America at war! (1941–) – Part 4

2985

Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (October 19, 1944)

FROM
(A) SHAEF FORWARD

ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section

DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
191100A October

TO FOR ACTION
(1) AGWAR (Pass to WND)

TO (W) FOR INFORMATION (INFO)
(2) FIRST US ARMY GP
(3) ADV HQ 12 ARMY GP
(4) FWD ECH (MAIN) 12 ARMY GP
(5) AEAF
(6) ANCXF
(7) EXFOR MAIN
(8) EXFOR REAR
(9) DEFENSOR, OTTAWA
(10) CANADIAN C/S, OTTAWA
(11) WAR OFFICE
(12) ADMIRALTY
(13) AIR MINISTRY
(14) ETOUSA
(15) SACSEA
(16) CMHQ (Pass to RCAF & RCN)
(17) COM Z APO 871
(18) SHAEF MAIN

(REF NO.)
NONE

(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR

Communiqué No. 194

South of the Scheldt, Allied forces made progress westward to within 3,000 yards of Breskens. We made good gains east of Schoondijke and southwest of IJjzendijke. On the east side of the Dutch salient, we captured Venray yesterday morning, and, to the southwest, our forces are now some two miles south of the Venray–Deurne road. Gains have also been made along the north side of the railway east of Deurne. Fighters and fighter-bombers supported our ground forces in Holland. Other fighter-bombers, striking at the enemy’s supply routes to Holland, attacked railway targets north and west of the Ruhr.

Our units are continuing the battle in Aachen, meeting stubborn resistance in house-to-house fighting. Fighters and fighter-bombers made a concentrated attack in building in the northwest section of the city where enemy forces are holding out. Just to the northwest of Aachen, our forces have destroyed a large number of pillboxes and have made gains against strong opposition. Units which closed the gap northeast of the city repulsed two counterattacks by infantry and tanks. Railway targets along the Düsseldorf–Düren–Aachen line and elsewhere on lines leading westward to Aachen were attacked by fighter bombers. Northeast of Hürtgen, small counterattacks were repulsed.

We consolidated and improved our positions at several points in the Vosges foothills where the enemy continued to oppose our advances stubbornly and made more vain counterattacks. Two hundred enemy prisoners were taken in a series of successful local actions southeast of Cornimont. A strong force of heavy bombers, with fighter escort, attacked industrial targets and railway yards in the Köln and Kassel areas. Other escorted heavy bombers struck at the railway center of Bonn.

COORDINATED WITH: G-2, G-3 to C/S

THIS MESSAGE MAY BE SENT IN CLEAR BY ANY MEANS
/s/

Precedence
“OP” - AGWAR
“P” - Others

ORIGINATING DIVISION
PRD, Communique Section

NAME AND RANK TYPED. TEL. NO.
D. R. JORDAN, Lt Col FA Ext. 9

AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
/s/
2986

U.S. Navy Department (October 19, 1944)

CINCPAC Communiqué No. 160

Carrier aircraft of the Pacific Fleet on October 16, 17 and 18 (West Longitude Date) continued to attack whatever enemy aircraft and shipping could still be found in the Manila area, Luzon Island, in the Philippines.

On October 16, aircraft from one group of carriers encountered up to 40 aggressive enemy planes over Clark Field, destroying 20 of them in the air. Another 30 or 40 planes on the ground were probably destroyed or damaged.

Incomplete reports show that on October 17 over Manila our fighters shot down 17 enemy planes which, although airborne, did not prove aggressive. An additional 13 enemy planes were shot down in the air and 15 were destroyed on the ground at Clark and Nichols Fields. Barracks, fuel dumps, hangars and ground installations at the two airfields were also heavily bombed.

On the same day in the south harbor of Manila Bay, an oil tanker, four medium cargo ships and a floating drydock were destroyed. In addition, six large or medium cargo ships were damaged in Manila Bay while a large oiler was damaged in Mariveles Harbor.

Preliminary reports show that our own losses for the action on October 17 were four planes, two pilots and two aircrewmen.

On October 18, carrier‑based planes in a strike against enemy shipping in the south harbor of Manila Bay sank an oil tanker and damaged two large cargo ships, two large transports, six medium cargo ships, four small cargo ships and two medium oil tankers. Four enemy aircraft were destroyed over the target while one was probably shot down and one was damaged on the ground.

