Was the name given to the Island by the Yankees or by the Spanish?
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The Spanish in 1565.
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Führer HQ (April 1, 1945)
Kommuniqué des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht
Südlich Steinamanger stehen unsere Truppen in schwerem Abwehrkampf gegen die auf die Reichsgrenze vordringenden Bolschewisten. Eingreifverbände brachten den Feind, der durch eine Frontlücke bei Güns nach Nordwesten vorstieß, im Raum südlich Wiener-Neustadt nach Abschuß von 19 Panzern zum Stehen. Südwestlich Neutra gelang es dem Gegner, die Waag zu überwinden, während er im Flusstal nordöstlich davon im wesentlichen abgewiesen wurde.
In Oberschlesien vereitelten unsere zäh kämpfenden Divisionen erneute Durchbruchsversuche zwischen Schwarzwasser und Jägerndorf und vernichteten 65 Panzer. Die Festung Breslau griff der Feind nach mehrstündigem schwerem Artilleriefeuer mit starken Kräften von Westen her an. Die Angriffe scheiterten an der Standhaftigkeit der Besatzung.
An der Oderfront kam es zu keinen Kampfhandlungen von Bedeutung. An der Danziger Bucht setzten die Sowjets ihre Angriffe gegen die Westfront der Exhöfter Kämpe und den Westrand der Weichselniederung mit starken Infanterie- und Panzerkräften und unter hohem Munitionseinsatz fort. Nachdem der Feind anfänglich Gelände hatte gewinnen können, wurde er durch unsere verbissen kämpfenden Truppen, die schwere und leichte Seestreitkräfte wirksam unterstützten, nach Abschuss von 29 Panzern aufgefangen.
Bei Einflügen britischer Verbände in der Nacht zum 31. März in das norwegische Küstengebiet schossen deutsche Nachtjäger ohne eigene Verluste neun zwei- und viermotorige Flugzeuge ab.
Im Westen stehen unsere Verbände in schweren Abwehrkämpfen an der holländischen Grenze, nördlich und nordöstlich Emmerich, sowie im Raum von Burgsteinfurt. Zwischen Dülmen und Münster wurde der Feind aufgehalten. Südöstlich davon ist er in weiterem Vordringen aus dem Abschnitt Drensteinfurt nach Osten. An der Front westlich Recklinghausen und am Nordrand des Industriegebietes hat sich die Lage ebenso wenig verändert wie am Rhein und an der Sieg. Bei Siegen und am Rothaargebirge verstärkte der Feind seinen Druck in nördlicher und nordwestlicher Richtung, wurde jedoch unter Verlust Von zahlreichen Panzern abgewehrt. Im Raum von Warburg warfen unsere Truppen die Amerikaner zurück.
Zu heftigen Gefechten kam es gestern im Raum westlich Kassel und in Hersfeld, in das der Gegner eindringen konnte. Östlich davon sind feindliche Abteilungen bis zur Werra vorgedrungen. Unsere Sperrverbände zerschlugen westlich Fulda eine angreifende Panzergruppe und wehrten an der Kinzig und am Westrand des Hahnenkamms bei Alzenau zahlreiche Angriffe ab. Im Maintal zwischen Miltenberg und Wertheim wie an der unteren Tauber sind Kämpfe mit vordringenden Panzerabteilungen im Gange. Angriffe auf Bad Mergentheim scheiterten unter erheblichen Panzerverlusten für die Amerikaner. Im südlichen Odenwald und in der Rheinebene südlich Schwetzingen verteidigen sich unsere Truppen zäh gegen den nach Süden drängenden Gegner.
Jagd- und Kampfflugzeuge richteten trotz starker Abwehr wirksame Bomben- und Bordwaffenangriffe gegen anglo-amerikanische Truppen und Fahrzeugkolonnen, besonders an den Flussübergängen.
An der Westalpenfront wurden erneut mehrere Angriffe gaullistischer Alpenjäger an der Passstraße beiderseits des Kleinen Sankt Bernhard blutig zerschlagen.
Feindliche Bomberverbände griffen am gestrigen Tage Brandenburg, Halle, Braunschweig, Hamburg sowie einige Orte in Thüringen an. Einflüge in den Südostraum hatten Linz und Villach zum Ziel. In der Nacht warf ein schwacher britischer Verband Bomben auf Graz, Jäger und Flakartillerie der Luftwaffe brachten nach bisherigen Meldungen 42 überwiegend viermotorige Bomber zum Absturz.
Im Kampf gegen den feindlichen Nachschub und dessen Sicherung versenkte die Kriegsmarine im Monat März 62 Schiffe mit zusammen 272,600 BRT, einen Hilfsflugzeugträger, elf Zerstörer und Geleitfahrzeuge und zwei Schnellboote. Außerdem wurden vier weitere. Schiffe mit 23,000 BRT und ein Zerstörer torpediert sowie fünf Schnellboote schwer beschädigt. Mit dem Untergang eines Teiles auch dieser Schiffe ist zu rechnen.
Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (April 1, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
011100A April
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. 358
UNCLASSIFIED: North of the Ruhr, Allied forces continue to make rapid progress and the momentum of the advances has been maintained. Our units are more than 65 miles east of the Rhine at some points. Several of our armored units gained more than 15 miles yesterday.
North of Borken, we captured Stadtlohn and made substantial advances beyond the town. Gun positions north of Emmerich were attacked by medium and light bombers. Our armored elements are fighting in the southern outskirts of Paderborn against stiff resistance from enemy infantry and dug-in tanks.
Farther southeast, our armor has reached Warburg, after and 18-mile advance. Infantry units continue to mop up behind the armor and have entered Brilon and Büren, south of Paderborn.
Southwest of Kassel, our forces captured Bergheim, Edertal and the Ederstausee Dam on the Eder River. Our infantry entered Siegen and cleared the area south of the Sieg River between Schönstein and Elsenfeld.
Armored elements advancing north gained up to 35 miles and reached a point five miles south of Kassel. Other elements, advancing northeast, are in the area of Waldkappel, 15 miles southeast of Kassel. Our armor, advancing 23 miles northeast from Lauterbach, reached the area south of Bad Hersfeld. We liberated 10 American airmen in Asbach, two miles south of Bad Hersfeld. To the southeast near Eltra we knocked out several tanks. Armored units have reached the vicinity of Giesel, six miles southwest of Fulda. Our units met strong tank and infantry resistance near Gelnhausen, 20 miles northeast of Frankfurt, but by-passed the town and entered Birstein, 20 miles southeast of Fulda. Infantry continues to mop up and is in the area 12 miles west and southwest of Fulda, while other units have reached a point 18 miles northeast of Hanau.
The area west of Wiesbaden has been cleared and mopping up continues north and northwest of Frankfurt. We entered Bad Schwalbach, 12 miles northwest of Mainz, and captured an enemy hospital complete with 12 enemy medical officers, 38 nurses, 63 enlisted men and 900 enemy patients. Enemy gun positions, strong points, armor and road and rail transport ahead of our ground forces in the areas of Recklinghausen.
East of Cologne, Kassel, Hersfeld and Erfurt, were attacked by fighter bombers in strength. Seven hundred motor vehicles were destroyed and others were damaged. Much of Aschaffenburg was in flame as enemy forces continued to resist stubbornly our efforts to clear the city with ground and air attacks. Gains of up to six miles were made east of the Main River south of Aschaffenburg. Armored elements drove eastward 25 miles to within six miles of Würzberg on the upper Main River, more than 60 miles east of the Rhine. A number of towns including Tauberbischofsheim and Waldbrunn were taken in this drive.
Gun positions near Wurzburg were hit by fighter bombers and rail yards and storage installations in the area were attacked by medium and light bombers. Our units advancing southeastward along the Neckar River reached Dallau. South of Heidelberg we reached Walldorf.
South of Speyer, our forces made another crossing of the Rhine on a ten-mile front. Elements of this force joined at Hockenheim with our units pushing southward from the Mannheim area.
Allied forces in the west captured 19,166 prisoners 30 March.
Enemy transport moving from the Zuider Zee area of Holland towards northwest Germany in considerable numbers was attacked by fighters and fighter-bombers in strength.
In the Enschede area, more than 350 motor vehicles were destroyed or damaged. Communications and transport in the Rheine-Osnabrück areas, and a column of enemy troops and motor vehicles farther to the north between Haselünne and Cloppenburg, was attacked by fighter bombers. An oil storage depot at Ebrach, rail yards at Heilbronn and a motor transport depot at Boblingen, near Stuttgart, were bombed by medium and light bombers.
Rail and industrial objectives at Halle, Brandenburg and Braunschweig and a synthetic oil plant at Zeitz, southwest of Leipzig were attacked by escorted heavy bombers in very great strength. A strong force of escorted heavy bombers bombed submarine building yards at Hamburg.
According to reports so far received, fourteen enemy aircraft were shot down during these operations. Seventeen of our bombers and 22 fighters are missing.
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/
The Pittsburgh Press (April 1, 1945)
15TH ARMY JOINS VICTORY DRIVE
Ruhr arsenal cities sealed off
‘Ike’ urges Germans to surrender – Patton nears Kassel road hub
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JAPS REEL UNDER FLEET ATTACKS
Navy planes blast 47 ships off Okinawa
Invasion armada on way, Tokyo says
Devastating task force attacks on Okinawa Island continued Saturday for the ninth day, Adm. Nimitz announced. Minami Daito Island, 300 miles east of Okinawa, and the Sakishima Islands were also attacked by the task forces. Units of the British Fleet made the Sakishima attack. Superfortresses blasted targets on Kyushu, Jap home island, in what Tokyo said was part of the preparations for an early invasion of Okinawa.
GUAM (UP) – U.S. carrier-based planes have destroyed or damaged 49 Jap ships in almost continuous attacks on the Ryukyu Islands, it was announced today.
