The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, May 18, 1944, Page 1

'THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE VOL. XLIL, NO. 9655. STRONGHOLD OF CASSINO For BIG BATTLE INPROGRESS NEAR AITAPE Alied Planes Blast Jap, Positions and En- | emy Shipping - ADVANCED ALLIED HEAD- | QUARTERS IN NEW GUINEA, May 18—Americans moving out of invaded Aitape toward bypassed Wewak oh the northwest New Guinea coast, encountered a Japa- nese force five days ago, and the resultant battle still may be in progress, a headquarters spokesman 1 said. | The engagement is presented as a series of patrol clashes, but is in | the 200 miles between Aitape and the Australian forces in the Madang | area, estimated to be several thou- sand, and the Japanese are believed to be from Wewak. The communique | reported that the Japs were en-| countered 34 miles southeast of the Aitape shoreline. That area is hardly more than a narrow coastal cor- | ridor confined between the sea and mountain range. | After the patrols engaged, Allied | planes attacked the positions of the i enemy and small coastal shipping | in the Aitape vieinity, possibly in support of the land action. Wakde, a step beyond Hollandia, mat “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS ] JUNEAU, ALASKA, THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1944 (4 [ Also Seized New Allied Burma Move % N Sumprabum 3 Maingkwal \’ ‘“\f. 3 & T\ P i 5 - gk e A STATUTE MILES Allied forces, presumably airborne troops, were disclosed to be operat- ing south of the Japanese base at supplementing previous airborne thi (3) areas. , Black arrows indicate Mogaung (1) “in northern Burmia, rusts in the Mawlu (2) and Bhamo Allied drives in India and north Burma. White arrows, bracket sector where Japanese have invaded India. (AP Wirephoto) ' The Washington Merry - Go-Round| By DREW PEARSON (Lt. Col. Robert S. Allen mow on active | service with the Army.) | WASHINGTON — The Presldent: sometimes has been described as vindictive and unrelenting toward| a foe whenever he gets the “old| Dutch up.” To some extent this is| true. Some who have crossed wires | sharply with the President are never | forgiven nor forgotten. On the other hand, he has shown remarkable streaks of forgiveness. Most notable recent example is the case of new Secretary of the Navy| Forrestal. . Very few people know of an incident which occurred a little over a year ago at Forrestal's Georgetown mansion. But the President did. & The General Electric Company has developed a new listening de- vice, on the principle of a dicta- phong, by which outside parties| can pick up conversations as lar! away as three miles, The device is| extremely sensitive and does not need to have a dictaphone planted inside the room where the conver- sation is taking place. General Electric’s ex-president Charley Wilson, efficient vice- chairman of the War Production Board, happened to have one of these devices and, one night, he tuned it in on the Forrestal home. It happened to be during the period when the Army and Navy were waging relentless war against the War Production Board, doing their best to oust Donald Nelson and take over WPB duties them- selves. It was a bitter feud, and| Forrestal was holding a council of | war at his home. Maybe the tun- ing in on the Forrestal home was pure accident, maybe it wasn't. Anyway, it so happened that din- ing with Forrestal that night were Undersecretary of War Patterson, Bernie Baruch, and one or two high-ranking Army officers. The conversation during a large part of the evening consisted of criticism of the Administration, especially of the War Production Board, and in- cluding the President himself. TRANSCRIPT SHOWN TO FDR Bernig Baruch’s high voice could be heard distinctly, taking some tough raps at his old friend, FDR. As Baruch is deaf, the others talked in rather loud voices, among them Forrestal, who gave out his share of Presidential criticism. In fact, the criticism of the Com- mander-in-Chief was so vigorous, and plans for Army-Navy taking (Continued on Page Four) MYITKYINA AIRDROME CAPTURED Allied Forces Now Besieg-i ing City — Aim to Link Ledo, Burma Roads SOUTHEAST ASIA HEAD- QUARTERS AT KANDY, Ceylon, May 18—In a surprise attack, cli- maxing the spectacular forced march over the rugged terrain, Am- ericans and Chinese yesterday cap- tured Myitkyina airdrome and are now besieging the city of Myitkyina, major Jap base in north Burma. The capture of the city is essen-| tial to the success of General Joseph Stilwell’s drive to link the new Ledo Highway with the old Burma Road, thus opening’a direct overland sup- ply route to China. It appears likely that Myitkyina will fall before the coming of the! monsoons. Gen. Merrill's jungle-wise Ma- rauders played important roles in the capture of the airdrome in good condition, enabling the gliders and transports to land almost immed- iately with the American engineers and Chinese reinforcements. MAP ASSEMBLED TO ASSIST IN BIG INVASION LONDON, May 18.