The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, February 21, 1944, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE VOL. XLI, NO. 9581. “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, MONDAY, FEBRUARY. 21, 1944 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS TRALE 1ENALE 2 PRICE TEN CENTS 19 JAP SHIPS SUNK; 201 JAP PLANES DESTROYED IN 2 DAYS RAID ON TRUK Allies Stop German Pushat Anzio Beac Marine Observers First fo Bomb Truk Islands e e /\f s GERMANS ARE THROWNBACK |7 AND SMASHED Americans and British Stall Thrust, Then Begin fo Advance ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN| NAPLES, Feb. 21.—The American and British forces have stopped the | supreme effort of the densely pack- ed German troops to wipe out the Anzio beachhead and have thrown the enemy back two Carroceto.” miles toward | SCAI.E OF MILES Faleallej Pass Lelom Pass I.nmo:ol Ba Onamue Piaanu Pass Torres Allied Headquarters said the Nazi | steamroller advance, |the Anziate highway last Wednes- aimed down | | day morning toward Anzio, the core | {of the Allied beachhead, was halted |but only after all elements of Al- |lied power was called into play during 24 hours of the most intense pericd of fighting. “Our effort was greatly assisted MARIANAS ; ‘GUAM VAP, .. TRUK ISLANDS f ©Co Bernard ls. Ahnonlobv Fnhlu " o “Fanuel Aga Scheiben® /3 Taualap Pass Ulalu Ilick Hbr, N Fanurmot % ° Tonuamu Japan s Pearl Harbor” Is Yank Targel ?,%q, Ruac Northeast Is. Quoi Northeast Pass t Mor Falo Alanelimo | | | | BIG ATTACK - ISMADE ON - NIPPON BASE Amencan Losses Are 17 Planes, One Ship "Mod- erately’ Damaged PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUART- ERS AT PEARL HARBOR, Feb. 21. —United States carrier planes sank 19 Japanese ships and probably sank seven more, destroyed 201 enemy planes and damaged more than 50 others in a two day raid on Truk, starting last Wednesday, | Admiral Chester W. Nimitz an- ‘IIUUIICESA United States losses were only 17 planes and one ship “moderately” damaged. Ships sunk include the following: Two light cruisers. Three destroyers. One munition ship. | | | | One seaplane carrier. Two oilers, Two gunboats. Eight cargo ships. The communique says the initial japproach of the fleet was undetect- ed and added: “There was no en- emy_air ‘oposition on the nwnd B Carrier pilots show 127 nhnel ALL—These Yank Marine fliers were the first to fly over Truk, Japan's largest South Pacific air and naval base. They flew in two Liberator bombers and photographed the lagoon and installations and by way of a “down payment” dropped a load of lethal souvenirs. These 22 men, first white air men to glimpse Japan’s mythical fortress of Truk, upon which she has spent twenty years of mandated control in fortifying, made the 2,000-mile trek to Truk and back on February 4. They are (left to right, front row) : Private W. J. Butuad, Sergeant James A. Martin, Corporal Thomas J. Humphrey, Ser- geant Edwin P. Troy, Corporal Elmer Prokasky, Sergeant Peter Kawalski, Sergeant Arnold Chambers, Ser- Sergeant Max Winters, Sergeant Al- DARING OBSERVERS CAROLINE by the magnificent support given by the Allied naval units and Al- lied air formations and by both British and American artillery, says the communique. The German offensive peak was reached before dawn on Saturday, {then American tanks and infantry > PALAY | e ISLANDS out of the air and destroyed 74 more on the ground, e — HEAVY LOSS Lauvergne South geant J. R. Perry. Middle row, left to right, Sergeant Dale Kerwin, bert Mezinis, Sergeant Edmund Tus Perduc, Sergeant Bernard Payne. Back row, left to right, Major James R. Christensen, Captain James Yawn, Captain Edward Sanders, Secend Donald Kennedy, Lieut. W. Paul Dean. rner, Sergeant George Knetiz, Sergeant Charles Keck, Sergeant John Second Lieutenant Richard Starnes, Captain The Washington [|BERTY SHIP GREAT RAID Merry - Go-Round By DREW PEABSON (Major Robert 8. Allen on active duty.] \ | ) | WASHINGTON—There was one tumultous press conference with Governor Tom Dewey, recently, which never got into print. It was over the soldier's vote bill, and the | racket-busting prosecutor, who has sent many a gangster to jail, skid- ded all over the place trying to dodge taking a position. The conference occurred just after Dewey telegraphed Senator Styles Bridges of New Hampshire th: federal ballot which would not lbt state, county and other local offices,| was not in accordance with New York law. Senator Bridges promptly posted| the Dewey telegram on a Senate| 'BREAKSUP AT ALASKADOCK Buckner Notified, Immed- iately Ordered Soldiers | 1o Be Transferred | SEATTLE, Feb. 21.—The Post In-| HCngDnCel says that a troop- ladcn\ Liberty ship recently split open au an Alaskan dock. carriers are now tied up in the| | Seattle area by the Army and Navy |refusal to use them. Senator Mon C. Wallgren, Demo- The 10 ships converted to Lroop' IN DAYLIGHT (ON GERMANY Two Thousand Planes of American Air Force Hits Reich Sunday BULLETIN — LONDON, Feb. 21.