America at war! (1941–) – Part 3

8276

Editorial: Fourth of July

One of the steadfast things in this sadly disrupted world is America’s adherence to freedom. That spirit activated the first people who braved the unknown to carve homes out of the wilderness on the Atlantic Coast. On these shores, love of liberty waxed stronger until it resulted in political independence as well as religious and economic freedom.

Through the many generations since that day, Americans have guarded their independence well. It is for the safeguarding of independence and its extension in a world overrun with totalitarian activities for man’s subjugation that Americans are fighting.

At every recurrence of the Fourth of July, the thought arises that when this country declared its independence it not only did something to the science of government among nations, but it wrought so effectively as to affect the individual to an extent that was world-stirring.

The idea inculcated in national independence was quite simple – that a people could be self-governing by keeping the executive, legislative and judicial arms of government in balance.

Freedom for the individual, which accompanied the establishment of independence in government, was decidedly intricate in its working. It obligated the individual to differentiate between license and liberty. It taught him that he had not right to resort of violence in deciding issues. But it did assure the individual that what he won by his brain, his energy – or through shrewdness – he had a right to turn into property in the possession of which he would be protected.

This was a subtle process when applied to the individual mind. It led to invention of the cotton gin, the steamboat, the telegraph, the reaper, the telephone, the electric light, the automobile, the airplane and to development of the major food, fuel and fiber sources of supply on earth.

Today, the United States is the most powerful nation on the globe. Independence did that. It is the richest nation in history. Liberty did that.

8277

Editorial: Home front desertions

…

8278

The Pittsburgh Press (July 3, 1944)

Ernie Pyle V Norman

Roving Reporter

By Ernie Pyle

In Normandy, France – (by wireless)
This ack-ack crew of mine is having is first taste of war. And after three weeks or so of it they feel that they are the best gun crew in the best battery of the best ack-ack battalion on the beachhead.

It would be close to impossible for a German bomber to pick out their position at night, yet this crew feels that the Germans have singled them out because they’re so good. As far as I can learn, practically all the other gun crews feel the same way. That’s what is known in military terms as good morale.

My crew consists of 13 men. Some of them operate the dials on the gun, others load and fire it, others lug the big shells from a storage pit a few feet away.

These big 90mm guns usually operate in batteries, and a battery consists of four guns and the family of technicians necessary to operate the many scientific devices that control the guns.

The four guns of this particular battery are dug into the ground in a small open field, about 50 yards apart. The gunners sleep in pup tents or under halftracks hidden under trees and camouflage nets.

The boys work all night and sleep in the daytime. They haven’t dug foxholes, for the only danger is at night and they are up firing all night.

The guns require a great deal of daytime work to keep them in shape, so half of the boys sleep in the forenoon and half in the afternoon while the other half work.

Their life is rugged, but they don’t see the seamiest side of the war. They stay quite a while in one place, which makes for comfort, and they are beyond enemy artillery range. Their only danger is from bombing or strafing, and that is not too great. They are so new at war that they still try to keep themselves clean. They shave and wash their clothes regularly.

Their service section has not come over yet from England, so they have to cook their own meals. They’re pretty sick of this and will be glad when the service boys and field kitchens catch up with them. they eat ten-in-one rations, heating them over a fire of wooden sticks sunk into a shallow hole in the ground.

The sergeant who is commander of my gun crew is a farm boy from Iowa, and none of the crew are past their middle 20s. only two of the 13 are married. They have been overseas more than six months, and like everybody else they are terribly anxious to go home. They like to think in terms of anniversaries, and much of their conversation is given to remembering what they were doing a year ago today when they were in camp back in America. They all hope they won’t have to go to the Pacific when the European war is over.

My crew are a swell bunch of boys. They all work hard and they work well together. There are no goldbrickers in the crew. As in any group of a dozen men, some are talkative and some are quiet. There are no smart-alecks among them.

Only one man in the crew speaks French. That one has already made friends with the farmers nearby, and they get such stuff as eggs and butter occasionally. They have been promised some chicken, but it hasn’t showed up yet.

Although the noise and concussions of their gun are terrific, they have got used to it and none of them wears cotton in his ears. They say the two best morale-boosters are The Stars and Stripes and letters from home.

My boys are very proud of their first night on the soil of France. They began firing immediately from a field not far from the beach. The snipers were still thick in the surrounding hedges, and bullets were singing around them all night. The boys like to tell over and over how the infantry all around them were crouching and crawling along while they had to stand straight up and dig their guns in.

It takes about 12 hours of good hard work to dig in the guns when they move to a new position. They dig in one gun at a time while the three others are firing. My gun is dug into a circular pit about four feet deep and 20 feet across. This has been rimmed with a parapet of sandbags and dirt, until when you stand on the floor of the pit you can just see over the top. The boys are safe down there from anything but a direct hit.

Their gun is covered in the daytime by a large camouflage net. My crew fires anywhere from 10 to 150 shells a night. In the very early days on the beachhead, they kept firing one night until they had only half a dozen shells left. But the supply has been built up now, and there is no danger of their running short again.

The first night I was with them was a slow night and they fired only nine shells. The boys were terribly disappointed. They said it would have to turn out that the night I was with them would be the quietest and also the coldest they had ever had.

So just because of that I stayed a second night with them. And that time we fired all night long. It was indicated that we had brought down seven of the 15 planes we fired at and the boys were elated.

1 Like
8279

Völkischer Beobachter (July 4, 1944)

Trotz Jäger, Bomber, Flak:
‚V1‘ schlägt in den Aufmarschraum Südengland

An der Kanalküste, 3. Juli –
Während Eisenhower und Montgomery an der Normandiefront auf einen ungleich härteren Widerstand gestoßen sind, als es ihrem voreilig verkündeten „Invasionsfahrplan“ entsprach, hat sich zur Überraschung der Invasoren weit in ihrem Rücken im wichtigsten Nachschubgebiet die „V1“-Front aufgetan. Sie beansprucht in zunehmendem Maße militärische und rüstungswirtschaftliche Kräfte des Feindes.