Seventh Air Force Mitchells bombed runways and installations on Nauru Island on October 17. One Mitchell sustained minor damage. Heavy to moderate anti-aircraft fire was encountered.

Corsairs of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing on the same day bombed and strafed runways and storage areas at Ponape Island. Fires were started. Anti-aircraft fire was moderate.

Corsairs and Dauntless dive bombers continued bombing and strafing attacks on enemy‑held positions in the Marshall Islands on October 17 and 18. Two planes were slightly damaged by antiaircraft fire at Jaluit on October 17, while one plane was shot down and another damaged at Jaluit on October 18. There were no personnel losses.

CINCPAC Press Release No. 591

For Immediate Release
October 19, 1944

Adm. C. W. Nimitz (USN), CINCUSPACPOA, has received from Adm. W. F. Halsey Jr. (USN), Commander, Third Fleet, the comforting assurance that he is now retiring toward the enemy following the salvage of all the Third Fleet ships recently reported sunk by Radio Tokyo.

2987

The Pittsburgh Press (October 19, 1944)

TOKYO: U.S. PHILIPPINE INVASION UNDERWAY
Assault by MacArthur reported

Almost all U.S. Pacific forces massed in area, enemy claims
By Frank Tremaine, United Press staff writer

…

2988

Allies advance along 25-mile Holland front

Nazis falling back toward Maas River
By J. Edward Murray, United Press staff writer

…

2989

Father killed in France –
Baby of unmarried Yank to be given home in U.S.

Roosevelt intervenes to order priority for infant to be flown from England

…

Army casualties mount to 384,895

Washington (UP) –
U.S. Army casualties exclusive of air forces in France, Germany and the Low Countries from D-Day through Oct. 3 totaled 174,780, the War Department announced today.

These included 29,842 killed, 130,227 wounded and 14,711 missing. Casualties of the 7th Army which landed in southern France are included.

Total Army casualties in all theaters through Oct. 6 were 384,895, an increase of 33,602 since the last figures announced Oct. 5.

The Navy lists 68,480 total casualties through Oct. 18 for Navy, Marine and Coast Guard personnel. This gives a grand total of announced service casualties of 453,379 in all categories.

The Army totals to date:
Dead 75,562
Wounded 208,392
Prisoners 52,537
Missing 48,404

The War Department explained part of the increase was due to a revised and improved statistical system which permitted more up-to-date reports than previously.

2990

americavotes1944

Dewey indicts Roosevelt on foreign policy

Secret negotiations called bar to peace

Albany, New York (UP) –
Governor Thomas E. Dewey, accusing President Roosevelt of handling foreign relations on a “basis of personal secret diplomacy,” promised today to submit foreign policy to popular support if he is elected President in November.

In a blistering indictment of President Roosevelt’s conduct of foreign affairs last night, Mr. Dewey charged that “secret” negotiations have been the custom, cited relations with Poland, Italy, France and Romania as “examples” and predicted that a continuation of the policy would prevent a lasting peace.

He argued:

Our objectives and our methods must be known to our people and approved by them so that they will be willing to support them and to sacrifice for them in all the years to come.

Wants no reservations

He proposed that the U.S. participate in organization of a world peace league as rapidly as possible, without waiting for the end of the war, and that it enter such a compact without any reservations which would nullify its power to halt future aggression, using force if necessary.

The Republican presidential candidate expounded his foreign policy views on a nationwide broadcast in New York before an invitational audience of 2,000 clubwomen, businessmen and civil and social leaders at the final session of the annual New York Herald-Tribune Forum.

Dewey associates believed that he had presented a severe challenge to Mr. Roosevelt, who is scheduled to speak on the subject in New York City Saturday night before the Foreign Policy Association.

Governor Dewey’s greatest response came when he declared that “this must be the last war,” and that “to this end the U.S. must take the lead in establishing a world organization to prevent future wars.”

‘Paying in blood’

The New York Governor described the present turbulent Italian situation as “the improvised, inefficient administration which personal New Deal government is giving them.”

He charged that “we are paying in blood for our failure to have ready an intelligent program for dealing with invaded Germany.”

Mr. Dewey said careful plans for Germany had been worked out by the War and State Departments it one time but protested that “that kind of planning goes for nothing when the President personally handles foreign policy.”

