Tunisia toll heavy, Stimson reveals
Washington (UP) –
Secretary of War Stimson said today that outnumbered U.S. forces had lost considerable ground and suffered substantial losses in recent fighting in Tunisia but that “the Germans apparently have been slowed down.”
Exclusive of this fighting, he placed U.S. Army casualties thus far in all theaters at a total of 41,858.
He said at a press conference that the German attacks in Tunisia, which drove U.S. troops back 35 miles, did not appear to be a general offensive although “the fighting is continuing.” The Axis purpose, he added, apparently was to expand their corridor between northern Tunisia and the Mareth Line in the south.
Sees Yanks relieved
The British 8th Army is moving against the Mareth Line in operations which, Stimson said, may tend to relieve the hard-pressed Americans.
Stimson said in reviewing the fighting:
We thus have suffered a serious local setback in Tunisia. The importance should not be minimized and still less should not be exaggerated. It is one of the battle losses which must be expected in a battle as extensive as the occupation of North Africa which has already encountered substantial successes.
He said:
Many of our tanks were destroyed by German dive bombers.
Indications are that the Germans are employing two armored divisions against American forces. This is considerably greater than our strength in this area.
Exclusive of the current Tunisian fighting, Stimson said the Army has had 41,858 casualties thus far in the war. These losses, he said, break down into 3,553 killed, 6,509 wounded, 25,684 missing and 6,123 prisoners of war.
He said large numbers of the missing are from the Philippines and will probably turn up as prisoners of war when the lists come through the International Red Cross. About 12,600 of the missing are Philippine Scouts.
As for Tunisia, he said the present German successes were not an unexpected development.
Stimson said:
A large formation of Rommel’s forces were able to concentrate against the relatively more lightly held and more extended American lines.