. Davis):
Just a few weeks ago I was privileged to visit a part of the North African theater of war, and to see and talk with our soldiers and sailors who man that front. Among these men in North Africa are the sons and brothers and husbands and friends of many of you who are listening at this moment. I wish it were somehow possible to share my experience with you, because I know what it would mean to you to have the chance to clasp the hand of some relative or friend thousands of miles from home, and to wish him well.
There is one way for you, however, to reach this hand of love and friendship across the ocean. For wherever our fighting men are – all over the world – the American Red Cross is by their side, extending always the arm of helpfulness and comfort.
At home, we have grown accustomed to the role of the Red Cross in every national emergency, in every local catastrophe – a generous friend to those overtaken by tragedy. Even our enemies know about the American Red Cross, because it has never let international boundaries act as the limits of its mercy.
The American Red Cross begins today the greatest single crusade of mercy in all history. It is undertaking a task unprecedented- because this war is unprecedented. We undertake this greatest of all Red Cross crusades in the name of mercy – now that we are engaged in a war to decide whether all our concepts of mercy and human decency are strong enough to survive.
In the Axis nations, mercy and decency are regarded as synonyms for weakness and decadence.
In our land it is from our great tradition of mercy that we take part of our strength.
Each one of you who has a friend or relative in uniform will measure the significance of this crusade in your own heart. You – at your house today – know better than anyone else what it means to be sure that the Red Cross stands at the side of our soldiers or sailors or marines wherever they may be. All of us one hundred and thirty millions – know how indispensable to victory is the work of this great agency which goes on every minute of every day – everywhere on earth where it is needed.
By proclamation, I have designated the month of March as Red Cross Month. To make sure that every American boy on every fighting front has everything he needs which the Red Cross can supply, it will require at least one hundred and twenty-five million dollars.
That is all that we need to know – we will not fail.
On February 27, during the afternoon, a force of heavy and medium bombers, with fighter escort, attacked Japanese positions at Kiska. Results were not observed. All U.S. planes returned.
On February 28, during the afternoon, enemy positions at Kiska were again attacked by U.S. medium bombers. Hits were observed in the camp area. All U.S. planes returned.
South Pacific.
On February 28:
A Hudson patrol bomber (Lockheed A-29) dropped bombs in the area at Munda, on New Georgia Island.
A force of Liberator heavy bombers (Consolidated PB4Y) and Avenger torpedo planes (Grumman TBF) attacked Japanese shipping off Buin and bombed the enemy airfields at Kahili and Ballale in the Shortland Island area. An enemy cargo ship was hit, blew up and sank. Large fires were started at Kahili and Ballale and an enemy plane was destroyed on the ground. One U.S. plane failed to return.
Dauntless dive bombers (Douglas), with Lightning (Lockheed P-38) and Wildcat (Grumman F4F) escort, attacked and started fires at Vila, on Kolombangara Island. All U.S. planes returned.
Washington (UP) –
U.S. planes in unremitting smashes at enemy bases in the Solomons have blasted a Japanese cargo ship to the bottom and started numerous large fires on enemy airfields, the Navy reported today.
Three bombing forays against enemy bases were reported in the last 48 hours.
On Feb. 27 and 28, the Navy’s communiqué disclosed, U.S. airmen at the upper end of the Pacific battleline again blasted heavily at Japanese bases in the Aleutians, noting hits in the Campe area on Kiska Island in the second attack.
The cargo ship sunk in the Solomons exploded after being hit, indicating that it may have been carrying ammunition, the Navy said.
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Camden, New Jersey –
The aircraft carrier USS Monterey was launched yesterday by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation. It was the fifth carrier to go down the company’s ways in a little more than six months.
