America at war! (1941–) – Part 4

3495

U.S. Navy Department (October 30, 1944)

CINCPAC Communiqué No. 169

Carrier aircraft of the Third Fleet continued to attack targets in Southern Luzon on October 28. In Manila Harbor, a heavy cruiser, previously damaged was probably sunk while another cruiser was damaged. A third cruiser off Cavite was hit by two 1,000-pound bombs and severely damaged. An oil tanker was also damaged when it received a hit from a 1,000-pound bomb. Airfields in the vicinity of Manila were attacked. Twelve or more planes were destroyed on the ground and several large fires were started. Our aircraft were intercepted by a number of enemy fighters over Southern Luzon, 46 of which were shot down. One of our carrier groups was attacked by enemy fighters and dive bombers, of which 12 were shot down. Two more enemy planes were shot down the next day over our carriers.

In the Central Philippines, search and patrol flights by carrier‑based aircraft of the Third Fleet on October 28 and 29 shot down 19 enemy fighters and destroyed three coastal cargo vessels near Cebu.

Corsairs of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing bombed the airfield on Yap Island on October 25. Seventh Air Force Liberators attacked the same airstrip on October 26, 27 and 28. Moderate anti-aircraft fire was encountered.

Enemy barges were strafed off Babelthuap Island in the Palau Group and a radio station was hit by Corsairs of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing on October 25. Our fighters met meager anti-aircraft fire.

Seventh Air Force Thunderbolts attacked targets on Pagan Island on October 25. Corsairs of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing bombed gun emplacements near the Rota Airstrip on October 25 and 27.

Five enemy barges were damaged by a single Navy search plane at Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands on October 26. Navy search Liberators bombed the airfield on October 27. Another Navy search plane destroyed a radio and weather station and left fires on Mukojima in the Bonin Islands on October 27. Seventh Air Force Liberators started fires and bombed shipping in the Hahajima Harbor on October 27. The next day another group of 7th Air Force Liberators bombed the same harbor installation and shipping again.

Ventura search planes of Fleet Air Wing Two bombed objectives on Wake Island on October 24. Two sampans were strafed. Enemy anti-aircraft fire was inaccurate.

Mitchell bombers of the 7th Air Force bombed the airfield and de­fense installations on Nauru Island on October 26, causing large fires. Anti­-aircraft fire was meager. Corsairs of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing hit the airfield on Ponape during October 24. One of our planes was slightly damaged by anti-aircraft fire.

Corsairs and Dauntless dive bombers of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing and Venturas of Fleet Air Wing Two continued neutralization raids in the Marshall Islands during October 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28.

CINCPAC Press Release No. 610

For Immediate Release
October 30, 1944

Reflecting the growing importance of minecraft in the Pacific War, Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, USN, CINCPACPOA, today announced the establishment of the command of Commander, Minecraft, Pacific Fleet.

RAdm. Alexander Sharp, USN, of Welcome, Charles County, Maryland, has been appointed to the new post.

Before coming to the Pacific area, RAdm. Sharp was Commander, Service Force Atlantic Fleet (SERVLANT). Prior to that, he commanded all battleships in the Atlantic, which included active direction of various task forces.

As Commander, Minecraft, Pacific Fleet (COMMINPAC), RAdm. Sharp will be concerned with the establishment of policies relating to the organization, maintenance and employment of all ships in the Pacific Fleet primarily employed in minelaying, minesweeping, net-laying, net-tending and degaussing.

3496

The Pittsburgh Press (October 30, 1944)

JAP NAVAL POWER BROKEN
58 ships smashed; only 2 escape

Details of six-day air and naval battle revealed by Nimitz
By Frank Tremaine, United Press staff writer

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3497

British storm stronghold in South Holland

Nazis being smashed against Maas River
By J. Edward Murray, United Press staff writer

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3498

Yanks near Jap air base on west coast of Leyte

Invasion troops seize control of two-thirds of island in Central Philippines
By William B. Dickinson, United Press staff writer

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Maj. Bong bags three more over Leyte, runs total to 33

Yank fighter ace back in best form on return to duty after visit home

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3499

americavotes1944

Roosevelt shows he is healthy

By Lyle C. Wilson, United Press staff writer

Washington –
White House Secretary Stephen T. Early today threw cold water on reports that President Roosevelt would carry his campaign tour into Ohio and indicated that his already-scheduled Boston speech Saturday will be Mr. Roosevelt’s sole remaining major appearance before Election Day.