2991

No deaths reported –
Hurricane moves across Florida

Rich citrus crop damaged heavily

…

2992

americavotes1944

Dewey welcome plans announced

Downtown parade scheduled at noon
By Kermit McFarland

Governor Thomas E. Dewey will arrive at noon tomorrow for a parade through the downtown section, preliminary to his night speech in Hunt Armory, East Liberty.

Mr. Dewey’s special train will pull into the Pennsylvania Station, according to a Republican announcement, at exactly 12 o’clock ET.

The presidential candidate will be met at the station by Governor Edward Martin and taken to a motor convoy which will parade down Liberty Ave. to Fifth Avenue, up Fifth Avenue to Smithfield Street, along Smithfield to Sixth Avenue, and up Sixth Avenue to Grant Street.

He will enter the William Penn Hotel at the Grant Street entrance.

Mr. Dewey will spend the day at the hotel conferring with Republican leaders from this area and working, the headquarters announcement said, on the text of the speech he will deliver in Hunt Armory.

The Armory doors will be open at 6:30 p.m., but Mr. Dewey will not speak until 9:00 p.m. The rally will be opened at 8:00 p.m.

KDKA will carry Governor Dewey’s speech at 9:00 p.m. ET tomorrow.

Republican County Chairman James F. Malone will present candidates for statewide offices and then present Governor Martin who will introduce Governor Dewey.

Mr. Dewey will speak for a half hour and the speech will be broadcast over a nationwide radio network.

Two speakers signed

While Republicans prepared for the Dewey rally tomorrow, the Democrats signed up two more speakers for campaign-end meetings here.

Mayor Fiorella H. La Guardia of New York will appear Tuesday might at North Side Carnegie Hall to headline a fourth-term mass meeting sponsored by the Independent Citizens Committee for Roosevelt.

Gifford Pinchot, former Governor of Pennsylvania, has been added to the Democratic rally set for Nov. 2, at which Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri, candidate for Vice President, will be the principal speaker.

Spoke here in 1940

Mr. Pinchot and Mr. La Guardia, both Republicans, spoke from the same platform here on behalf of Mr. Roosevelt in 1940.

Mr. Pinchot, twice Governor, and Senator Truman will speak in Syria Mosque. The former Governor heads an independent Pennsylvania committee supporting the President.

Mr. Dewey’s parade route tomorrow is the same one he followed when he was here in July for conferences with political, business, agricultural, labor and war veteran groups.

He will be met at the station by a large representation from Governor Martin’s Cabinet, state candidates and top party officials.

Martin heads party

The reception committee, in addition to the Governor and Mr. Malone, will include Mrs. Martin, National Committeemen G. Mason, Owlett and Margery M. Scranton, State Chairman M. Harvey Taylor, Lieutenant Governor John C. Bell, Attorney General James H. Duff, Secretary of Internal Affairs William S. Livengood, Insurance Commissioner Gregg L. Neel, and George I. Bloom, secretary to the Governor.

Also present will be the statewide candidates: U.S. Senator James J. Davis, Supreme Court Justice Howard W. Hughes, Superior Court Judge Arthur H. James, Judge J. Frank Graff (candidate for the Superior Court), Senator G. Harold Watkins (candidate for Auditor General) and Philadelphia City Treasurer Edgar W. Baird (candidate for State Treasurer).

2993

I DARE SAY —
The new alert

By Florence Fisher Parry

…

2994

Roosevelt stymied?
Petrillo has protection of court ruling

Teeth pulled from anti-racketeering law
By Edward A. Evans, Scripps-Howard staff writer

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2995

British nearing key Italian city of Cesena

Heaviest fighting on American front
By Eleanor Packard, United Press staff writer

…

1,700 U.S. heavies hit three Reich cities

…

2996

Kimmel and Short testify in probes

…

2997

Racial equality policy urged by Judaism

Rehabilitation plan given by Rosenwald

…

2998

americavotes1944

Envoy to answer ‘Luce talk’ speech

Mrs. J. Borden Harriman, U.S. Ambassador to Norway who fled from that country just ahead of the invading Germans in 1940, will take issue with Congresswoman Clare Boothe Luce in an address tonight before the central committee of the Independents for Roosevelt, of which J. S. Crutchfield is chairman.

