America at war! (1941–) – Part 4

U.S. Navy Department (October 7, 1944)

CINCPAC Communiqué No. 142

Employing tanks and artillery, U.S. forces made some progress against stubbornly held enemy positions on Umurbrogol Mountain on Peleliu Island during October 6 (West Longitude Date). Total enemy killed at date total 11,083 on Peleliu Island and 1,128 on Angaur Island. Our forces have captured 214 prisoners on Peleliu and 10 on Angaur.

On the same day, Corsairs of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing attacked several small villages on Babelthuap Island, damaging nine fuel dumps, five supply dumps, two ammunition dumps, two buildings and 28 trucks. Three boats and seven barges in the vicinity of Komeball Lagoon were strafed also.

Liberators of the 11th Air Force, flying through weak anti-aircraft fire, bombed Paramushiru on October 4. On the same date, 11th Air Force Mitchells struck at enemy shipping at Paramushiru and Shumushu, probably sinking a cargo ship and damaging a barge. Returning from the raid, the Mitchells were challenged by 15 to 20 fighters. Two enemy planes were probably destroyed and two damaged. Some of our planes suffered slight damage.

A Navy search plane bombed the airfield and gun positions on Yap on October 4. Anti-aircraft fire was meager and ineffective.

Seventh Air Force Liberators dropped 33 tons of bombs on the airstrip and hangars on Moen Island in the Truk Group on October 5. Anti-aircraft fire was meager and the three or four enemy fighters that rose to intercept did no damage to our planes.

The Pittsburgh Press (October 7, 1944)

3,100 BOMBERS RIP REICH
Heaviest air blow of war hits Germany

Siegfried Line anchors war plants blasted

Yanks crumple Nazi line

Major breakthrough achieved in fanout north of Aachen
By Virgil Pinkley, United Press staff writer

350,000 homes periled –
Power strike vote taken in Cleveland

Transportation, war plants also in danger

Eight Americans reported hanged by Germans

Paris, France (UP) –
The newspaper Front National reported today that French Forces of the Interior had found the bodies of eight American soldiers hanged by Germans from trees isolated in the Compiègne Forest.

The FFI said two unarmed Americans had been kidnapped by the Germans near La Faisanderie, carried into the forest and hanged. Six others allegedly met a similar fate near Lacroix-Saint-Ouen.

The newspaper said U.S. troops helped the FFI clear the forest but that only seven Germans were found alive, the others having escaped in civilian clothes.

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Roosevelt’s next speech Oct. 21

President to address Foreign Policy Association

Washington (UP) –
President Roosevelt will address the Foreign Policy Association at a New York dinner meeting Oct. 21, the White House disclosed today.

Mr. Roosevelt accepted an invitation to discuss foreign policy in a telegram addressed to Maj. Gen. Frank R. McCoy, president of the Association.

Asked whether the speech would be broadcast and whether it would be labeled “political,” a White House spokesman refused to answer.

Gen. McCoy had urged the President to make the address on behalf of the Foreign Policy Association’s effort “to bring to the attention of the citizens of this country the important issues of foreign policy.”

The President’s decision to make a scheduled appearance came on the heels of published reports that a “White House ruling” would prohibit him from speaking publicly. This report, however, was denied yesterday by White House officials.

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Dewey will reply to Roosevelt

Nation to hear him tonight at 9:45

Charleston, West Virginia (UP) –
Governor Thomas E. Dewey, determined to carry his political fight for the White House directly to President Roosevelt, is prepared to unleash a vigorous attack on the “whole course” of the Democratic national administration and the “means” by which his opponent seeks reelection.

Swinging into West Virginia on a bid for the border state’s eight electoral votes, Mr. Dewey will resume his attack on Mr. Roosevelt’s policies in a nationwide campaign speech tonight from Charleston.

WJAS will broadcast Mr. Dewey’s speech at 9:45 p.m. ET.

“Mr. Roosevelt asked the American people not to look now because somebody is following him,” Mr. Dewey said at a press conference, apparently referring to the President’s disavowal of Communist support.

Since he would like softly to deny the means by which he seeks election to 16 straight years in the White House, I shall be compelled to discuss it quite openly at Charleston on the radio.

The Governor’s speech, which associates predicted would be even stronger than the attack he made on Mr. Roosevelt at Oklahoma City, will also deal with “the whole course of the administration and its competence to convert to peacetime jobs.” His aides said he will “pull no punches.”

Mr. Dewey’s criticism of the Roosevelt policies has been one of the major issues of his campaign. He charged that post-war planning will require “competence never yet shown by the present administration.”

In discussing the President’s declaration that he did not want the support of Communists, Mr. Dewey is expected to concentrate his attack on the activities of Earl Browder.

Recently, Mr. Dewey said Browder, a Communist leader, had been pardoned so that he could participate in Mr. Roosevelt’s fourth-term campaign.

Prior to delivering his ninth major political address at a party rally in municipal auditorium, the New York Governor will confer with state leaders of labor, miners, Negro, agriculture, business and veterans’ groups.

To obtain their views

He will obtain their views of current issues facing the country and attempt to organize them behind his campaign.

The labor groups will include representatives of the West Virginia State Federation of Labor and the Railroad Brotherhood. There was no mention of the CIO, whose Political Action Committee under Sidney Hillman is supporting the Democratic national ticket.

Following his campaign speech, the Governor will board his train for the return trip to New York City. He plans to arrive in New York about 1:00 p.m. tomorrow so that he can review the Pulaski Day parade and deliver a “non-political” radio address over a local station.

Warns of regimentation

Speaking from the rear platform of his train to a crowd at Hinton, West Virginia, Mr. Dewey said the main issue of the campaign is “whether we want to continue slipping down the New Deal road to regimentation or whether there is a much better way to run our government.”

He said:

For 12 long years, it has been the objective of the New Deal to gain greater and greater control of our daily lives.

If they continue, they will be in a position to tell us what to eat for breakfast and what kind of pajamas we shall wear at night.

I DARE SAY —
Return of the prodigal

By Florence Fisher Parry

Throngs pay last tribute to Al Smith

Pontifical mass of requiem this morning

Strike flares on year-old wage case

500 steelworkers out at Donora plant

Suspect arrested in girl’s death

Belt clue in slaying of government clerk

Planes sink or damage 8 Jap vessels

Allies also pound Halmahera airfields

U.S. shells rip outskirts of Bologna

Fifth Army 12 miles from Po Valley city
By Reynolds Packard, United Press staff writer

Soldier’s widow ready to die going to France

Lawrence, Massachusetts (UP) –
Mrs. Rose Ann Webb, 23, Lawrence shoe factory worker and widow of a soldier, disappeared Thursday and today her mother received a postal card from her which read:

Dear family: Don’t know how to say it but I’m going to try to get to France or die trying. Will turn over all the insurance of the baby. Take care of her.

The card was mailed from Boston.

Mrs. Webb’s husband, Pvt. William Webb of Valdosta, Georgia, was killed in action in France June 9. Their daughter is two years old.

Editorial: ‘Labor’

Editorial: Wait for V-Day

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Editorial: Honesty in politics

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Edson: Farm front quiet for a change, despite campaign

By Peter Edson

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Ferguson: Strange rally

By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

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Background of news –
Browder and Roosevelt

By Bertram Benedict