Es war ein erregender Augenblick, als wir an der Kanalküste zum ersten Male das dumpfe Tosen der „V1“-Sprengkörper vernahmen, die über unseren Köpfen in wolkiger Nacht gegen England flogen. Wir sahen sie nicht, doch der herrische Ton der neuen Waffe prägte sich mit einer Eindringlichkeit sondergleichen in das Gehör ein. Aus der Ferne schwoll das Brausen an, erreichte über uns gewaltige Lautstärke und verhallte dann weit über der See. Gleich vielen Kameraden lauschten wir Stunde um Stunde diesem bis dahin ungekannten Klang, der einen ganz neuen Abschnitt der Kriegführung einleitete.

Von selbst gingen die Gedanken in die Heimat. Sie erinnerten uns an grelle Brandnächte und rauchgetrübte Tagesstunden, in denen unsere Frauen und Kinder mit zusammengebissenen Zähnen den Hagel der englischen und amerikanischen Terrorbomben erdulden und ihre Heimstätten in Trümmer und Asche aufgehen sehen mußten. Nun wussten wir: Deutschland schlägt zurück.

Dann kam ein klarer Junitag, an dem auch unsere Augen zum ersten Male eine der geflügelten Bomben erblickten. Nun war uns der vibrierende harte Ton ihres Antriebs schon bekannt, doch das Herz schlug dennoch schneller, als der Sprengkörper mit stählerner Folgerichtigkeit seinen Kurs hoch über den Wogen des Kanals zu jener Insel nahm, die sich rühmt, das Flugzeugmutterschiff des schrankenlosen Luftterrors zu sein. Wir wussten ja, daß auf den fliegenden Bomben niemand an Bord war, aber wir konnten nicht anders und rissen unsere Feldmützen vom Kopf, um ihnen unsere Grüße und unsere Erfolgswünsche zuzuwinken. Sie galten den Männern, die in der Stille die neue Waffe geschaffen haben, deren Donner das Strafgericht gegen einen hassvollen Feind verkündet, der alle Mahnungen in den Wind geschlagen hat, daß die zerbombten deutschen Städte und Dörfer eines Tages mit harten Schlägen gerächt werden würden.

Dabei waren wir uns alle im Klaren, daß mit „V1“ nicht nur die erste Waffe der Vergeltung entstanden ist, sondern vor allem ein neuartiges militärisches Werkzeug von umwälzender kriegstechnischer Bedeutung. Mit „V1“ ist ein Weg betreten worden, der in einer anderen als der bisherigen artilleristischen Form die Wirkungsmöglichkeit und Reichweite des Fernbeschusses außerordentlich gesteigert hat. Wie diese kriegstechnischen Neuerungen beschaffen sind, darüber mag sich der Feind den Kopf zerbrechen. Jeder Deutsche weiß, daß mit der Wahrung des Geheimnisses um „V1“ und andere neue Waffen ihre Erfolge gesteigert und die feindlichen Gegenmaßnahmen behindert werden. Deshalb muß über die Einzelheiten auch weiterhin ein ehernes Schweigen herrschen.

Der Feind seinerseits bemüht sich mit allen Mitteln, die Wirkungen der neuen Waffe in ihrem jetzigen Zielraum London und Südengland zu verschleiern. Aber aus seinen ablenkenden Kommentaren und ihrem auffälligen Wandel lassen sich bezeichnende Schlüsse ziehen. In den ersten Tagen versuchte die englische Presse bekanntlich die „fliegenden Bomben“ mit einem krampfhaften Lächeln abzutun. Dann mußte sorgenvollen Stimmen Raum gegeben werden, denen aber gleich zum Trost entgegengehalten wurde, die Gegenmaßnahmen würden das „V1“-Feuer schon in wenigen Tagen zum Abflauen bringen. Als einmal in den Rhythmus des Störungsfeuers eine Pause von einigen Stunden eingelegt wurde, ließ Churchill bereits die Vermutung aussprechen, den Deutschen sei wegen der Bombardierung der Vorratsplätze die Munition ausgegangen. Doch kaum waren die Zeitungen mit diesen Beschwichtigungsmitteln auf den Straßen, wurde das „V1“-Feuer mit verstärkter Wucht fortgesetzt. Jetzt, da das „V1“-Feuer nun bald drei Wochen unablässig weitergegangen ist, ruft man in London auf einmal die dort längst vergessene Humanität an. Es steht den Engländern, die durch die Erfindung der „Wohnblockknacker“ und die Menschenjagd der Staffeln der „Murder incorporated“ so viel barbarischen „Mut“ bekundet haben, sehr schlecht zu Gesicht, wenn sie heute mit humanitären Phrasen kommen. Darüber können wir hinweggeben und in solchen Ablenkungsmanövern nur einen Beweis der nachhaltigen militärischen Wirkung des „V1“-Feuers erblicken.

Seit England und die USA sich in Teheran den Bolschewisten gegenüber endgültig verpflichtet haben, in Westeuropa zu landen, war die englisch-amerikanische Presse nicht müde geworden, ganz Südengland als ein einziges Arsenal und Heerlager der Invasionsarmeen zu preisen. Unzählige Bilder wurden verbreitet, um aller Welt zu beweisen, daß nicht nur London, sondern jede Stadt und jedes Dorf in Südengland mit so großen Truppen- und Kriegsmaterialmassen vollgepfropft seien, daß es oft an dem nötigen Umbautenraum fehle. Das soll nun plötzlich nicht mehr wahr sein, und nach den jetzigen englischen Stimmen soll Südengland nur noch aus Altersheimen, Kinderasylen und Kirchen bestehen – Mit derartigen plumpen Mätzchen verschwendet das Reuter-Büro nur sein Papier.

Von den 44 Millionen Bewohnern der Insel leben über acht Millionen in dem Nervenzentrum London und weitere zehn Millionen in Südengland. Sie wissen sehr wohl, daß in ihrem Gebiet ein erheblicher Teil der englischen Rüstungsindustrie liegt und daß durch Südengland die Versorgungslinien der Invasionsarmeen führen. In diese militärischen und kriegswirtschaftlichen Ziele hauen die fliegenden Bomben unerbittlich hinein, einmal hier, ein andermal dort, gelegentlich auch als Streufeuer, oft in heftigen Feuerschlägen.

