Texas will probe anti-labor lobby
…
Uncle Sam pays official $700 monthly to do nothing
Farm credit manager, key figure in dispute over bank report, just reads magazines
…
Gracie Allen Reporting
By Gracie Allen
Sure ‘n’ tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, and ‘tis myself, the daughter of Maggie Darragh from County Clare, who’s wishin’ the top of the day to all of you.
I accused my poor husband, George, of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day two days early. When he came home yesterday his face was the color if a Shamrock. Then I found out he’d been down paying his income tax.
Incidentally, they’re calling Mr. Morgenthau the “American St. Patrick” because so many people get out that green stuff for him at this time of the year.
Believe me, we should all be happy to pay our income taxes. That “green stuff” will ripen into the planes and guns needed to drive the snakes out of lots of islands – from Iwo Jima right up to Japan.
Monahan: Objective Burma savage jungle drama
Errol Flynn impressive as leader of paratroopers in Stanley film
By Kaspar Monahan
…
Bing Crosby is star of Penn film revue
Here Come the WAVES also has twin Betty Huttons and Sonny Tufts
By Dick Fortune
…
Ax falls hard –
Training game schedules hit by ODT order
…
Federal-owned facilities hold fate of Alcoa
Company’s dissolution remains unsettled
…
Roving Reporter
By Ernie Pyle
IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC (delayed) – There was nothing dramatic about our start for Japan.
We simply pulled anchor about 8 one morning and got underway. The whole thing seemed peacetime and routine.
Our ships were so spread out they didn’t seem they actually were. It wasn’t like the swarming, pulsing mass of ships that literally blanketed the water when we started to Sicily and to Normandy.
Once at sea our force broke up into several pre-arranged units and each put some distance between itself and the next.
Each was self-sufficient. Each could protect itself. Each had battleships, carriers, cruisers and destroyers. Each was complete unto itself.
The eye easily could encompass the entire formation in which you were sailing. And very dimly, far off on the horizon, you could see the silhouettes of the bigger ships on each side of you, although they seemed remote, and not like neighbors.
Mitscher in command
The formations were commanded by admirals and above them all was Adm. Marc Mitscher.
All day and all night the air was full of conversation between our ships. Messages were transmitted in many ways – by signal flag, by light blinker, by destroyers bringing written messages, even by planes flying slowly over and dropping messages on the deck.
The admiral commanding our unit was a fine, friendly man whom I’d met before we sailed. On the third day out, he sent a message over to our captain which said: “How is Ernie getting along? Does he wish he was back in a foxhole?”
We messaged back that I was happy, hadn’y been seasick yet, and that I hoped all my future foxholes could be as plush as this one.
We had a long way to go from our starting point, and our route was a devious one to boot. We steamed for several days before we were at our destination off Japan. We sailed long enough to have crossed the Atlantic Ocean – if we had been in the Atlantic.
But those days were busy ones. Our planes began operating as soon as we were underway. Three fighters that had been based on the island, flew out and landed aboard an hour after we started, to fill our complement of planes.
We were up before dawn every morning, and our planes were in the air before sunup. We kept a constant aerial patrol over our ships. Some flew at great height, completely out of sight. Others took the medium altitude. And still others roamed in great circles only a few hundred feet above us.
And out on the perimeter our little destroyers plowed the ocean, always alert for subs or airplanes. You really couldn’t help but feel safe with such a guard around you.
Comfortable living
Living was very comfortable aboard our carrier. I shared a cabin with Lt. Cmdr. Al Masters from Terre Haute, Indiana, just a few miles from where I was born and raised.
In our cabin we had metal closets and writing desks and a lavatory with hot and cold water. We had a telephone, and a boy to clean up the room. Our bunks were double-decked, with good mattresses. I was in the upper one.
Our food was wonderful, and you could buy a whole carton of cigarettes a day if you wanted to (doesn’t that make you jealous?). We saw a movie every night except when in battle. The first four nights our movies were New York Town, The Major and the Minor, Swing Fever and Claudia. I don’t know enough about movies to know whether they were old or not, but it doesn’t make any difference to a sailor who hasn’t been home.
I came aboard with a lot of dirty clothes, for I’d had nothing washed since leaving San Francisco about a month before.
Our cabin boy took my clothes to the laundry about 9:30 one morning. When I came back to the cabin an hour and a half later, here was my washing all clean and dry and ironed, lying on the bed. What a ship!