There had been reports that the President would make a speech at either Cleveland or Detroit this week. Mr. Early said a definite decision would be made within 24 hours, but that as of the moment, the President still planned to spend the week in Washington taking care of important work.

Mr. Early told reporters that the just-concluded weekend trip to Philadelphia and Chicago was so successful that Mr. Roosevelt’s advisers again have pressed him to make an Ohio swing, but that the President’s original position “still stands.”

To tour Hudson Valley

The President has no fixed campaign plans beyond the Boston speech and a tour of the Hudson River Valley near his Hyde Park home the day before election, with several impromptu speeches at nearby small towns winding up with a speech at 5:30 p.m. EWT in front of the new post office at Poughkeepsie, New York.

Democratic National Chairman Robert E. Hannegan meanwhile announced in New York that Mr. Roosevelt will make brief steps – “probably” with platform talks at each stop – at Bridgeport and Hartford, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts, while en route to Boston Saturday.

Mr. Early said the President was “feeling fine” after his trip which ended last night and took him into seven pivotal states.

Designed largely to show the people the state of his health, the journey included two big night speeches in raw and windy weather, long, rainy hours in an open car parade, and several train-end speeches.

Looks pretty good

Political followers on the train and some who have been traveling independently now have the distinct impression that the President’s health is the top conversational issue of this campaign. That 1s what the question-askers want to know about, and it was “how he looks” that interested curb and train-side crowds the most. The customers on the whole seemed to think he looked pretty good.

The President’s train returned to Washington last night. He had made speeches in six states: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois and West Virginia. In Lima, Ohio, the train moved slowly past the station where a big crowd was massed. Mr. Roosevelt stood on the rear platform there and gave the assembled citizens his campaign salute.

Those states add up to 128 electoral votes. Massachusetts casts 16 in the Electoral College.

His advisers were fairly ecstatic over a train poll taken by CBS’s Don Pryor, among newspaper, radio and picture men aboard the special.

In brief, the poll showed that of 39 persons participating, 28 favored Mr. Roosevelt’s reelection and 11 favored Governor Thomas E. Dewey, Republican candidate. But what pleased the President’s party was that 37 of the participants thought the odds favored Mr. Roosevelt’s reelection, from even money on Governor Dewey to 5–1 on Mr. Roosevelt.

Bids for business support

The President climaxed this journey Saturday night before more than 110,000 persons in Soldier Field, Chicago. Other thousands were massed outside. He bid heavily for the business support which has been rallying around Governor Dewey by proposing post-war tax inducements to help private industry create 60 million jobs.

Mr. Roosevelt’s last public appearance of the weekend swing was made yesterday at Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he addressed a railroad station audience estimated at 16,000 on the advantages of reforestation. The President described the speech and the topic as my “Sunday sermon,” emphasizing that it was a comfort to be able to forget politics when Sunday came around.

16,000 hear President in Clarksburg, West Virginia

Clarksburg, West Virginia (UP) –
More than 16,000 persons listened to President Roosevelt yesterday as he spoke from the rear of the special train bearing him from Chicago to Washington.

Boarding the special train at Benwood Junction were Louis A. Johnson (former Assistant Secretary of War) of Clarksburg, Arthur Koontz (West Virginia Democratic national committeeman) of Charleston, Mrs. Carl Galbraith (national committeewoman from West Virginia), Mrs. J. E. Cruse (state regional Democratic chairwoman with headquarters in Clarksburg), John B. Smith (state public service commission) of Charleston, Cleveland M. Bailey (candidate for Congress of the 3rd district) and Fred Goff (Harrison County Democratic chairman).

Others who boarded the train in Clarksburg were Governor Neely, Rep. Jennings Randolph, Herschel Wade of Salem, and Major Leisure McGee, former state mine inspector.

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americavotes1944

New York in battle over soldier vote; poll hours extended

Democrats want Nov. 30 as deadline; Roosevelt rules out Cleveland-Detroit visit; Governor asks 3-day extension

Albany, New York (UP) –
A fight over soldier voting developed today in a special session of the New York State Legislature.