Wer das aufpeitschende Dröhnen der fliegenden Bomben auf ihrem Kurs nach England erlebt hat, braucht nicht viel Phantasie, um sich den Druck auf die Nerven der Engländer vorzustellen, die in den Zielräumen nun schon wochenlang Tag und Nacht das gleiche Dröhnen hören, nur mit dem Unterschied, daß niemand weiß, ob der Einschlag nun an dieser Stelle erfolgt oder an einer anderen. Die „V1“-Angriffe kennen keine Atempausen. Unter dem nicht abreißenden Störungsfeuer der fliegenden Bomben sind Aufräumungs- und Wiederherstellungsarbeiten ständig bedroht. Sie können auch nicht jeweils auf bestimmte Gebiete gelenkt werden, was einen zusätzlichen Kräfteverbrauch mit sich bringt.

Alles dies hat den Feind zu einem beträchtlichen Einsatz von Menschen und Kriegsmaterial für den Versuch einer Bekämpfung der Waffe „V1“ genötigt, der wiederum weitere Kräfte fesselt, die Eisenhower sonst für die Invasionsfront oder ergänzende Unternehmungen verwenden könnte.

Nicht allein die bisherigen ungewöhnlich starken Luftverteidigungskräfte des Londoner Raums sind gegen die „Robotflugzeuge“ eingesetzt. Vor der Küste sind zahlreiche Kriegsfahrzeuge ausgelegt worden, um schon auf dem Kanal Flaksperrfeuer gegen die „V1“ zu schießen. An der Küste sind außer Hunderten von Sperrballonen zahlreiche Flakbatterien zusätzlich aufgestellt worden. Diese und die Londoner Flak feuern auf die fliegenden. Bomben mit einem Munitionsverbrauch, den das englische Reuterbüro „ungeheuer“ nennen mußte. Jagdflugzeuge sind, wie der Feind berichtet, ständig in der Luft, um die fliegenden Bomben zu beschießen. Da die englischen Meldungen erklären, die deutschen Sprengkörper seien schneller als die Jäger, muß es sich schon um einen Masseneinsatz von Jägern handeln, die sonst an anderer Stelle verwendet werden könnten.

Ferner war der Feind gezwungen, dauernd starke Bomberverbände abzuzweigen, um die Räume anzugreifen, aus denen nach seiner Meinung die „V1“-Sprengkörper herkommen. Aber da die 7.200 Bombenangriffe, die der Feind nach seinen Berichten in den letzten Monaten vor Beginn des „V1“-Feuers auf die vermuteten Baustellen gerichtet hat, den planmäßigen Ablauf der deutschen Maßnahmen nicht haben stören können, setzt die englische Presse offensichtlich keine hochgespannten Erwartungen auf die jetzigen Aktionen der Bombengeschwader, die dem Luftaufmarsch der Invasionsfront entzogen werden mußten. Trotz Jäger, Bomber und Flak geht der „V1“-Strom weiter, wie der Feind in jeder seiner Tagesmeldungen bestätigen muß.

Die „V1“-Front im Rücken der Invasoren zieht jedoch nicht nur beträchtliche Mengen an Soldaten, Rüstungsarbeitern und Kriegswerkzeugen aller drei Wehrmachtteile Englands von anderen Aufgaben ab, sie engt gleichzeitig auch die strategische Handlungsfreiheit der feindlichen Führung ein. Der Ernst der deutschen Feststellung, daß „V1“ nur die erste der neuen Waffen ist, wird heute nicht einmal von den arrogantesten Londoner Politikern angezweifelt.

Auf deutscher Seite werden die militärischen Auswirkungen des „V1“-Feuers gegen London und Südengland in aller Nüchternheit und ohne jede Übertreibung registriert. Wir stehen erst am Anfang, jedoch kein Deutscher verläßt sich darauf, daß technische Wunder uns den Sieg einfach in den Schoß werfen. Das deutsche Volk weiß, daß neue Waffen nur aus zähester Arbeit entstehen und erst in der Hand unbeugsamer Kämpfer ihren eigentlichen Wert gewinnen. Die stärkste unserer Geheimwaffen ist und bleibt der Selbstbehauptungswille des deutschen Volkes, der vor keiner Schwierigkeit zurückschreckt, bis der Sieg errungen ist.

ERICH GLODSCHEY

8280

Eichenlaub für Rundstedt und Generaloberst Dollmann

Berlin, 3. Juli –
Der Führer verlieh ferner am 2. Juli 1944 das Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes als 518. Soldaten der deutschen Wehrmacht dem Oberbefehlshaber der VII. Armee, Generaloberst Friedrich Dollmann, nach dem Tode, und als 519. Soldaten der deutschen Wehrmacht dem Oberbefehlshaber West, Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt.

8281

Innsbrucker Nachrichten (July 4, 1944)

Zunehmende harte Abwehrkämpfe im Osten

Starke Feindangriffe in der Normandie – In der Bretagne Terroristen und Fallschirmjäger niedergemacht

dnb. Aus dem Führerhauptquartier, 4. Juli –
Das Oberkommando der Wehrmacht gibt bekannt:

In der Normandie griff der Feind gestern, von starker Artillerie und Panzern unterstützt, am Westflügel des Landekopfes an. Er wurde im Wesentlichen abgewiesen und konnte nur an einigen Stellen nach hartem Kampfe in unsere Linien eindringen. An der übrigen Front verlief der Tag ohne besondere Ereignisse.

In der Bretagne wurden 20 Terroristen und 58 in Zivilkleidung abgesprungene feindliche Fallschirmjäger im Kampf bis zum letzten Mann niedergemacht.