Völkischer Beobachter (March 17, 1945)
Italien, Faschismus, Republik
Von Filippo Antuso, Botschafter Italiens in Berlin
…
Führer HQ (March 17, 1945)
Kommuniqué des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht
Der Druck der Bolschewisten und Bulgaren gegen unseren Drau-Brückenkopf südwestlich Siklós hielt an. Südlich des Plattensees nahmen unsere Truppen zäh verteidigte Stellungen durch umfassenden Angriff und zerschlugen Entlastungsvorstöße der Sowjets von Osten. Zwischen Sárvizkanal und Velencesee brachen Gegenangriffe der Bolschewisten vor unserer neuen Abwehrfront unter hohen Verlusten zusammen. Östlich und nördlich Stuhlweißenburg wurden starke sowjetische Angriffsgruppen durch wirkungsvolles Abwehrfeuer deutscher und ungarischer Verbände gefasst und ihre Spitzen nach geringem Geländegewinn aufgefangen.
In der mittleren Slowakei brachte der gestrige Kampftag bei nachlassender Kraft der feindlichen Angriffe keine wesentliche Veränderung des Frontverlaufs.
Die Schlacht in Oberschlesien hat durch erhöhten Kräfteeinsatz der Sowjets an Umfang zugenommen. Während sich ihr Angriff im Raum von Schwarzwasser nach den hohen Ausfällen der Vortage vor unserer Abriegelungsfront festlief, verhinderten unsere Verbände in schwerem Abwehrkampf durch Festhalten Ihrer Eckpfeiler eine größere Ausweitung der sowjetischen Einbrüche und brachten die Bolschewisten in der Tiefe des Stellungsraumes zum Stehen.
Schlachtflieger vernichteten neben zahlreichen Kraftfahrzeugen 34 sowjetische Panzer und schossen sechs weitere bewegungsunfähig. In den letzten zwei Tagen wurden in Schlesien 239 feindliche Panzer vernichtet.
Nach dem Scheitern der Durchbruchsversuche auf Stettin, die den Feind 102 Panzer kosteten, versuchte er gestern durch verstärkten Artillerieeinsatz einen Erfolg zu erzwingen. Seine erneuten Angriffe scheiterten vor den verkürzten Stellungen unserer zäh kämpfenden Brückenkopfbesatzung.
Die Verteidiger von Kolberg halten, von Seestreitkräften nachhaltig unterstützt, Stadtkern und Hafen in unbeugsamem Kampfwillen gegen starke feindliche Angriffe.,
In der Doppelschlacht beiderseits der Danziger Bucht scheiterten auch am gestrigen Großkampftag die Durchbruchsversuche der Bolschewisten an der Abwehrkraft unserer tapferen Infanterie. Die anhaltend starken Angriffe der sowjetischen 1. Garde-Panzerarmee in Richtung Gotenhafen und Zoppot wurden wiederum in schwerem Ringen bei Quassendorf und Zuckau ohne wesentlichen Bodengewinn aufgefangen. In die Kämpfe um Quassendorf griff unsere schwere Schiffsartillerie mit stärkstem Feuer ein.
Schwere Artillerieträger beschossen von See her mit gutem Erfolg sowjetische Bereitstellungen an der Nordküste der Halbinsel Heia.
Auch in Ostpreußen hielt unsere Abwehrfront den mit Schwerpunkt beiderseits Eisenberg und nordwestlich Zinten fortgesetzten Durchbruchsangriffen stand. In erfolgreichen Gegenstößen wurden Frontlücken geschlossen und feindliche Einbruchsstellen eingeengt.
Am Niederrhein haben unsere Truppen ihre Aufklärungstätigkeit verstärkt.
Aus dem Brückenkopf bei Remagen konnten die Amerikaner gestern unter Einsatz starker Panzerkräfte nach Norden vorstoßen und Königswinter nehmen. In hin und her wogenden Ortskämpfen verhinderten unsere Verbände ein weiteres Vordringen des Feindes südöstlich Honnefs, doch erzielte der Gegner im Kampfabschnitt von Linz am Rhein einige Einbrüche in unsere Front. Bei ihren Angriffen erlitten die Amerikaner beträchtliche Panzerverluste.
Die Schlacht zwischen Mosel, Saar und Rhein hat an Ausdehnung zugenommen. Feindliche Angriffe zwischen Koblenz und Boppard blieben in unserem Abwehrfeuer liegen. An der Nahe kam es zu schweren Begegnungsgefechten mit weit vorgestoßenen Panzerspitzen der Amerikaner, vor allem im Raum Münster am Stein und Kirn. Die Kämpfe, in die von beiden Seiten neue Kräfte geworfen werden, sind noch in vollem Gange.
An der Moselfront zwischen Kochern und Trier wurden feindliche Angriffe und Übersetzversuche zerschlagen und zahlreiche feindliche Panzer vernichtet.
Im Raum östlich Saarburg hält der Druck der Amerikaner hauptsächlich in südlicher Richtung an. An der Südfront des Kampfraumes zwischen Saarbrücken und Bischweiler verhinderten unsere Truppen die feindlichen Durchbruchsversuche, indem sie Einbrüche abriegelten und neue Angriffe zurückwiesen. Aus Hagenau angreifende Amerikaner blieben in unserem Abwehrfeuer liegen.