Governor Thomas E. Dewey, laying aside his role as a presidential candidate temporarily to convene a special session to liberalize voting arrangements, proposed that the time for receiving absentee ballots be extended to Nov. 6.

The Democratic minority introduced a bill proposing that the deadline on absentee ballots be extended to Nov 30.

Nov. 3 deadline now

Under present law, the absentee ballots must be in the hands of the War Ballot Commission by Nov. 3 and counted in the proper election district, along with all over votes, Nov. 7.

In recommending an extension of time, Mr. Dewey told the Legislature in a special message that in view of the fact that absentee ballots were arriving at the rate of from 2,000 to 3,000 a day, he would favor the three-day extension of time for their receipt. He would have left the counting time unchanged.

The Democratic bill would put off the counting of absentee ballots received from Nov. 4 to 30 until a special meeting of District Canvassing Boards Dec. 2.

Voting time extended

The fight over soldier balloting overshadowed the purpose for which Mr. Dewey called the session – to extend for two hours, until 9:00 p.m., the polling hours in the state next Tuesday.

Both Houses passed the two-hour extension bill without debate.

Governor Dewey also recommended legislation to extend the voting hours throughout the state by two hours so the polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Governor Dewey’s special message was released to reporters almost simultaneously with a report by Secretary of State Thomas J. Curran showing that registration throughout the state was 6,894,785, only a little below the 1940 figure. There was a notable increase in such industrial centers as Buffalo, Binghamton, Schenectady, Rochester and Niagara Falls.

Mr. Curran said the report included duplications of Armed Forces registration in non-person election districts.

The aggregate, which was far above the 1942 figure, was only 73,925 less than four years ago when President Roosevelt carried the state against the late Wendell L. Willkie.

Buffalo speech tomorrow

Meanwhile, for the final week of campaigning, Mr. Dewey has stepped up the tempo of his activities. He speaks in Buffalo tomorrow night on a nationwide radio hookup, with a short stop en route at Rochester.

En route to Boston, where another major radio speech is scheduled Wednesday night, the special train will stop at Pittsfield, Springfield and Worcester, Massachusetts, in a bid for that state’s 16 electoral votes.

Governor Dewey has only two major radio addresses scheduled after his Boston appearance. One is before a huge rally in New York City’s Madison Square Garden Saturday night. The other is an election eve talk, probably from the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.

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Post-war nylons to be better

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americavotes1944

parry3

I DARE SAY —
The dead dodos

By Florence Fisher Parry

Words come up fast and they die fast. The topical words, I mean. The political words.

The impartial, the just words, are immortal.

Now of the words coined to the circumstances I am thinking of three which, when first used, had dignity and fire. But because they have been manhandled by the opportunists, carrying no value. I am speaking of the words “appeaser,” “interventionist,” “isolationist.” Like cold dead embers they have been raked back into the furnace of the presidential campaign.

Let’s have done with them! They have no further place in our philosophy.

There was a time when these words stood for something honest. Yes, honest. No shame attached to President Monroe when he issued his great doctrine of splendid Isolationism. It matched our national need.

In the early days of this war, before America entered in, the word “interventionist” was not ignoble. It was the name we called those men of vision, who, although not more sincere than others, had the gift of prophecy.

There were at that time isolationists, strong and sincere in their patriotism, granite in their convictions. But that was long before their nationalism was corrupted and debased by the infiltration of fascist interlopers into their honest, if short-sighted, ranks.

Remember?

Thursday night on The American Forum of the Air over the radio, the listening audience was insulted by one of the lowest political debates of radio history. A veritable capsule of all the dirt which has smeared this campaign was pushed down our throats by the Secretary of the Interior, Harold Ickes; and in his speech, this mangled, manhandled political football word “isolationist” was tarred and feathered and lynched again, and in a lynch-mob mood. You would have thought that only arch fiends, dedicated to the destruction of every human decency, had ever been isolationists!

Even the Republican presidential candidate, in a regrettable moment of indulgence, accused President Roosevelt of being an isolationist.

