Army may drop compulsory drill
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‘White elephant’ costs Army $17,300,000
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Roving Reporter
By Ernie Pyle
IN THE MARIANAS ISLANDS (delayed) – In my long career with the United States Army, I’ve made a hobby of cultivating the very best people in it. And for some strange reason, the very best people usually turn out to work in the kitchen. Isn’t that odd?
My latest acquisitions are a Mutt & Jeff team known as Mickey and Bill. They serve the food in our mess hall. They have to work like dogs and they dash around in such intent haste that you think they are mad at everybody all the time.
But they aren’t. That’s just a look of concentration on their faces. Whenever we give them time to relax, they’re the best-natured pair you ever saw.
These two boys are Sgt. Thomas Bill of St. Louis, and Cpl. Mickey Rovinsky of Edwardsville [Luzerne County], Pennsylvania. They’re as different as day and night, but they work together like cogs in a gearwheel.
Sgt. Bill is tall and thin and white-skinned and has curly black hair and a sensitive face, and he doesn’t say much. Mickey is so short he could stand under Bill’s arm, and his skin is dark. His eyes are almost shut and he talks all the time – and such talk.
Mickey is unquotable, because you couldn’t possibly remember things the way he says them. His colloquialisms are not sectional, they’re pure Rovinsky.
Special favorite
The boys’ special favorite among all the fliers is my friend Capt. Bill Gifford. He’s always giving them things, and sits up and talks with them in the mess hall after supper, and as a result they’d stay up all night for him if he merely suggested it.
By good fortune, I fell in with this trio, and every night Giff and I would stay away from supper until everybody else had finished and the two boys had their tables all cleaned up and set for breakfast.
Then we’d wander over through the dark and the four of us would have a banquet – such as steak and French-fried potatoes. The boys would cook it and then we’d all sit down and eat, and the talk would start to fly.
The first Tokyo mission was a highlight in Mickey’s life. The pilots are always tense the night before a mission, and Mickey has his troubles.
Mickey says:
They took off six times for Tokyo. I mean they was scheduled to go every day for six days, and they’d all be short-tempered and wanting things just go at night, and then next morning the mission would be postponed.
It was their first mission up there and they’d heard a rumor there was to be 1,300 Jap fighters lined up across the sky just like a wall, and they was nervous and grumpy.
Like Capt. Gifford here, I can always tell when he’s going the next day. He don’t say much at supper like he usually does. He just wants that sharp attention and keep your mouth shut and leave him the hell alone.
Tense and worried
Well, them pilots was tense and worried and they didn’t drink any beer or anything for five nights and then finally on the sixth night they was up half the night yellin’ around, and then next morning they really did take off. Boy, they didn’t feel good either.
It’s a good thing they finally went or I was gonna mutiny. I got sick and tired of puttin’ grub in them damned airplanes. I was gonna refuse the seventh time. I said I’d take a court-martial before I’d put grub in them planes a seventh time. But they went that time.
Then Capt. Gifford took up.
You should have been here that morning. The mission was called so fast there wasn’t time to warm up the engines a few at a time, so they ran them all up at once all over the field. This whole island shook from the vibration.
When I took off, I had to weave around through bulldozers and between jeeps and across cane patches and I kept thinking about those 1,300 fighters we’d heard about. I sure was put out about ever getting into this business in the first place. But it turned out all right.
“When Capt. Gifford gets back,” Mickey went on, “he’s a changed man. He’s still full of nerves but he wants to talk and he wants me to keep the beer comin’ out of the icebox.”
Sgt. Bill sits and listens and smiles and enjoys it and says almost nothing. He and Mickey are both married men, although they’re only 24 and 23 respectively.
The boys have to get up at 5 a m. and their work isn’t finished till about 9 at night. They don’t even get to go to the movies, for they don’t get through work in time. But they don’t seem to care. They feel they’re pretty lucky to have things as nice as they are.
The day I was to leave, they gave me what Mickey called my “farewell breakfast” – three fried eggs! There’s nothing in this Army like knowing the very best people.
Perkins: Davis to keep strict control over wages
Appointment viewed as blow to labor
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer
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Gracie Allen Reporting
By Gracie Allen
I just read where Field Marshal Montgomery’s mother had written him telling him to wind up the European War by March 23. I knew those silly Germans would fool around until they got the women good and mad at them.
