Editorial: German counterattacks
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Biddle refuses but–
Dies is expected to push PAC probe
Civil Service may get demand on payrollers
Washington (UP) –
The Dies Committee was expected today to ask the civil Service Commission to investigate, and dismiss where warranted, those government employees it suspects of violating the Hatch Act by working with the CIO Political Action Committee.
Rep. Martin Dies (D-TX), chairman of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, was advised by Attorney General Francis Biddle yesterday that the activities were not contrary to the criminal section of the Hatch Act and hence not under jurisdiction of the Justice Department.
Mr. Biddle said he was sending copies of Mr. Dies’ complaint to the Civil Service Commission, which conducts investigations of employees in classified Civil Service positions who are suspected of violating the act. Those found guilty are subject to dismissal.
FBI probing other angles
In asking Justice Department action, Mr. Dies cited Section 9 of the Hatch Act which makes it “unlawful for any federal employee to use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting the result thereof.” Only a few specific exemptions were listed in the statute.
Mr. Biddle’s reply paid the Justice Department, including the FBI, is investigating the CIO committee’s activities in the light of other federal bans on politics, but that violations of Section 9 of the Hatch Act would “not come within the investigative or prosecutive jurisdiction” of his office.
Baldwin, McPeak active
Mr. Dies had advised Mr. Biddle that his committee had a list of telephone calls and telegrams between 77 government employees and officials of the CIO committee. He said the list showed one call to Mr. Biddle, 13 to David K. Niles, a special administrative assistant to President Roosevelt; six to Jonathan Daniels, also a presidential assistant, and 27 involving Vivien Adele Ford of the Foreign Economic Administration.
Mr. Dies especially complained against the activities of two former government officials now with the CIO committee – C. B. Baldwin (former $10,000-a-year administrator of the Farm Security Administration) and C. A. McPeak (former $5,600-a-year labor representative of the War Production Board in Texas). He charged these men worked with the CIO before they left the government payroll.
The fact that they are now off the payroll, however, appeared to eliminate them from any possible action by the Civil Service Commission.
Millett: Stay-at-homes are building morale among neighbors
Others go wherever they please and spend bond money on fun
By Ruth Millett
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Roving Reporter
By Ernie Pyle
In Normandy, France – (by wireless)
Our frontlines were marked by long strips of colored cloth laid on the ground, and with colored smoke to guide our airmen during the mass bombing that preceded our breakout from the German ring that held us to the Normandy beachhead.
Dive bombers hit it just right. We stood in the barnyard of a French farm and watched them barrel nearly straight down out of the sky. They were bombing about a half a mile ahead of where we stood.
They came in groups, diving from every direction, perfectly timed, one right after another. Everywhere you looked separate groups of planes were on the way down, or on the way back up, or slanting over for a dive, or circling, circling, circling over our heads, waiting for their turn.
The air was full of sharp and distinct sounds of cracking bombs and the heavy rips of the planes’ machine guns and the splitting screams of diving wings. It was all fast and furious, but yet distinct as in a musical show in which you could distinguish throaty tunes and words.
And then a new sound gradually droned into our ears, a sound deep and all-encompassing with not noes in it – just a gigantic faraway surge of doom-like sound. It was the heavies. They came from directly behind us. At first, they were the merest dots in the sky. You could see clots of them against the far heavens, too tiny to count individually. They came on with a terrible slowness.
They came in flights of 12, three flights to a group and in groups stretched out across the sky. They came in “families” of about 70 planes each.
Maybe these gigantic waves were two miles apart, maybe they were 10 miles, I don’t know. But I do know they came in a constant procession and I thought it would never end. What the Germans must have thought is beyond comprehension.
Their march across the sky was slow and studied. I’ve never known a storm, or a machine, or any resolve of man that had about it the aura of such a ghastly relentlessness. You had the feeling that even had God appeared beseechingly before them in the sky with palms outward to persuade them back they would not have had within them the power to turn from their irresistible course.
I stood with a little group of men ranging from colonels to privates, back of the stone farmhouse. Slit trenches were all around the edges of the farmyard and a dugout with a tin roof was nearby. But we were so fascinated by the spectacle overhead that it never occurred to us that we might need the foxholes
The first huge flight passed directly over our farmyard and others followed. We spread our feel and leaned far back trying to look straight up, until our steel helmets fell off. We’d cup our fingers around our eyes like field glasses for a clearer view.