Radio Tokyo reported that a huge, heavily guarded transport armada was bearing down on Okinawa, chief island of the Ryukyus, 330 miles south of Japan, led by minesweepers.
More than 100 Superfortresses from the Marianas blasted targets on the southern Jap island of Kyushu. Big guns of Adm. Raymond A. Spruance’s U.S. Fifth Fleet hammered Okinawa with thousands of shells Saturday for the ninth successive day. The British Pacific Fleet again battered the Sakishima Islands between Formosa and Okinawa.
Naval power massed
The Japs were reeling under some of the heaviest blows of the Pacific war.
Radio Tokyo said “one-fourth to one-third” of all of America’s naval power now was concentrated in the Far Western Pacific on Japan’s doorstep intensifying attacks which have cost the Japs 967 planes and 104 to 108 ships destroyed or damaged in two weeks.
Dispatches from the U.S. Fleet flagship said Okinawa was a scene of “utter desolation.” A thick black cloud of smoke covered the island. Pilots saw no human activity and concluded that the Japs had taken to the rugged northern hills to escape the hellish bombardment.
Nimitz gives score
Adm. Chester W. Nimitz announced that fast carrier task forces battered Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands Wednesday and Thursday.
They ran up the following score:
- SUNK: Two destroyer escorts, one medium cargo ship, ten small cargo ships, four luggers, one motor torpedo boat – Total 18.
- PROBABLY SUNK: Nine medium cargo ships, five small cargo ships – Total 14.
- DAMAGED: One destroyer escort, 13 small cargo ships, one medium cargo ship – Total 15.
In addition, carrier planes attacking Okinawa Friday, destroyed four submarine pens and two torpedo boats in the submarine base at Unten Bay on the west coast.
29 planes bagged
The carrier planes, in the Wednesday-Thursday attacks, shot down 29 Jap planes and one glider in air battles, destroyed 16 planes on the ground and damaged or destroyed 42 others aground.
In addition, they damaged airplane hangars, shops and other installations on Tokuno Island, 70 miles northeast of Okinawa, on Yaku Island, 49 miles south of Kyushu, and in the southern Kyushu cities of Kanoya, Kushira. Chiran, Tojimbara and Ibusuki. U.S. losses were 12 planes and six pilots.
Ninth day of attacks
Fleet battleships, including new 45,000 tonners, Friday steamed up to Okinawa and shelled shore installations at close range. They breached sea walls and hammered gun positions, airfields and bridges.
Adm. Nimitz said the Okinawa attacks by both planes and surface ships continued through Saturday, the ninth successive day of a terrific bombardment similar to those which preceded the invasions of other Pacific islands, only more intense.
Tokyo radio said the gigantic fleet had been reinforced and warships alone numbered 150, including 17 battleships. The enemy said part of the fleet: had approached Kume Island, 50 miles west of Okinawa.
Decisive battle predicted
The enemy said the start of landings on Okinawa could be only a matter of time and the radio quoted one Jap newspaper that “the time for the decisive battle between Japan and America finally has come upon us.”
The London radio said U.S. planes had laid mines in Japan’s Inland Sea and off Southern Kyushu.
Tokyo said U.S. minesweepers were preparing for landing operations off Okinawa and were followed by a powerful transport armada. It said “thousands upon thousands of shells are landing on Okinawa.”
Adm. Nimitz announced that surface forces had attacked barracks, warehouses, the radio station, ammunition dumps and the airdrome on Minami Daito, 200 miles east of Okinawa and 635 miles west of Iwo.
British hit Sakishimas
The British Fleet yesterday struck the Sakishimas, which it also had hit last Monday and Tuesday, Adm. Nimitz said. Army Liberator bombers attacked the Jap naval base at Kataoka on Shumushu in the Northern Kuril Islands.
Headquarters of the XXI Bomber Command announced that Superfortresses had battered Kyushu again yesterday for the second time in five days. Tokyo radio said the raid lasted for two hours and that principal targets were airfield installations.
It was revealed that in the previous Superfortress attack on Kyushu 56 Jap planes were destroyed or damaged, and heavy damage was inflicted on the great Omura aircraft factory as well as on two Kyushu airfields.
‘But sacrifices still necessary’ –
More autos and gas, end of curfew, dimout pledged on V-E Day
Price and manpower controls to stay
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UMW, operators extend contract
Case may be given WLB immediately
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U.S. moves to hike beef production
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Germans in unruined towns don’t realize their luck
Outwardly they accept defeat and appear glad, but Yanks fear it won’t last
By John B. McDermott, United Press staff writer
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Nearly half of Frankfurt demolished by air raids
Narrow lanes dug through wreckage in streets – cathedral ruined, steeple intact
By Reynolds Packard, United Press staff writer
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Italy-based planes wreck Nazi lines
Ground armies keep toehold on Po Valley
…
Argentina given a ‘clean bill’
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15 seamen meet icy death that refugees might live
Captain of doomed Liberty ship orders women and children into last lifeboat
By William H. Stoneman
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Tax liens faced by racketeers
…