In Italien führte der Feind nur einzelne erfolglose Aufklärungsvorstöße am Serchio, in den Bergen westlich Imola und Bagnacavallo.
Amerikanische Kampfverbände warfen Bomben im süddeutschen Raum und auf Wien. In der Nacht waren Nürnberg und Würzburg das Ziel britischer Terrorangriffe. Ein schwächerer Verband flog die Reichshauptstadt an. Der Feind verlor in Luftkämpfen und durch Flakartillerie der Luftwaffe nach bisherigen Meldungen 63 Flugzeuge, darunter 59 viermotorige Bomber. An diesen Erfolgen hatten unsere Nachtjäger hervorragenden Anteil.
Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (March 17, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
171100A 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. 343
UNCLASSIFIED: The Allied bridgehead across the Rhine is 13 miles long by seven miles deep. Our units in the northern part of the bridgehead are fighting in Königswinter after clearing Rhöndorf. The autobahn has been cut in two places northwest and southeast of Hövel. We are fighting in Hövel and Aegidienberg. A small enemy counterattack was repulsed just southeast of Aegidienberg. In the center of the bridgehead, stiff enemy resistance has been encountered in Kalenborn, and near Vettelschoss. To the south, we entered Bremscheid and reached the west bank of the Wied River to the east. Hönningen is virtually clear of the enemy. Communications in four towns east of the Remagen bridgehead, a rail bridge at Niederscheid and rail yards at Herdorf were attacked by medium and light bombers yesterday. Fighter bombers hit rail and road transport from Remagen east to Würzburg, and attacked airfields at Limburg, Schweinfurt, Würzburg and Frankfurt.
Our infantry crossed the Moselle River southwest of Koblenz and captured Waldesch. Other elements advanced to a point two miles south of Boppard and two miles west of the Rhine River. We repulsed a tank-supported counterattack near Herschwiesen, west of Boppard. In the Boppard sector, we cleared Ehr, Beltheim, Buch and Mörsdorf. Our armor made swift gains to the southeast. One column gained 11 miles to enter Rheinböllen and Ellern on the edge of the Soonwald Forest. To the west, another column advanced 12 miles to enter Simmern, captured a bridge intact, and pushed on to the southeast. Resistance to these advances was light.
Additional crossing of the Moselle were made by our infantry in the vicinity of Neef and Bullay. Southeast of Trier, we captured Reinsfeld, Hermeskeil, Gusenburg and Grünburg against decreasing enemy resistance. Farther to the southwest we captured Weiskircken and reached Losheim. we repulsed several tank-supported counterattacks in this area. Our infantry, advancing south along the east side of the Saar River, entered Saarhölzbach, where house-to-house fighting is in progress. Other elements are within three miles of Merzig. Enemy armored columns, and troops in the area east of Trier were attacked by fighter-bombers.
Our drive northward between the Saarbrücken area and the Rhine continued to make steady progress against spotty resistance. East of Saarbrücken we cleared Ensheim and pushed on more than two miles into the outer belt of the Siegfried Line. Ommersheim was taken in the northernmost advance in this area. Advances up to two miles were made farther southeast, and Medelsheim and several other villages were captured in this vicinity. Bitche, scene of heavy fighting in recent weeks, is being mopped up. Additional progress was made in the Hardt Mountain area over difficult terrain. Our troops entered Bärenthal and cut the Bärenthal-Zinswiller road. In the northern Alsace plain, advances of more than a mile at several points took our forces to the Zinsel River at Gumbrechtshoffen.
Haguenau has now been cleared and we have advanced northward into the Haguenau Forest.
Allied forces in the west captured 4,983 prisoners 15 March.
Fortified positions, mainly south of Zweibrücken, and communications in the areas of Neunkirchen, Kaiserslautern, Mannheim and east of Heidelberg were heavily attacked by medium and fighter-bombers. The railyards at Kaiserlautern were hit twice, and a large concentration of motor vehicles near Mannheim was bombed and strafed. Barracks, ordnance depots and rail and road targets at Landau were attacked by strong formations of medium and light bombers. In these operations 15 enemy aircraft were shot down. Seven were destroyed on the ground and others damaged. Eleven of our fighters are missing. Last night, heavy bombers were over Germany in strength with the important communications centers of Nuremberg and Würzburg as the main objectives. Targets in Berlin also were bombed.
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 17, 1945)
CINCPOA Communiqué No. 302
The Marines on Iwo continued mopping-up operations on March 17 (East Longitude Date). About noon a group of 150 of the enemy were observed attempting to organize in the northern part of the Island. They were dispersed by mortar fire. A few enemy troops attempted to “booby trap” installations in our rear areas.
Surface units of the Pacific Fleet bombarded Matsuwa Island in the Kurils on March 16. Our gunfire caused a large explosion and several large fires. Shore-based batteries of the enemy answered our fire but caused no damage to our ships.