Schwere deutsche Kampfflugzeuge griffen in der vergangenen Nacht feindliche Schiffsansammlungen vor der normannischen Küste an. Zwei Landungsspezialschiffe erhielten Volltreffer. Weitere Treffer in Ausladungen wurden beobachtet. Sicherungsfahrzeuge eines deutschen Geleites schossen vor der niederländischen Küste ein britisches Schnellboot in Brand.

Schweres Vergeltungsfeuer liegt auf London.

In Italien ließ die Wucht des feindlichen Großangriffes gestern etwas nach. Nur im westlichen Küstenabschnitt, im Raum von Siena und an der adriatischen Küste wurde heftig gekämpft. An der Westküste konnte der Gegner geringen Geländegewinn erzielen. In allen anderen Abschnitten wurde er blutig abgewiesen.

An der mittleren Ostfront hat die Härte der Kämpfe weiter zugenommen. Westlich Ssluzk wechselten feindliche Angriffe mit unseren Gegenangriffen. Der bis an die Bahnlinie Baranowicze-Minsk vorgedrungene Feind wurde von unseren Panzerdivisionen in schneidigen Gegenangriffen unter hohen blutigen Verlusten zurückgeworfen. Bolschewistische Panzerkräfte drangen in Minsk ein und stießen weiter nach Westen vor. Südöstlich der Stadt leisten unsere Verbände den von allen Seiten anstürmenden Sowjets erbitterten Widerstand und kämpfen sich nach Westen zurück. Bei Molodeczno wurden feindliche Angriffsspitzen im Gegenstoß geworfen. Im Raum westlich Polozk schlugen unsere Truppen an der Düna wiederholte Angriffe der Bolschewisten ab. Die Stadt wurde nach wechselvollen Kämpfen aufgegeben.

In den Kämpfen der letzten Tage hat sich der Kommandeur eines Grenadierregiments, Oberst Reimann, durch beispielhafte Tapferkeit ausgezeichnet. Er fand im Nahkampf inmitten seiner Grenadiere den Heldentod.

Die Luftwaffe griff mit Schlachtfliegerverbänden wirksam in die Erdkämpfe ein, zersprengte zahlreiche feindliche Kolonnen und vernichtete mehrere Panzer, Geschütze und einige hundert Fahrzeuge.

In der Nacht führten Kampfflugzeuge Angriffe gegen mehrere sowjetische Bahnhöfe und zerstörten umfangreiches Nachschubmaterial. Besonders im Bahnhof Borissow entstanden ausgedehnte Brände und starke Explosionen.

Nordamerikanische Bomber warfen verstreut Bomben im Raum von Belgrad und auf mehrere Orte in Rumänien. Deutsche und rumänische Luftverteidigungskräfte brachten hierbei 19 feindliche Flugzeuge zum Absturz. Einzelne britische Flugzeuge griffen in der vergangenen Nacht Orte im rheinisch-westfälischen Gebiet mit Bomben an.

8282

Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (July 4, 1944)

Communiqué No. 57

Allied troops in the neck of the CHERBOURG Peninsula advances at several points yesterday morning. Gains of up to two and a half miles were made in spite of heavy rains which severely restricted air support. The weather improved somewhat yesterday evening and defended localities, gun positions and a fuel dump in the LESSAY area were effectively attacked by fighter-bombers.

Our positions in the ODON salient remain firm.

Other air activity yesterday included successful attacks by medium bombers on a fuel dump near ARGENTAN and by rocket-firing aircraft on an electric power station near MÛR-DE-BRETAGNE in the BREST Peninsula.

The enemy railway system south of the battle area was further damaged during the night when a number of trains were bombed in the ORLÉANS–CLOYES-MONTFORT area.

Communiqué No. 58

Allied forces made two major attacks this morning.

In the CAEN area, our troops, driving southeast astride the railway and main road from BAYEUX to CAEN, have captured CARPIQUET. Fighting is in progress on the airfield there.

Other Allied units, moving from the eastern flank of the ODON bridgehead, advanced several miles, capturing VERSON and joining with our troops on their left.

In the base of the CHERBOURG Peninsula, Allied forces moving south captured the high ground north of the LA HAYE-DU-PUITS this morning. The successful assault of this dominating feature followed earlier advances near SAINT-RÉMY-DES-LANDES, BLANCHELANDE and LA POTERIE where substantial gains have been made.

Weather continued to interfere with air operations from midnight until noon today, but during the entire period, our aircraft, taking advantage of favorable intervals, attacked a variety of targets in support of our troops.

All types of our fighters joined in supporting ground operations in the CAEN–ÉVRECY and CHERBOURG Peninsula sectors. Fighter-bombers made low-level attacks on artillery positions, supply dumps, trenches and railways between COUTANCES and LESSAY. Troop concentrations on the railways at VILLEDIEU, VIRE, LE MANS and southeast of ARGENTAN were bombed and strafed in spite of poor visibility. Motor convoys, towing guns, were effectively hit near BETHON (south of ALENÇON) as were railway targets and oil storage tanks in the BREST Peninsula. Reports so far received show that twelve of our fighters are missing.

Heavy day bombers, escorted by fighters, this morning attacked a number of airfields in north and northwest France, bombing by instruments. No enemy aircraft were encountered. Two of our bombers are missing. Escorting fighters also bombed and strafed two Seine bridges and trains at LILLY.

Early this morning, light coastal forces intercepted a small enemy convoy to the northwest of SAINT-MALO. Two of the enemy were sunk, and damage inflicted on others.

Unsuccessful attempts were made by a number of enemy E-boats to break in to our lines of communication from the eastward during the night. The enemy was finally driven off by light coastal forces after a succession of engagements which lasted throughout the night.

8283

U.S. Navy Department (July 4, 1944)

CINCPAC Communiqué No. 71

Garapan and Tanapag Towns on Saipan Island have been captured by our forces in a general advance along the entire front. Our line now extends inland from Tanapag on the west coast of the island, skirts the mountain village of Atchugau in the center, and is anchored on the east coast at a point within four miles of Inagsa Point at the northeast tip of Saipan. During the night of July 2‑3 (West Longitude Date), a small force of Japanese attacked our lines from the rear. Twenty‑five enemy troops were killed. We suffered no losses. Our troops have buried 7,312 enemy dead.