And then the bombs came. They began ahead of us as the crackle of popcorn and almost instantly swelled into a monstrous fury of noise that seemed surely to destroy all the world ahead of us, From then on for an hour and a half that had in it the agonies of centuries, the bombs came down, A wall of smoke and dust erected by them grew high in the sky. It filtered along the ground back through our own orchards. It sifted around us and into our noses. The bright day grew slowly dark from it.
By now everything was an indescribable cauldron of sounds. Individual noises did not exist. The thundering of the motors in the sky and the roar of bombs ahead filled all the space for noise on earth. Our own heavy artillery was crashing all around us, yet we could hardly hear it.
The Germans began to shoot heavy, high ack-ack. Great black puffs of it by the score speckled the sky until it was hard to distinguish smoke puffs from planes. And then someone shouted that one of the planes was smoking. Yes, we could all see it. A long faint line of black smoke stretched straight for a mile behind one of them.
And as we watched there was a gigantic sweep of flame over the plane. From nose to tail it disappeared in flame, and it slanted slowly down and banked around the sky in great wide curves this way and that way, as rhythmically and gracefully as in a slow-motion waltz.
Then suddenly it seemed to change its mind and it swept upward. steeper and steeper and ever slower until finally it seemed poised motionless on its own black pillar of smoke. And then just as slowly it turned over and dived for the earth – a golden spearhead on the straight black shaft of its own creation – and it disappeared behind the treetops.
But before it was done there were more cries of, “There’s another one smoking and there’s a third one now.”
Chutes came out of some of the planes. Out of some came no chutes at all. One of white silk caught on the tail of a plane. Men with binoculars could see him fighting to get loose until flames swept over him, and then a tiny black dot fell through space, all alone.
And all that time the great flat ceiling of the sky was roofed by all the others that didn’t go down, plowing their way forward as if there were no turmoil in the world.
Nothing deviated them by the slightest. They stalked on, slowly and with a dreadful pall of sound, as though they were seeing only something at a great distance and nothing existed in between. God, how you admired those men up there and sickened for the ones who fell.
Innsbrucker Nachrichten (August 9, 1944)
Schwerste Kämpfe in der Normandie
Die feindlichen Stoßkeile aufgefangen – Starke Sowjetangriffe zum Teil im Gegenstoß abgewiesen
dnb. Aus dem Führerhauptquartier, 9. August –
Das Oberkommando der Wehrmacht gibt bekannt:
In der Normandie sind nunmehr auf der gesamten Front von südlich Caen bis in den Raum östlich Avranches schwerste Kämpfe im Gange. Unter stärkstem Materialeinsatz rannte der Feind, von zahlreichen Panzern und starken Luftstreitkräften unterstützt, immer wieder gegen unsere Front an. Es gelang ihm jedoch nur südlich Caen und südlich Vire in unsere Front einzudringen. Die feindlichen Stoßkeile wurden aber in der Tiefe der Stellungen aufgefangen. In den übrigen Abschnitten blieben die feindlichen Angriffsgruppen unter schwersten blutigen Verlusten schon vor unseren Stellungen liegen.
Im Raume von Le Mans kam es gestern zu erbitterten Kämpfen, in deren Verlauf der Feind in die Stadt selbst eindrang.
In der Bretagne wurden die auf Lorient und Brest vorstoßenden amerikanischen Verbände abgewiesen, zahlreiche feindliche Panzer vernichtet. Um Saint-Malo wird weiter hart gekämpft.
Kampfflugzeuge griffen die Nachschubstützpunkte Avranches und Brécey mit guter Wirkung an. Im Seegebiet von Avranches wurde in der Nacht zum 8. August ein feindliches Handelsschiff von 10.000 BRT durch Bombenvolltreffer versenkt.
Über der Normandie und den besetzten Westgebieten verlor der Feind 20 Flugzeuge.
Im französischen Hinterland wurden 69 Terroristen im Kampf niedergemacht.
Schweres „V1“-Vergeltungsfeuer liegt auf dem Großraum von London.
In Italien führte der Feind nur örtliche Angriffe südöstlich Florenz und im Raum nördlich Arezzo, die erfolglos blieben.