—Swarms of Fortresses and Liberators darted off today on another attack on Germany after a continuous 36 hour bombardment that followed the RAF’s night attacks. Today’s targets are not announced im- mediately. TREMENDOUS ATTA(‘I( LONDON, Feb. 21—One foul‘!h under cover of a heavy artillery barrage, began smashing forward fand at 6:30 amm. was still Tolling ahead. Sunday, the intensity of the en-! emy efforts were demonstrated by {the appearance of elements of five extra Divisions within a one thou- !sand yard area and six enemy Di- ;visicns threw their entire strength | {into the assault. Three others were |held in reserve. I The Germans are steadily swel- ling the armies in Italy and they| now number 18 Divisions involved | In Italian actions, nine of these facing the beachhead. The Di |sions are grouped under the Four- | {teenth German Army with Com-| ———m0<( {mander Gen. Eberhard von Mack- |ensen, last reported on the Russian [front. He is a son of the First {Wm-ld War General. ‘ - AIRDROMES - AT RABAUL Truk, in the Carolines, has been struck hard blows by the Allied forces, both from air and sea. First re- ports indicate the blows were directed at Dublon, Eten and Uman islets (arrows) of the Truk group, for these are known to have the largest airstrips, with naval installations at Dublon., The Caroline group, Japan’s stronghold nest, is 3 thousand miles beyond the Gilberts and Marshalls. (Internationa) (Credit San Francisco Call-Bulletin) Tom Harmon "Marked Man" by Japs; Othersin Flying SOVIETS IN ADVANCE ON BALTIC KEY Red Army_G;es Ahead Forces Iabbed BY JACK STINNETT WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—I'm not | partial to celebrities in uniform. T |don’t mean to discount their sin- for blowing up a Clark Gable or a Robert Montgomery and ignoring the potential Butch O’Hares or five Sullivan brothers, whom nobody ever heard of before. And Clark and Bob, who know al} about publicity, can’t see any reason for it either. Both of them have said so. All of which is by way of pre- | cerity, earnestness, courage, or any: of it. But I can't see any reason, MOPPING UP MARSHALLS, QUICKTIME ’Anolher At;ms Taken by Marines; Infantry-Re- sistance Soffens UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUARTERS IN PEARL HARBOR, Feb. 21.—Moving swiftly to close the death trap on the Jap defenders of the western- most atoll in the Marshalls, the U. 8. Infantry and marine troops are i 1 | | | now driving the enemy from Eni-| ATTRUK IS CONFIRMED Tokyo Mak;s.;\dmission- Great Shakeup in Commands By Associated Press The Tokyo radio acknowledges Japan has suffered heavy losses in the American attack on her great naval base at Truk and announced simultaneously that both chiefs of the Japanese Army and Navy Gen- eral Staffs have been relieved of their posts. Premier Tojo in a broadcast said he has personally assumed the role of Chief of the Army and General Staff. The sweeping shake-up seemed as a direct result of the American as- \sault, described by Admiral Nimitz' as a “partial settlement” of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. In a short wave broadcast to in board, whereupon Albany i icrat of Washington, is quoted abw)f German fighter production was newsmen who had been trying un- sucoessfully for days to get Deweys‘ views on the soldier’s vote, immed- jately pounced on him. When cornered at a press con- ference in Albany, the young gov- ernor fMmally explained that upon the previous Saturday night he had been on the verge of favoring the federal ballot for soldiers. But on Saturday Mrs. Dewey had heard a radio speech by an Illinois Con- gressman which ‘she felt was very effective against the federal ballot. Therefore, Governor Dewey sald he was trying to make up his mind. (Presumably he had been trying to give Senator Bridges information about New York law rather than taking a stand himself.) At this point newsmen were told that this was all off the record, in- cluding even the questions asked of Dewey. They claimed that their own questions should not be off the record, whereupon Governor Dewey “replied: “I don't see why not. That's the rule at White House press confer- “0, so you've been studying press saying the Alaska ship cracking re-| port will Mecome the immediate | concern of the Truman War Inves- tigating Committee. He said: “Although the ship, the S. S. Christopher Greenup, had weather- ed heavy seas, the plates parted be- cause of stresses in calm, and not; excessively cold weather.” ‘Wallgren reported the ship had been standing at Cold Bay, Alaska, on January 24, when the hull ac- tually opened before the eyes of knocked out in Sunday’s 2,000 plane attack by the American Air Forces, Gen. H. H. Arnold declared. The ac- count also showed that 126 enemy planes were downed in the greatest idaylight operation in history and RAF bombers followed up the crip- p'mg blow with an assault on 'Stuttgart, southwest Germany last night. An Allied Armada is again hit- ting Germany today. BATTERED Over Frozen Ground, cede to the fact that I sat in a session the other night with Lieut.| wetok island made Sunday. in a new landing the United States, the Tokyo radio quoted the Imperial communique Half of the 6,000 yard strip of the Thirfeen Pla_n;s Downed-| Others Destroyed on Ground ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, Feb. 21.