Carrier aircraft of a fast carrier task group attacked Iwo Jima Island on July 2 (West Longitude Date). Thirty‑nine enemy fighters which attempted to intercept our force were shot down, and 16 were probably shot down. Incomplete reports indicate 24 enemy aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground. Two small vessels were strafed, and bomb hits were obtained on a fuel dump.

Rota Island was bombed by carrier aircraft and shelled by light naval surface units on July 2. Runways and revetments were hit. A huge explosion was caused by a hit apparently in an ammunition dump.

Liberators of the 7th Army Air Force bombed Truk Atoll during daylight on July 1 and at night on July 2. In the attack on July 1, seven enemy fighters intercepted our force. Four enemy aircraft and two Liberators were damaged. All our planes returned. No effective opposition was encountered on July 2. Dauntless dive bombers and Corsair fighters of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing attacked enemy positions in the Marshall Islands on July 1 and 2.

CINCPAC Communiqué No. 72

Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands and Hahajima in the Bonin Islands were heavily attacked by carrier aircraft of a fast carrier task group on July 3 (West Longitude Date). Iwo Jima, in addition to being severely bombed and strafed, was shelled by cruisers and destroyers. Rocket fire from carrier aircraft was extensively employed at both objectives.

Preliminary reports indicate the following damage to the enemy:

  • Three destroyers sunk or beached.

  • One large cargo ship sunk.

  • One medium oiler sunk.

  • One destroyer, dead in the water and burning.

  • Several small cargo ships damaged.

  • Harbor installations and warehouses at Haha Jima were set afire by bombs, rockets, and machine-gun fire.

  • Twenty‑five enemy planes were shot down by our aircraft, and an undetermined number damaged on the ground. We lost six planes.

There was no damage to any of our surface craft.

8284

Give-it-best

8285

The Evening Star (July 4, 1944)

Canadians seize town near Caen

Yanks converging on La Haye from three sides

Action on both ends of Normandy front

map.070444.tes
Arrows indicate Allied drives at both ends of the French front today, with U.S. troops pushing down the Cherbourg Peninsula to close in on La Haye. At the other end of the front, Canadians captured Carpiquet, three miles west of Caen. (AP)

SHAEF, England (AP) –
The Normandy bridgehead roared into action at both ends at dawn on this American Independence Day, with Canadian troops, capturing Carpiquet, three miles west of Caen, matching the Yanks’ offensive down the Cherbourg Peninsula, which was closing in on La Haye-du-Puits on a 20-mile front.

The Americans drove to within one and three-quarter miles of La Haye.

Field dispatches said the Canadians were fighting at close quarters for the Carpiquet Airfield.

British troops joining the Canadians in the new attack advanced one and a half miles and captured Verson, south of Carpiquet.

The British and Canadians now have advanced about one and a half miles on a two-and-a-half-mile-wide front, headquarters said tonight.

The Canadian attack chopped at the heart of the German defenses about Caen, but there was as yet no indication that Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery had ordered a general all-out offensive on the city.

Called a key to Caen

Canadian Press correspondent Ross Munro in a front dispatch said:

This was the first major Canadian action since mid-June and it was a great achievement to have cracked into Carpiquet. considering it is one of the strongest points on the Caen perimeter and one of the keys to Caen itself.

Mr. Munro wrote:

From a slope in our forward gun lines, I watched the attack as a bed lam of firing shook the front. The guns drummed with a steady rhythm as they beat up the objective, and rocket-firing Typhoons dived like black meteors right on the German positions, blasting them at point-blank range.

"German guns and mortars are hitting the Canadians now. The fighting is far from over and German counterblows against Carpiquet may be expected.”

Converge on La Haye

U.S. columns were converging on La Haye from the north, east and west. One column reached high ground controlling communication arteries two and a half miles from the town.

Today’s German communiqué acknowledged the Allies had made several penetrations on the western wing of the Normandy bridgehead, but claimed most assaults in that area were repelled.*

In many places, the American doughboys fought their way through water waist-deep. Lt. Gen. Omar N. Bradley’s forces were pushing forward in a rough semicircle from Saint-Lô-d’Ourville to a point near Carentan, a sector roughly 20 airline miles wide.

There were no reports of any advances from Carentan south to Saint-Lô.

The Germans admitted possibly deeper penetrations than the Allies announced officially, the Nazi International Information Service saying in a Berlin broadcast: “During American attacks launched yesterday between Carentan and the west coast of Normandy, German positions were withdrawn several miles at some points.”

Allied Communiqué No. 57 said this morning that heavy rains severely restricted air support.

Until last evening, the American drive had no air support, but then clearing weather allowed fighter-bombers to hit German concentrations in the Lessay area, five miles due south of La Haye.

La Haye appeared the next objective of the drive which Gen. Bradley launched yesterday, a thrust which got under way in the surprisingly short time of a week after the conquest of Cherbourg. Should the Germans lose La Haye, they would be forced back perhaps 10 miles to the next natural defense line along the River Ay, which runs into the sea at Lessay.

The U.S. column closest to the town captured the highest ground in the center of the peninsula near Les Rouland, two and a half miles northeast of La Haye. La Poterie in this section was captured. Other advancing troops reached Saint-Nicolas-de-Pierrepont, three miles to the northwest of La Haye, and still others reached Saint-Rémy-des-Landes, three miles west of La Haye.

Advance from Saint-Jores

U.S. infantry also pushed out an inquiring tenacle from newly-captured Saint-Jores, five miles to the east.

Already the American offensive had pushed into German defenses which Marshal Erwin Rommel himself inspected two months ago and was reported to have pronounced adequate. The advance for the doughboys was prepared by a thundering artillery barrage.

In addition to facing sniper and mortar fire, the American doughboys had to fight through some of the most disagreeable country in France. It is crisscrossed with canals and rivers running through swampy land.