Sicherungsfahrzeuge der Kriegsmarine versenkten vor der dalmatinischen Küste zwei britische Schnellboote. Zwei eigene Fahrzeuge gingen verloren.
Im Osten wurden im Raum von Baranow starke, von Panzern unterstützte Angriffe der Sowjets abgewiesen oder aufgefangen und 47 feindliche Panzer vernichtet. Südöstlich Warka sind Panzerverbände zum Gegenangriff angetreten und in die vom Feind zäh verteidigten Stellungen eingedrungen.
Südwestlich Bialystok nahmen die Bolschewisten ihre Angriffe nach heftiger Artillerievorbereitung unter Einsatz starker Panzer- und Schlachtfliegerverbände wieder auf. Schwere Kämpfe halten in einigen Einbruchsstellen an.
Nördlich der Memel wurden auch gestern wieder alle Durchbruchsversuche der Sowjets zerschlagen. Bei Raseinen eingebrochener Feind wurde im Gegenangriff abgeriegelt und 66 feindliche Panzer abgeschossen.
An der lettischen Front brachen zahlreiche feindliche Angriffe nach hartem Kampf zusammen. Schlachtflieger griffen wiederholt in Tiefangriffen wirksam in die Erdkämpfe ein. Durch Kampf- und Nachtschlachtflugzeuge wurden sowjetische Verkehrsanlagen und Stützpunkte mit guter Wirkung angegriffen. Mehrere Pontonbrücken über die Weichsel wurden zerstört.
Sicherungsfahrzeuge eines deutschen Geleits und Bordflak schossen vor der südnorwegischen Küste acht britische Flugzeuge ab.
Feindliche Störflugzeuge warfen in der vergangenen Nacht Bomben auf Orte in Westdeutschland und in Ostpreußen. In Köln entstanden Gebäudeschäden.
Zum heutigen OKW-Bericht wird ergänzend mitgeteilt:
Im Nordabschnitt der Ostfront haben sich die norddeutsche 83. Infanteriedivision unter Oberst Götz mit unterstellten Teilen der ostpreußischen 61. Infanteriedivision und die 19. lettische SS-Division unter Führung von SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Streckenbach in Angriff und Abwehr besonders bewährt.
Wachtmeister Scharf in einer Sturmgeschützbrigade und Unteroffizier Janko in einer Heeresküstenartillerieabteilung haben sich im Kampf mit sowjetischen Panzern durch besondere Tapferkeit ausgezeichnet.
Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (August 9, 1944)
Communiqué No. 123
Allied forces in BRITTANY are closing in on the ports of SAINT-MALO, BREST and LORIENT. Converging columns have pushed to within five miles of LORIENT, and other forces have engaged the enemy four miles from BREST. Fighting is now in progress in the outskirts of SAINT-MALO. Large fires are burning at both SAINT-MALO and LORIENT, indicating destruction by the Germans of their supplies in both ports.
Confused fighting is in progress around MORTAIN on the NORMANDY front. To the northwest of MORTAIN, a German counterattack, with tanks and infantry, was broken at GATHEMO, which has been freed. The drive penetrated about one mile into our lines, but heavy losses were inflicted on the enemy by Allied troops, assisted by planes and artillery. The frontline in this area now extends generally along the road between GATHEMO and VIRE. In the vicinity of VIRE, the enemy is offering stubborn resistance south and southwest of the town.
The Allied drive south of CAEN progressed some 7,000 yards yesterday. After heavy and accurate preliminary bombing, the first objectives were secured by first light and a number of pockets of enemy which had been bypassed in this first advance were cleared up during the day. The advance continued at midday in face of determined enemy resistance, supported by armor. The villages of LA HOUGE, HAUTMESNIL, CINTHEAUX and SAINT-AIGNAN and the town of BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE are in our hands.
The bridgehead over the river ORNE has been extended, and local advances were made to improve our positions east of MONT PINCON.
Targets in immediate support of the ground forces southwest of CAEN and airfields at LA PERTHE, CLASTRES, VILLACOUBLAY and ROMILLY-SUR-SEINE were attacked successfully by heavy bombers in a day of great air activity.
By last light, and during darkness, heavy bombers also attacked fuel dumps in forests at CHANTILLY, AIRE-SUR-LYS and LUCHEUX.