I think that “Monty’s” mother, Lady Montgomery, really has an idea there. The habit of obeying mother is very strong and if all our generals were to receive similar letters from their mothers, they might just polish off those Nazis that much faster.
I can just see a dazed von Rundstedt surrendering as Gen. Eisenhower says: “Sorry to rush you like this, Von, but Mom says hurry home.”
And we don’t have to worry about Mrs. Shickelgruber writing to Adolf. They can’t even find an incubator that will claim him.
Film producer assails plan to finance post-war OWI
Free world information held need to guard against any dictatorship
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Irene likes comedy roles
What’s more, fans like them, too
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The fuck is ‘White elephant’?
Führer HQ (March 9, 1945)
Kommuniqué des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht
In Ungarn drangen eigene Kampfgruppen beiderseits des Plattensees in das tiefgegliederte feindliche Hauptkampffeld ein und warfen die Sowjets aus mehreren stark befestigten Abschnitten, die sie gegen zahlreiche Angriffe neu herangeführter bolschewistischer Kräfte behaupteten.
Im slowakischen Erzgebirge halten unsere Sicherungen in zähem Abwehrkampf die Talengen um Altsohl gegen anhaltend starken feindlichen Druck. Beiderseits der Hohen Tatra wurden Aufklärungsvorstöße der Bolschewisten zerschlagen.
Grenadiere und Jäger brachen nördlich Ratibor in sowjetische Bereitstellungen ein und verlegten trotz zäher Gegenwehr unsere Hauptkampflinie vorwärts.
Gegen Küstrin trat der Feind von Norden und Süden nach starker Artillerievorbereitung erneut zum Angriff an. Erbitterte Kämpfe sind im Gange.
An der äußeren Verteidigungszone des Brückenkopfes Stettin brachen die anhaltend starken Angriffe einer sowjetischen Panzer- und zweier Infanteriearmeen in schweren, für den Feind verlustreichen Kämpfen zusammen. Deutsche Seestreitkräfte unterstützten mit guter Wirkung die schweren Abwehrkämpfe des Heeres am Stettiner Haff.
Im Brennpunkt der großen Abwehrschlacht in Westpreußen drangen feindliche Panzerverbände trotz unserer verbissenen Gegenwehr zwischen Berent und Preußisch-Stargard in unsere Stellungen ein und gewannen weiteren Raum nach Norden. Ihre Spitzen wurden zwischen Karthaus–Schöneck zum Stehen gebracht, über 50 sowjetische Panzer in diesem Raum vernichtet.
In Kurland stehen unsere Verbände östlich Frauenburg in erfolgreichem Abwehrkampfe gegen die von starken Schlachtfliegerkräften unterstützten Durchbruchsversuche sowjetischer Kräfte.
Sicherungsfahrzeuge eines eigenen Geleits schossen vor der norwegischen Westküste im Zusammenwirken mit Jagdfliegern sechs angreifende feindliche Flugzeuge ab, fünf weitere wurden durch Luftverteidigungskräfte der Kriegsmarine über der Deutschen Bucht zum Absturz gebracht.
Am Niederrhein haben unsere Truppen in tapferer Haltung auch gestern starke feindliche Angriffe im Raum von Xanten abgewiesen. An den übrigen Fronten des Brückenkopfes von Wesel kam der Feind nach geringem Vordringen in unserem Feuer zum Stehen und verlor zahlreiche Panzer.
Im Abschnitt Köln konnten die Amerikaner unsere Kräfte auf das Ostufer des Rheins zurückdrücken, während die Besatzung von Bonn in den Ruinen der Stadt heftigen Widerstand leistet. Im Rhein-Mosel-Dreieck gewannen die feindlichen Panzer vor allem gegen die untere Mosel hin Boden. Zwischen der Ahr und der westlichen Eifel stehen unsere Truppen in schweren Abwehrkämpfen gegen die hauptsächlich von Westen andringenden gegnerischen Verbände.
Der östlich und südlich Trier wie bei Fraulautern angreifende Feind brach in unserem Feuer zusammen.
Aus Italien werden keine größeren Kämpfe gemeldet.
Nordamerikanische Terrorflieger warfen am Tage Bomben auf Städte im Rhein-Main-Gebiet sowie im rheinisch-westfälischen und südostdeutschen Raum. Hamburg und Kassel waren in der Nacht das Ziel britischer Terrorangriffe.