Under torrential rains, only the roads remained above water, aiding the defense. The swamps extend south from La Haye to a line from Saint-Lô to Coutances.

Meanwhile, the Allied Navy disclosed some of the details of the weather in June, the month of the invasion, calling it the worst in 12 years for unloading on the Normandy beaches.

Moderately strong onshore wind which hampers unloading, blew nine days out of the 24 from June 6 to June 30, the 12-year average for the sake period is four days of such wind.

The two worst years for the same period were 1929 and 1933 when the wind blew seven days onshore with moderately strong force.

The German radio reported several clashes between Allied motor boats and a German convoy off the Dutch coast, but these reports lacked confirmation immediately at Supreme Headquarters.

Salvage crews worked at top speed to clear Cherbourg Harbor, which was still being swept by minesweepers. Front dispatches reported there were already several clear beaches at Cherbourg where small craft could unload.

Nazis say Roosevelt will visit France soon

London, England (AP) –
A German Transocean broadcast recorded by Reuters today said President Roosevelt “is expected to arrive at Cherbourg within the next few days” and “will attend the hoisting of an American flag on the citadel of Cherbourg.”

The broadcast said:

Then he will go to Scotland where he will meet Mr. Churchill. The two will then probably proceed to Rome to meet Stalin.

The broadcast was totally without confirmation from Allied sources.

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De Gaulle’s plans for visit here complete; due late this week

Has outlined subjects for discussion in note; U.S. officials optimistic
By the Associated Press

Gen. Charles de Gaulle has made definite and final arrangements for his visit here, it was learned today. He is expected late this week.

The French leader in previous discussions about the trip had qualified his plans with a big “if” – as to whether he found he could make it.

Gen. de Gaulle is understood to have sent a note on the subject of the talks with President Roosevelt and others, which are to be on general policy rather than specific issues.

The U.S. government had already messaged Algiers its views on the conversations, stressing military topics bearing “on the conduct of the war.”

Washington officials look to the visit with increased optimism, following the marked strain between this government and Gen. de Gaulle’s French committee two weeks ago.

A factor which has helped clear the atmosphere was completion of negotiations between Britain and Gen. de Gaulle’s Committee of Civil Administration and Currency Agreements for France.

American adherence to the agreements, which have not reached Washington yet, probably will be taken up with French diplomats after Gen. de Gaulle has finished his brief discussions of the general situation.

Talk of recognition of Gen. de Gaulle’s Algiers committee as provisional government of France has subsided, and this may help considerably in obtaining concrete results from Gen. de Gaulle’s talks with Mr. Roosevelt because the Frenchman previously had taken the stand that the question of authority should be settled before other topics could be taken up.

There is no sign of any change in the American policy against according full recognition to any French government before the French people are able to speak for themselves from metropolitan France.

U.S. spirit of freedom extolled by de Gaulle

Algiers, Algiers (AP) –
Gen. Charles de Gaulle praised American idealism, industrial power and courage today on the eve of his departure for a visit to the United States.

He declared:

Independence Day is freedom day. All the peoples of the earth know and respect America’s idealism, her industrial power, the courage of her sons whose blood is being shed on the shores of Europe and Asia.

The people of France will observe Independence Day because the same love of independence has always brought us together in the days of gloom as in the days of glory.

May these common sentiments inspire in the future as they did in the past the traditional friendship binding our two peoples and our two republics.

Algiers was festooned this July 4 with French, American and other Allied flags.

Gen. de Gaulle, who expects to visit Washington, New York and Canada, will be accompanied by his personal staff and Gen. Marie Émile Béthouart, Chief of Staff of National Defense.

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U.S. forces push to point within 15 miles of Leghorn

Allied armies surge nearer Nazi defense line on entire Italian front

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U.S. troops invade Noemfoor and seize principal airfield

Landing represents 100-mile advance toward Philippines

Double threat to Philippines

sn83045462 1944-07-04 1 4 image 681x648 from 857x100 to 3422x2543
Solid arrows point to Noemfoor Island, off New Guinea, and Saipan, in the Marianas, where U.S. troops are fighting for strategic bases. The landing on Noemfoor was announced last night. Open arrows with distance indicators show how these advances form a double threat to the Jap-held Philippines. (AP)

Advanced Allied HQ, New Guinea (AP) –
U.S. troops have invaded Noemfoor Island off Dutch New Guinea and seized its principal airdrome in a 100-mile swoop toward the Philippines.

Headquarters announced today that units of the 6th Army, under Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger, landed on Noemfoor’s western coast at 8:00 a.m. Sunday.

Within two hours, the green-clad infantrymen overcame light enemy opposition and captured Kamiri Airstrip, a 5,000-foot landing field badly cratered by Allied bombs. The troops found 30 Japanese airplanes there, most of them damaged beyond repair.

At last reports, the invaders were pushing toward the island’s two remaining airdromes, one of them three miles away.

Murlin Spencer, Associated Press correspondent, said U.S. casualties were among the smallest suffered in any landing operation in the Southwest Pacific. Only 45 Japanese dead were counted in the first few hours of fighting.

Noemfoor is 1,400 miles southwest of the Marianas, where other U.S. soldiers and two divisions of Marines have taken almost two-thirds of Saipan Island and have killed more than 6,000 Japanese at a cost of more than 2,200 American dead or missing – the heaviest casualties of the Pacific War.

The Americans have surrounded Saipan’s principal city, Garapan, on three sides, and have squeezed the remaining Japanese defenders into the narrow northern end of the island.

There was no Pearl Harbor communiqué for the 24-hour period of July 3, Honolulu Time, indicating that the situation on Saipan had not changed considerably.

Gen, Douglas MacArthur, in an Independence Day communiqué referring to the Noemfoor operation, said:

Our forces landed with practically no loss, either ground, naval or air, and promptly secured the airfield, our main objective, without a struggle.

The seizure of this base will give added breadth and depth to our air deployment and will further dislocate the enemy’s South Seas defenses already seriously shaken by our previous advances.