—Three aerial punches in quick succession on February 18 left Ra-| | | |Baltic gateway Pskov, Swirling Snowsform By Associated Press The Russians continued to roll over the frozen ground toward the while far south, the Berlin broadcast said, the Red Army has thrown 100,000 more men into a -powerful push toward Minsk, White Russia. The Soviet communique announc- Tom Harmon. There are probably |plenty of folks who are saying that the former football star has a “flare” for publicity. Perhaps he has, He has had his share of it, what with being lost in the jungles of Brazil, missing for 32 days be- hind the Jap lines in China, and then even amusingly being report- |ed “missing” for several hours be- tween Norfolk and Bolling Field, long island was seized giving the U. 8. Forces the entire Eniwetok atoll group except the remaining half of the embattled island and nearby Barry island, the site of the Jap radio station. Casualties continued lighat. The capture of Engebi with its strategic’ airport, announced. is al« 'eral acknowledging the attack on Truk cost the Japs as follows: Two cruisers, Three destroyers. ‘Thirteen transports. 120 planes. Changes In Posts Another broadcast quoted the island, wa Minister as saying Admiral Nagano, Chief of the Navy's Gen- Staff, has been relieved of The fact the Marines took Engebi his post. Chief Engineer W. S. Randall. | Sunday, seven German aircraft The Seattle paper said he was centers were struck, also military baul's Vunakanau and Tobera air- g, s 114 villages were captured yes- but he’s a sophomore compared to dromes pockmarked and smoking 88 tergay in the drive on Pskov and some wearing uniforms. The point reaching for the valve preparatory for departure of the soldier-filled vessel. Ship Taking Water “The P-I was informed the yessel was taking water when Capt. P. R. Selig notified Lt. Gen. Simon B. Buckner, Commanding General of the Alaska Department. While water continued to stream into the engine room, military per- ronnel hastily abandoned ship, and orders from Gen. Buckner demand- ed further transportation of the troops on another’ type of ship. The converslon of the Greenup «Conunued on Page Four) (Continued on Page Three) installations at Rostok, Germany’s Baltic coast. American losses were 21 bombers and three fighters. Today, the Hilversum radio, Hol- land, went off the air indicating a daylight renewal of air offensives by the American bombers. Posen in Poland is reported tol have been hit Sunday buf U. S. headquarters refused to make any comment. The blow on Posen would mean a 1500 mile roundtrip flight. The attack on Stuttgart was of great strength and intense fires were left burning in factories of the city. the result of 126 tons of bombs dropped. Thirteen planes were downed and other planes were destroyed on the {ground. Other flights ranged along the New Guinea coast out to the Bis- { Admiralty Islands. Japanese installations at Cape, St.| George, at the south tip of New |Ireland, were hit as dive bombers and Marine Corsairs flew from the |Solomons on reconnaissance or |bombing flights. At Hansa Bay, six barges were |destroyed and the supply dump ’blown up. marck Sea, and the Japanese-held i (more than 2200 Germans were ' killed. Advances of two to 12 miles were made at three points through swirl- ing snow storms, each within 30 miles of Dno, rail junction, 60 miles east of Pskov. ——e — UNION OIL MAN IN At the Gastineau Hotel, Vernon Humpkins, Union Oil man, is here from Sitka, e a0 o mmeennd FISHER FAMILY HERE Here from Skagway, Mr. and Mrs. John Pisher and daughter are reg- | |istered at the Gastineau Hotel. |of it all is that no celebrity carries himself with more honest modesty. It wasn't Tom who told us that he got two Zeros before he was forced down in China. He talked. |mostly about how he would like to get back to the Tenth Air Force and how much those fellows out there hate the Japs, despise them as nobody probably ever could de- spise a Nazi, And somebody wanted to know what then he was doing here, head- ed for the European theater, it was (Continued on Page Six) in 'six hours and advanced 3,0% The ahnouncement added that yards in one day and that Eniwetok Emperor Hirohito has named Ad- was taken easily indicates result of miral Shimada, Navy Minister, to the prelanding bombardment. lserve concurrently as Chief of the e |Navy General Staff. RETURN TO KETCHIKAN |7 0 kf,:p:'d“’ rocklgaic o' v Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jernberg has anuounced that Field Marshal were passengers to Ketchikan yes- Sugiyama has been relieved of his terday. Mr. Jernberg is Assistant post as Chief of the Army General District Attorney, and the couple Staff and Premier Tojo has taken reside in the First City. They have over the job. been here during the court term. Tojo §s Big Chief PRI T i b o P The comunique announcing the AT BARANOF HOTEL Japanese losses at Truk acknow- ledged in addition that “some dam- At the Baranof, Mrs, Frank Ross incurred land Denney and daughter are here from Risiakiia amang i | Haanak, Alaska. (Continued on Page Three)