Mrs. Harriman will discuss “Why All This Luce Talk?” at 8:15 p.m. ET on the club floor of the William Penn Hotel.

The former envoy, chairman of the Free World Association, will “take Mrs. Luce to task for her misstatements concerning the President’s leadership in foreign affairs and national preparedness before Pearl Harbor.”

The meeting will be open to the public.

2999

americavotes1944

Two glamor girls in Forum debate

Agree on objective, at odds on candidate

New York (UP) –
Politics’ two glamor girls – Helen Gahagan Douglas, Democratic candidate for Representative from California, and Rep. Clare Boothe Luce (R-CT), appearing on the same speaker’s platform for the first time – agreed that world peace is 1944’s major objective, but disagreed on the presidential candidate best able to achieve it.

Speaking at the closing session of The New York Herald-Tribune Forum last night on a program at which Democrats and Republicans discussed the issues of a national election in war time, Mrs. Douglas, wife of screen actor Melvyn Douglas, talked on “The Campaign Issue,” followed by Mrs. Luce’s discussion of “Waging the Peace.”

Asserting that the “indispensable” issue of the election campaign is a philosophy – and not a man – Mrs. Douglas maintained that President Roosevelt, for seven years before the war broke, fought against isolationism.

Mrs. Luce, speaking after Mrs. Douglas, asserted that an international police force, plainly “recognized as the teeth” in any peace plan today as it was in Henry the Fourth’s day, poses the unanswered question, “who puts the bit on whom?”

Mrs. Ogden Reid, vice president of the Herald-Tribune and chairman of the forum, in a closing statement expressed regret that President Roosevelt did not appear to make the traditional final address.

She said:

Last Friday, he sent a telegram saying he would be unable to speak.

3000

americavotes1944

Gracie Allen Reporting

By Gracie Allen

Hollywood, California –
Lots of people are saying this political campaign isn’t being handled right, and I, for one, certainly agree with them.

For instance, I haven’t seen a single news photo of a candidate holding a baby. Goodness knows, it would be especially helpful this year, what with so many of the mothers working in war plants.

And why doesn’t one of the candidates take advantage of the cigarette shortage? Many a long face would brighten up with a cigarette in it. If they can get votes by promising “a chicken in every pot,” they should be able to start a landslide by promising “a cigarette in every pan.”

3001

Perkins: AFL, CIO twitted by Lewis’ aide for still backing WLB

District 50 head asks why unions don’t forsake board after inaction on pay demands
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer

…

3002

americavotes1944

Roosevelt includes Boston in plans for stumping tour

Speeches now scheduled for three cities; quick trip to Midwest expected

Washington (UP) –
The White House today added Boston to the growing list of cities where President Roosevelt will make campaign speeches, in line with his apparent decision that the time has come to take a few direct potshots at Governor Thomas E. Dewey.

Presidential Secretary Stephen T. Early confirmed to reporters that Mr. Roosevelt will speak in Boston. He did not give the date of the appearance but reports from that city indicated it would be on Nov. 4.

Confirmation of the Boston speech brought to three the number of formal talks now on the President’s schedule. He speaks in New York Saturday night, after a day-long tour of the city. On Oct. 27, he is to address a mass meeting at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park. Furthermore, high Democratic officials expect him to make a brief stab into the Midwest, perhaps speaking in Ohio and Illinois.

Democrats irritated

Mr. Roosevelt and his campaign advisers are obviously irritated by Mr. Dewey’s use of statements by administration figures for his attacks against the New Deal. On two occasions, the White House has released compilations of “facts” making the point that the statements had been lifted from context and their meaning twisted.

The President’s speech before the Foreign Policy Association in New York Saturday is expected to be a scholarly discussion of international policy, perhaps replying to Mr. Dewey’s attack last night against the administration’s conduct of foreign affairs.

Fighting speech expected

But when he speaks at Shibe Park in Philadelphia a week from next Friday night, Mr. Roosevelt is expected to take off the gloves and follow the lugging style of his Sept. 23 speech to the AFL Teamster Union here. At stake will be Pennsylvania’s important 35 electoral votes.

Mr. Roosevelt will also be going after New York’s vital 47 electoral votes in his Saturday trip. His tour of the city before the foreign policy speech will include a stop at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn for a rally on behalf of Senator Robert F. Wagner.