Noemfoor, 100 miles west of the U.S.-occupied Schouten Islands where two airfields are already in operation, is only 50 miles from Manokwari, strongest remaining Japanese base in Dutch New Guinea. Guarding the entrance to Geelvink Bay, it is closer to the Philippines than either to Darwin, Australia, or Port Moresby, New Guinea. Timor, Celebes, Davao, Yap and Palau are all less than 1,000 miles away.

A dispatch filed yesterday from the flagship said that with the 2nd Marines holding the surrounding hills and advancing steadily in the center and northern part of the city, the fall of Garapan is imminent.

In the face of an American thrust, Japanese troops were declared rapidly abandoning the city and fleeing northward. Thousands of Japanese civilians preceded the troops in flight out of the battered and bombed city which was a mass of ruins.

The 27th Infantry Division pushed forward, bringing itself nearly parallel to more advanced positions of the 4th Marines who have made big strides along the eastern coast.

Gen. MacArthur’s headquarters also announced the capture last Friday of Maffin Bay airdrome on the Dutch New Guinea mainland 250 miles east of Noemfoor. Nearby Wake Island airstrip has been in Allied hands for six weeks. The Japanese still hold Sawar Drome near the Maffin Strip, but Allied planes have denied them the use of it.

New raids on Jap bases

New raids on Manokwari, Timor, Palau, Yap, Wewak, Rabaul, Havieng and other Japanese bases in the Southwest Pacific were listed in Gen. MacArthur’s communiqué.

The Noemfoor landing, Gen. MacArthur said, was made “through narrow, difficult coral reefs generally regarded as impractical for such a purpose. As a result, the attack was completely unexpected by the enemy and his defense preparations were outflanked.”

Cruisers and destroyers under the command of RAdm. William F. Fechteler started shelling Noemfoor’s west coast before dawn. Fighters and bombers of the Far Eastern Air Force joined the pre-invasion attack.

There was some Japanese mortar, and artillery fire at first, and enemy anti-aircraft guns were leveled briefly against the warship. By 10:00 a.m., all enemy mortar and artillery fire had been silenced.

Kamiri Drome had been captured, and the push to the other airfields was on.

New Allied raid on Bonins reported by Tokyo radio

By the Associated Press

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New Hampshire dynamite blast throws thousands in panic

Rumor of enemy bombing of airfield follows warehouse explosion at Bedford

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Five killed, 26 hurt as Sante Fe Chief is wrecked in Arizona

Death toll may rise to 6; 12 cars leave tracks on downhill curve

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Eisenhower pins medals on 24 from Fighting 1st Division

By Don Whitehead, Associated Press war correspondent

1st Infantry Division command post, France – (July 2, delayed)
Heroes of the Fighting 1st Division, who led the American assault on France and lived to cross that hellish strip of beach where so many fell, stood in the shade of the tall Normandy elms today and received an accolade from Gen. Eisenhower.

They had tried to clean the stains of battle from their clothing for the occasion, but still their uniforms showed they had just returned from the front, not far away.

No one cared about spit and polish with these men – least of all Gen. Eisenhower, who pinned Distinguished Service Crosses on the chests of 22 and gave the Legion of Merit award to two others.

These were the elite of the infantry regiment. They had come through a test as great as any soldier ever faced and by their courage and leadership had opened the way for thousands of troops to follow.

On lawn of old chateau

They stood at attention on the lawn of an old gray chateau when jeeps carrying Gen. Eisenhower, Lt. Gen. Omar N. Bradley and Maj. Gen. Leonard T. Gerow halted before their ranks.

Gen. “Ike” jumped out, smiling. He wore a garrison cap. an air force jacket belted at the waist, and his trousers stuffed into parachute trooper boots.

The three generals shook hands with Maj. Gen. C. R. Huebner, commanding the 1st Infantry Division, and an officer began reading the names of men receiving the awards.

“Brigadier General––”

I remembered that thunderous morning of D-Day when this tall, square-jawed man moved up and down the beach with absolute disregard for his own safety organizing the troops and moving them inland against strong points which were pouring murderous lire into our ranks.

“Colonel––”

The colonel had stood on the beach where thousands of men were pinned down by enemy fire and said in a quiet drawl: “Gentlemen, we are being killed on the beaches – let’s move inland and be killed.” His men surged forward and broke the German defenses.

Spearhead of assault

“Lt. Col. Herbert C. Hicks of Spartanburg, South Carolina…”

Troops of his command spearheaded the assault on the Atlantic Wall, and his gallantry and that of his men contributed greatly to D-Day’s success.

“Maj. Charles E. Tetgmeyer of Hamilton, New York…”

Under heavy fire, Maj. Tetgmeyer covered the length of the beach administering to wounded, then went repeatedly into the mine-strewn water to pull out wounded.

“Capt. Victor R. Briggs of New York…”

His unit was the first to come off the beach and he deliberately walked away across a minefield alone to draw enemy fire and give his men a chance to move up behind him.

“Capt. Kimbell R. Richmond of Ventnor, New Jersey…”

His assault boat ground 400 yards from the beach. He and his men swam on in through artillery and machine-gun fire and then attacked.

“Capt. Thomas M. Marendino of Ventnor, New Jersey…”

He led his men in a charge up a slope and overran a German strongpoint under heavy fire.

Took over command

“Lt. Carl W. Giles, Jr. of Gest, Kentucky…”

His landing craft was sunk by enemy fire. He swam ashore, pulled to safety three men hit in the water, and with most of the officers of his unit casualties he assumed command and carried out the mission.

And so on down the list to Pfc. Peter Cavaliere, Bristol, Rhode Island, who went forward to set up an observation post, was surrounded by Germans, shot eight and clung to the position.

As Gen. Eisenhower moved down the double rank, he spoke a few words to each man, asking him his job and where he was from in the United States. After pinning on the medals, he called the group around him.

He said:

I’m not going to make a speech, but this simple little ceremony gives me opportunity to come over here and through you say thanks. You are one of the finest regiments in our Army.

I know your record from the day you landed in North Africa and through Sicily. I am beginning to think that your regiment is a sort of Praetorian Guard which goes along with me and gives me luck.