The whole thing has become so preposterous! Have we no memories? Is there no place on the record for day-before-yesterday, when we were all isolationists? Yes, all! All the people of all the countries of all the earth.

How long ago was day-before-yesterday? Why, 1938. Do you remember? I remember listening to The March of Time, which was recreating a little scene which had just taken place on Sept. 28, on the eve of the day Hitler marched into Czechoslovakia.

The scene was the private study of President Beneš. His visitors were the British and French Ministers. It was 2:00 a.m. They aroused him to announce the result of the Munich Conference. They were there to tell him he must accept Hitler’s terms regardless of the dissolution of Czechoslovakia which would inevitably follow.

The ritual

Who were the isolationists then? Great Britain, France only? Who were the appeasers then? Great Britain, France only? Who, then, moved his finger to help Czechoslovakia?

Let’s face ourselves. We may lie to others, but we can’t lie to ourselves. We were ALL isolationists. All. Everyone.

Why shall we then dig up those old cadavers to stench the air already polluted by the ill-smelling gases of this political campaign?

On Thursday, I went to the luncheon dedicated to the American relief for Czechoslovakia. A native food was offered us to eat. It was called Boží milosti, meaning “God’s blessing on you,” or “Food from Heaven.” As I saw, the people of Czechoslovakia eating as one family and sharing with us their guests this native pastry, the picture came back strong of that night only six years ago when Czechoslovakia met her ordeal and gave up her existence as a nation.

There was something about this little sharing with us this celestial pastry that took on something of the ritual of communion. They were willing to forget how the world had betrayed them, they were willing to forgive our isolationism, our appeasement. This was another day.

It offered us a beautiful example. Would that we could be worthy of it!

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3503

Another baby born in office; doctor now seeks 3 cribs

St. Louis Medical Society probes charges hospitals shun servicemen’s wives

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3504

Marriage rate declines again

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3 Jap prisoners slain by guards

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3505

Strike voted by West Penn railways men

Action set tomorrow unless truce reached

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3506

Youth and gaiety abound on boulevards of Paris

Spirit doesn’t fit conception of city that has been wounded in heart and body
By Marshall McNeil, Scripps-Howard staff writer

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Jewish services broadcast from town in Germany

U.S. troops worship in open air, near brick factory, as Nazi shells drop nearby
By Jack Frankish, United Press staff writer

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3507

Simms: Fate of Reich will be topic of Big Three

Russia may favor softer peace terms
By William Philip Simms, Scripps-Howard foreign editor

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3508

Little Abie shakes as battle begins, but he kills Nazis

Tall, thin guy is a hero on Dawson Ridge although he can’t remember things well
By W. C. Heinz, North American Newspaper Alliance

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3509

Nazi guns check drive on Bologna

Yanks only eight miles from Po Valley city

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Four Reich cities blasted by Yanks

Blockbusters rip Cologne twice again

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americavotes1944

London Daily Herald prefers Roosevelt

London, England (UP) –
The Daily Herald, chief organ of the British Labor Party, today expressed its preference for President Roosevelt in the U.S. presidential campaign.

The Daily Herald said editorially:

It would be childish to pretend our concern is academic. All those who wish to see internationalist precepts consolidated in the post-war years desire the election of a man who will most surely help promote those ideals. We did not find the choice excessively difficult.

3511

Gen. Stilwell’s may lead U.S. China landing

Transfer viewed as invasion prelude

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3512

Gracie Allen Reporting

Hollywood, California –
We housewives don’t mind rationing, and we smile cheerfully when the clerk sneers and says, “No face tissues.” But one byproduct of this war that’s driving us crazy is the husband who has become a military expert… a parlor paratrooper… an armchair admiral.

I must admit that my husband, George, is one of the charter members of the “Kibitz with Nimitz” and “I’m Palsy with Halsey” clubs. But I will say that George is one of the few coffee-table colonels to be wounded by enemy action.

It was during the fierce fighting around Aachen last week. He was moving the pin representing the Germans when it slipped and jabbed his thumb. We’re giving him the Purple Heart.

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americavotes1944

Major parties bear down on Pennsylvania

Truman, Bricker lead vote-seeking groups

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (UP) –
Vice-presidential nominees of both major parties were committed today to heavy speaking schedules at opposite ends of politically-doubtful Pennsylvania to highlight intensive final-week campaigning for the state’s 35 electoral votes which may decide the fate of the Roosevelt administration’s try for a fourth term.