3003

americavotes1944

GOP candidate hits ‘New Deal cynicism’

En route to Fresno, California (UP) –
Ohio Governor John W. Bricker winds up his five-day campaign for California’s 25 electoral votes tonight at Fresno where he delivers his 19th speech since entering the state.

The GOP vice-presidential nominee carries his drive into Nevada tomorrow with speeches at Reno, Sparks and Lovelock.

Bricker opened his final day in California with a speech at Bakersfield today. He also made rear-platform talks at Tulare and Selma.

He told a Los Angeles audience last night that Senator Harry S. Truman, his Democratic opponent for the Vice Presidency, bespoke “New Deal cynicism” when he admitted he had Pendergast machine support. He also said that Mr. Truman, in his speech two days prior in the same auditorium, “insulted” industry, labor and armed service personnel when he “accredited” the Roosevelt administration with “the miracle of war production – indeed for winning the war itself.”

Mr. Bricker asserted:

I want to say to you, right at the outset that these historic results have been achieved not because of the New Deal, but often in spite of the New Deal.

Citing the fact that Mr. Truman could become President, Governor Bricker condemned the Missourian for his statement that “a statesman is only a dead politician” and Mr. Truman’s disclaimer that he wanted to be “a statesman.”

The time has come to eliminate such cynicism from our political life and restore the Presidency of the United States to its rightful place of dignity and honesty.

Following his three Nevada speeches tomorrow, Governor Bricker will campaign in Utah Friday.

Dewey’s ‘straddling’ of issues attacked

En route to Seattle, Washington (UP) –
Senator Harry S. Truman completes the West Coast leg of his campaign trip today in Washington, which is acutely conscious of post-war reconversion problems.

Mr. Truman, Democratic nominee for the Vice Presidency, will appear at a Democratic rally tonight in Seattle to deliver a radio address pointed at those problems. He also expects to reiterate the administration view toward the giant Grand Coulee and Bonneville power projects which have been closely linked to industrial expansion in the Northwest.

The nominee told a Democratic rally at Portland, Oregon, last night that the projects were partly responsible for the tremendous wartime expansion of aluminum production and that they had been “bitterly opposed” by Republicans in Congress.

Mr. Truman also charged that the Republican platform and presidential candidate “straddle every issue” and asserted again that the nation needed experienced leadership to win the war and the peace.

He said:

The same old gang that tried to turn the clock back in 1920 is standing at the door waiting for a chance to come in and turn the clock back.

Mr. Truman asserted that Governor Thomas E. Dewey had embraced New Deal reforms on a tour of the West Coast but had gone to Charleston, West Virginia, and told “the Old Guard he didn’t mean it at all.”

Moving into Washington today, Mr. Truman was accompanied by Senator Mon C. Wallgren, Democratic gubernatorial nominee for that state, on a motor trip to Seattle. They planned stops at Centralia, Olympia and Tacoma.

3004

americavotes1944

Senators shun Teamster probe

Washington (UP) –
The Senate Campaign Expenditures Committed voted 4–1 yesterday to forego a formal investigation of the “Battle of the Statler,” deciding that nothing could be gained by delving further into the brawl between two naval officers and members of the AFL Teamsters Union.

The decision was announced by Chairman Theodore F. Green (D-RI) after a closed meeting at which members considered material uncovered by its own investigators and affidavits filed by President Daniel J. Tobin of the Teamsters and by Thomas C. Bradley, attorney for the naval officers.

Mr. Green said the affidavits were “conflicting,” that he did not know which side to believe, and that “it would be difficult to believe both.”

The lone dissenting vote was cast by Senator Homer Ferguson (R-MI), who told reporters he thought all the known facts should be given to the public.

The only detailed version has been given by the naval officers – LtCdr. James Suddeth, 33, and Lt. Randolph Dickins Jr., 23 – who contend it all started after President Roosevelt’s opening campaign address to the Teamsters dinner when union members collared them in a corridor and demanded to know how they would vote.

Mr. Green said the decision closes the matter as far as the committee is concerned and that, if any further action is taken, it can be done by the “public authority that has the duty to take such action.” He did not elaborate.

Committee members, he said, had “various reasons” for opposing an investigation.

He said:

Some believed the committee had no jurisdiction. Others said the facts developed showed as important as the public attention that had been brought to it.