I know you want to go home, but I demanded if I came up here that you would have to come up with me, You’ve got what it takes to finish the job.

If you will do me a favor when you go back, you will spread the word through the regiment that I am terrifically proud and grateful to them. To all you fellows, good luck, keep on top of them, and so long.

Eisenhower chats with young sergeant, his Kansas cousin

At the 2nd Infantry Division command post in Normandy, France (AP) –
Two kinsmen and soldiers – one a four-star general and the other a sergeant – met along the front recently and swapped Kansas hometown gossip.

They were Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and a relative who works in his expeditionary force – George T. Etherington, 24, of Abilene, Kansas.

During a tour of the Normandy battlefront, the commander’s English aide brought up the sergeant, who saluted and then shook the general’s hand while bystanders looked on curiously. In a moment they were trading the latest news from relatives.

Gen. Eisenhower said:

Let’s see, you’re my first cousin once removed. I had a letter from Florence (the sergeant’s mother) three weeks ago saying I’d run into you somewhere over here.

“Yes, sir,” replied Sgt. Etherington, who let the general do most of the talking.

He showed Gen. Eisenhower a copy of the Abilene Reflector Chronicle which had a picture of the general and his brother on the front page.

“I will send a message telling your mother about you,” Gen. Eisenhower promised. “How about your Uncle Will?”

After Gen. Eisenhower drove away in a jeep following a farewell handshake, someone asked Sgt. Etherington, “Why didn’t you ever tell anyone you were related to Gen. Eisenhower?”

The sergeant looked about in frustration before replying, “I did, but nobody would believe me.” Then he wheeled about on a small group of his buddies and demanded: “Well, now will you all believe I am related to him?”

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Gen. Quesada leads flight opening drive

An advanced U.S. 9th Air Force fighter base, France – (July 2, delayed)
A dive-bombing mission of such unusual importance that the commander of the 9th Tactical Air Force, Maj. Gen. Elwood Quesada of Washington, DC, led the flight, was carried out late today by a dozen fighter pilots in advance of the big American push.

The 39-year-old general led the flight down to the deck, flying within a few feet of the ground to loose 500-pound delayed-action bombs. He said details of the mission could not be disclosed for several days.

Gen. Quesada said:

It was a fair flight. We really beat up the place. On the way back we went down and strafed a concentration of troops and supplies near Saint-Lô.

With him on the mission was Col. Dyke Meyer of Kirkwood, Missouri. There was a tense air of expectancy at this base when it became known the general was coming in on a special mission.

“This is really going to be hot,” he told the other pilots. “We are doing a job of extreme importance – unusual importance.”

A few minutes later, they took off. Quesada said on their return:

We beat hell out of the objective. It was bad weather and our bombing could have been better, but they landed close enough. Man, it’s good to get away from the desk for a change. Meyer and I are old men compared to the youngsters, but we’re not too old to get in a lick.

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U.S. heavy bombers attack Romania and airfields in France

London, England (AP) –
Up to 500 U.S. heavy combers from Italy struck Romanian oil targets for the second consecutive day today, while an equal force from Britain smashed anew at German airfields in France.

Improving weather permitted the first heavy air action in France in several days. Airdromes in northern and Northwest France were bombed by instrument through heavy cloud layers. Headquarters did not specify targets. Lightnings, Thunderbolts and Mustangs flew with the bombers through varying intensities of flak, which felled two bombers and four fighters.

Refinery left in flames

Objectives of the Mediterranean forces were at Brașov, 85 miles north of Bucharest, and at Pitești, due west of Ploești, the Romanian oil capital. Flying Fortresses bombed the Photogen refinery at Brașov, leaving it enveloped in smoke.

Liberators bombed railroad repair shops and a rail bridge at Pitești on the Bucharest-Belgrade trunk line. Convoying Mustangs and Lightnings destroyed an undesignated number of interceptors over Brasov. The other U.S. formations encountered few fighters.

Patches of clouds hung over the Normandy battle area and the ceiling was no more than 3,000 feet in some places, but still the day brought the Allies their best flying weather in four days.

Airfields near Paris hit

Clouds forced most bombardiers to use the overcast bombing technique. One Fortress formation bombed two airfields in the vicinity of Paris. Returning crewmen from that group said they encountered no German planes and only light flak.

The new daylight operations were launched after a night of increased activity which saw RAF Mosquito bombers spread havoc among German rear-line communications south of Paris and attack targets in the German Ruhr Valley for the first time since June 30. Mines were also laid in enemy waters during the overnight forays, which were carried out without loss.

The first improvement in the weather was noted last evening, when tactical air formations based in both Britain and Normandy were able to step up their operations, bringing to 600 the total number of sorties flown during the day.

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americavotes1944

Georgians vote today in Democratic primary

By the Associated Press

Atlanta, Georgia –
Georgia Democrats combined the Fourth of July holiday today with their primary to select nominees for the Senate, four seats in the House and numerous county offices.

Negro Democratic leaders planned to attempt to vote to initiate legal grounds for a test of the party rule which restricts balloting to white voters only. The first reported efforts of Negroes to vote were in Atlanta, where they were rejected and left the polls without comment.

Senator George, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, was opposed for renomination by John W. Goolsby, a Washington, Georgia, farmer and businessman. It was the only statewide race. Six of the 10 Congressional races were uncontested.

A light vote from the approximately 500,000 qualified white Democrats was expected. Nomination in this state is equivalent to election.

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Four with sound truck talk 1,000 Nazis into quitting

SHAEF, England (AP) –
Four British non-commissioned officers, who captured 1,000 Germans in the Cherbourg Peninsula with nothing more than a sound truck, have been awarded the Bronze Star, the first American decoration presented to British soldiers in Normandy.

The quartet, from a British signal unit, had a truck equipped with loudspeakers. They were loaned to the Americans for a particular task.

Trained in this type of work – one spoke German – the four moved forward, telling the Germans in their last resisting stronghold that their positions were hopeless.

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Flag flown above U.S. Capitol at start of war raised in Rome

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