Democratic leaders planned a whirlwind tour for the party’s vice-presidential nominee, U.S. Senator Harry S. Truman, whose Thursday itinerary in the West calls for speeches at Braddock, East Pittsburgh, Wilmerding, McKeesport and Uniontown, a 15-minute radio talk and a major address at Pittsburgh.

Bricker invades East

Next day, his Republican opponent, Governor John W. Bricker, returns to the state at Philadelphia following a noon rally speech at Wilmington, Delaware. Mr. Bricker’s Friday schedule lists a speech before Republican workers at Camden, a city-wide rally in Metropolitan Opera House, Philadelphia, and a discussion of labor problems an hour later at a 5-ward gathering at the Labor Lyceum there.

Mr. Bricker’s bid for a majority of Philadelphia’s potential 900,000 votes will follow by exactly a week President Roosevelt’s tour and speech.

The Philadelphia City Democratic organization holds its annual $100-a-plate dinner there tonight with National Chairman Robert E. Hannegan as principal speaker.

Rises to peak

Democratic State Headquarters announced that the Roosevelt campaign in Pennsylvania would rise to “a sustained peak of effort” this week with 200 broadcast programs to “set a record for radio efforts in a political campaign.”

The principal radio speakers listed by the Democrats, in addition to Senator Truman, were Congressman Francis J. Myers of Philadelphia (the party’s nominee for U.S. Senator), Philip Murray (CIO president), Harold L. Ickes (U.S. Secretary of the Interior), Democratic State Chairman David L. Lawrence and former Governor Gifford Pinchot. Movie and radio celebrities listed as speakers included Orson Welles, Paulette Goddard, Quentin Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Joan Bennett, Humphrey Bogart, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Merman and Clifton Fadiman.

The Hollywood contingent with Bricker at Philadelphia was to include Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Swanson and Eddie Bracken.

Governor Edward Martin’s activity on behalf of the Republican ticket during the final full week of the campaign will include an address Wednesday at McKeesport.

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americavotes1944

Dewey accused of ‘doubletalk’

Chicago, Illinois (UP) –
Vice President Henry A. Wallace yesterday charged that Governor Thomas E. Dewey, Republican presidential nominee, was guilty of “doubletalk” in dealing with his own Fair Employment Practices Committee in New York.

Mr. Wallace, speaking before a rally on the Nonpartisan Roosevelt Unity Committee in Chicago, said Mr. Dewey had named a “good” committee which, after three years of investigation, recommended state legislation to establish a permanent Fair Employment Practices Committee in New York.

The Vice President asserted:

Governor Dewey, however, disregarded and dismissed all of this great effort. The people of New York will understand double talk when they hear it.

Compared to Roosevelt

Mr. Wallace compared Governor Dewey’s position on the issue with that of President Roosevelt, praising the President’s concern for all people, including all minority groups.

The future belongs to those “who go down the line unswervingly for the liberal principles of both political and economic democracy, regardless of race, creed or color,” the Vice President said.

Mr. Wallace said:

Mr. Roosevelt stands for all this. That is why certain people hate him so. That also is one of the outstanding reasons why the President will be elected for a fourth term.

Outlines program

He outlined again his own program in race relations, asserting that there must be no inferior races in the United States and that the poll tax must go and equal educational opportunities must come.

Mr. Wallace said:

All the people must be included in the economic, educational and political progress which we will make if the liberal cause is victorious. By all of the people, I specifically include the Negro and every other minority group in this country.

Dewey aide scoffs at Wallace charge

Albany, New York (UP) –
Paul E. Lockwood, secretary to Governor Thomas E. Dewey, challenged a charge by Vice President Henry A. Wallace that the Republican presidential nominee was guilty of “doubletalk” in connection with the Fair Employment Practices Committee.

Mr. Lockwood said:

Mr. Wallace is a little balmier than usual. What Governor Dewey said on the radio was: “We shall establish the Fair Employment Practices Committee as a permanent function authorized by law.”

That is exactly what the Republican platform pledged while the Democratic platform did not dare mention the subject.