Das Vergeltungsfeuer auf London wird fortgesetzt.
Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (March 9, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
091100A March
TO FOR ACTION
(1) AGWAR
(2) NAVY DEPARTMENT
TO (W) FOR INFORMATION (INFO)
(3) TAC HQ 12 ARMY GP
(4) MAIN 12 ARMY GP
(5) AIR STAFF
(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) UNITED KINGDOM BASE
(15) SACSEA
(16) CMHQ (Pass to RCAF & RCN)
(17) COM ZONE
(18) SHAEF REAR
(19) SHAEF MAIN
(20) PRO, ROME
(21) HQ SIXTH ARMY GP
(REF NO.)
NONE
(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR
Communiqué No. 335
UNCLASSIFIED: Allied forces have surrounded Xanten despite strong enemy resistance and are fighting in the town. Heavy fighting continues in the area of Veen.
We captured Rodenkirchen and entered Sürth near the Rhine south of Cologne.
Our units have reached the Rhine and crossed it to establish a bridgehead on the east bank, south of Cologne.
Northwest of Bonn, we captured Berzdorf, Echtem and Roisdorf, and have cleared half of the city of Bonn. West of Bonn, we occupied Dransdorf, and entered Duisdorf. Three-fourths of the city of Bad Godesberg, south of Bonn, has been cleared.
Our infantry units, in gains of up to three and one-half miles, captured Wiesbaum and Leudersdorf northwest of Prüm. Our armored elements have advanced to the vicinity of Boos, nine miles west of Mayen. Other armored elements are patrolling the Rhine, northwest of Koblenz, and are not in contact with the enemy in this area.
Our infantry, mopping up behind the armored thrusts in the area east of Prüm, has occupied Darsheid, Neroth, Salm, Eisenschmitt, and Schwarzenborn.
East of Bitburg other infantry units have captured several towns, including Arenrath and Niersbach.
Four enemy counterattacks in the vicinity of the junction of the Saar and Moselle Rivers near Trier were repulsed by our armored elements. We also repulsed a counterattack in the area seven miles southeast of Trier.
In the Forbach area, enemy resistance continued from dug-in positions. Hostile patrols were repulsed along the Rhine.
Allied forces in the west captured 6,753 prisoners 7 March.
Six benzol plants and a synthetic oil plant in the Ruhr, mainly in the Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund areas, and railyards at Essen, Betzdorf, Siegen, Dillenburg, and Giessen were attacked by escorted heavy bombers in very great strength.
Striking at the enemy’s communications leading to the area of our bridgehead over the Rhine south of Köln, medium and light bombers attacked targets in a number of towns. Other medium and light bombers bombed targets at Bergisch-Gladbach and Altenkirchen and a motor vehicle depot and repair pool at Wülfrath.
One heavy bomber is missing from the day’s operations.
Last night, heavy bombers made heavy attacks on the communications center and industrial town of Kassel, and on submarine building yards at Hamburg; while targets in Berlin, and enemy movements north and south of the Ruhr, were attacked by light bombers.
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 FA4655
AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
/s/
U.S. Navy Department (March 9, 1945)
Joint Statement
For Immediate Release
March 9, 1945
The following joint Anglo-American statement on submarine and anti-submarine operations is issued under the authority of the President and the Prime Minister:
During the month of February, a moderate number of Allied merchant vessels fell victim to U-boat activity. However, the anti-submarine forces were successful in destroying more enemy submarines this past month than in January.
Despite satisfactory results now being obtained in the war on undersea raiders, our forces must maintain unceasing vigilance because any enemy with a large number of submarines always possesses a potential threat.
Communiqué No. 583
The PT‑77 and PT‑79 were lost in the Philippine area, having been sunk by one of our own ships.
This incident was the result of an error in identification.
The next of kin of casualties have been notified.
Communiqué No. 584
Far East.
United States submarines have reported the sinking of 12 enemy vessels, including an escort carrier and a destroyer, as a result of operations in these waters. The ships sunk were:
- 1 escort aircraft carrier
- 1 destroyer
- 1 large cargo transport
- 1 large tanker
- 2 medium cargo transports
- 5 medium cargo vessels
- 1 small cargo transport
These actions have not been announced in any previous Navy Department communiqué.