Road and rail bridges were attacked by medium and light bombers, with satisfactory results reported over nine widespread targets, most of them east of the SEINE. Railyards at IGOVILLE, south of ROUEN, were also attacked.
Long-range and short-range fighters, in considerable numbers, swept the area south and east of the battle zone throughout the day, taking heavy toll of enemy transport and attacking gun positions.
Three enemy minesweepers in the BAY of BISCAY were attacked by rocket-firing coastal aircraft and were left ablaze.
During the night, fires were started among oil tanks south of FONTAINEBLEAU and a crane at DIJON was also set afire by light bombers.
U.S. Navy Department (August 9, 1944)
Joint Statement
For Immediate Release
August 9, 1944
The following joint Anglo‑American statement on submarine and anti-submarine operations is issued under the authority of the President and the Prime Minister:
The number of German U‑boats sunk during the war now exceeds 500. It is therefore understandable that the U‑boats still operating are extremely cautious. Their efforts have been ineffective during July, a month which has been so important for the success of continental operations.
The number of U‑boats destroyed has been substantially greater than the number of merchant ships sunk. Seventeen U‑boats have been sunk while attempting to interfere with our cross‑channel traffic since the first landing of the Army of Liberation.
The U‑boat fleet is still of impressive size, nevertheless the U‑boat remain the hunted rather than the hunters. They have been attacked from the Arctic to the Indian Ocean, aircraft playing a great part with the surface forces. This pressure will be maintained until all chances of revival of the U‑boat campaign are killed, whatever may be the new devices and methods developed by the enemy.
The Nazi claims of sinkings continue to be grossly exaggerated. For instance, their claim for June, the latest month for which complete figures are available, was an exaggeration of a 1,000 percent.
CINCPAC Communiqué No. 110
All of Guam Island with the exception of a small area inland from Pati Point on the east coast was occupied by U.S. forces on August 8 (West Longitude Date). The remaining pocket of enemy resistance is surrounded and is under heavy pressure. A naval patrol maintained off the northern coasts of Guam since our troops began their northward drive is believed to have prevented virtually all enemy attempts at escape.
Nauru Island was attacked several times from the afternoon of August 6 to the early morning of August 7 by Ventura search planes of Group One, Fleet Air Wing Two. Runways were the principal targets. Moderate anti-aircraft fire was encountered. A Liberator search plane of Fleet Air Wing Two strafed buildings and anti-aircraft guns at Wake Island, another Navy Liberator bombed Truk, and two search Liberators bombed the airfield at Ponape on August 7. Wotje, Jaluit, and Maloelap Atolls in the Marshalls were attacked by Dauntless dive bombers and Corsair fighters of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing on August 7. We lost no planes in these operations.
The Wilmington Morning Star (August 9, 1944)
ONRUSHING AMERICANS, CANADIANS ONLY 110 MILES AWAY FROM PARIS
Heavy bombers aiding advance
Many enemy strongholds blocking offensive rolled to side
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Jap capture of Hengyang big victory
Hard blow to China; Allied forces winning on all other fronts in Asiatic area
By Ray Cronin, Associated Press war editor
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Small Jap forces remains in Burma
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Wagner to face GOP’s Curran
By the Associated Press
New York Democrats renominated Senator Robert F. Wagner today, and Republican leaders of that state agreed upon Secretary of State Thomas J. Curran as his opponent in the November general election.
Curran’s formal selection by the GOP convention later in the day was regarded as a formality after Republican State Chairman Edwin F. Jaeckle announced in Albany that a consensus of the executive committee agreed on the 45-year-old Manhattan attorney. He was the choice of Governor Thomas E. Dewey, the party’s presidential nominee.
In Connecticut, the state Republican convention renominated Senator John A. Danaher and Governor Raymond E. Baldwin.
In Arkansas, predictions of a heavy Democratic runoff primary vote failed to materialize up to noon despite the bitterly-contested race between freshman Congressman J. W. Fulbright and Governor Homer M. Adkins for the Senate seat of Mrs. Hattie Caraway. Reports placed the vote at midday as slightly less than in the first primary two weeks ago in which Mrs. Caraway was defeated.
The day’s other political activity included a Vermont primary.