—Photograph- ed bit by bit during the steady Al- lied series of raids over Europe are reconnaissance photographs show- ing enemy fortifications gun by gun, mile by mile, with the strong points embedded in concrete, the maze of minefields and barbed wire. These photographs are now as- sembled in a giant map against the forthcoming day of the invasion and attack,» which the controlled Vichy radio said last night is ex- pected “any moment now.” ———— HERE FROM PELICAN Arriving from Pelican and regist- ered at the Gastineau were Martha | Walker, P. R. Sharp, M. Hilmer,| Mrs. Ed Waltonen, and Charles| Raatikanien. ————-— George Johnson and Wilfred E. High, of the ATS, are registered at [tons of enemy shipping before it from Corvallis, Oregon, and is reg- Finland, the Baranof Hotel, . Territorial Republicans Are Meeting Convention Underway a Skagway-Dewey for President Assured BKAGWAY, Alaska, May 18. — Gov. Thomas E. Dewey is assured support of the Alaska delegation at the Republican national convention 4 CHINESE IN ADVANCEIN NEW ACTION Many Positions Are Taken in Offensive West of Salween River CHUNGKING, May 18.—Advances | were made by the Chinese in their ! offensive west of the Salween River, ! it was announced today by the High + Command. | It is stated that several new posi= tions north and south of the road have been taken and Chinese guer= 'rillas behind the Jap lines have ! occupied Supinaw Pass. ! American airmen of the Four- teenth Air Force are supreme in “the skies over Yunnan Province and | are giving the Chinese strong sup- port. AIRCRAFT OF | NAVY STRIKE |were hit, nine enemy intercepting| iplanes were shot down and ano: ‘prohnbly “downed, and two oth {damaged. Five Allied planes were lost, but no vessel was damaged. , Bomb hits were scored on two en- emy supply ships of mediuin two armed trawlers were danag ~ OFFNORWAY BUYERS REJECT o - DROPOSALMADE, German Shlpplng Sunk HM.'BI" pRI(E and Damaged by Car- S . | ried-based Planes | . ‘ Claim Acceptance of Pay-, LONDON, May 18. — American| 0 made naval aircraft, operating uni ment Fu” celhng Rate carriers escorted by ships of the H . British Home Fleet, scored hits on| IS FTPA V|°‘ah0n German shipping off Norway and | smashed at shore installations| ASTORIA, Oregon, May 18—The northeast of Stadlandet and 130 halibut fleet remains tied up after miles north of Bergen, the Admir- the buyers rejected the proposal to alty announced. |guarantee payment of full ceiling Oil tanks anmd a fish oil factory prices for the entire catch. * The buyers said the plan sug- gested by the Fishing Vessel Own- ers’ Association and Deepseéa Pish- ermens' Uniort to end the tieup of one month, would violate fair trade practices act and would not be ac- ceptable to the Government. ACTION AT PETERSBURG as harmony prevailed at pre-con- and three other medium sized sup- PETERSBURG, Alaska, vention gathering of Republicans at the Terrjtorial convention. No op-| position appeared to Dewey. Elton E. Engstrom of Douglas will be electel temporary ‘chair-| man for the opening of the con- vention, today and Robert Atwood of Anchorage will be temporaty secretary. Delegates present represent all di- visions of Alaska. Skagway Republicans held a live- ly rally last night to select dele- gates to participate in the conven- tion sessions. SUBMARINES RESCUE 22 U. 5. PILOTS U. S. SUBMARINE BASE AT PEARL HARBOR, May 18.—Break- ing a silence of ‘eight months con-! cerning underwater activities, the' {Navy has reyealed a dramatic tale Technical Sergeant to Master of 22 rescues by the submarine Tang on April 29 and 30 during the carrier plane @ssault on Truk. Lieut. Comdr. Richard H. Okane, skipper, said the submarine went into waters the chatts showed as completely. unnavigable, losing no men of the crew, and rescued the helpless aviators. The submarine was so crowded at the completion’ of the work, the men slept several' to a bed in shifts. i Okane previously was the execu- tive officer of the famed submarine Wahoo which accounted for- 50,000 was sunk, 'YARNELL TELLS ply ships possibly damaged. |vessel owners and fishermen yes- terday, the present OPA ceiling price on halibut was rejected and those attending the meeting also opposed any prefergnces in the un- loading “of halibut. 'The voting was unanimous, 'The meeting proposed keeping the 1942 curtailment and 1943 OPA ceil- ing prices and the vessel owners and fishermen are ag able to a 6-day wplit’ fleet for 1944 and 1945. —— - RED PLANES BLAST NAZI RAIL LINES REQUIREMENTS FOR NEXT WAR WASHINGTON, May 18. — Ad-| miral H, E. Yarnell, retired former | Commander of the Asiatic Fleet, on special duty with the Navy said that | the next war is “going to require national organization of military efficiency on a scale which we have not yet experienced.” He testified today before a House postwar military policy committee. | RUDOLPH, STEELE GET PROMOTIONS| Two promotions have just been| announced at the Juneau Signal| Land A(hon lened fo lo_‘ Corps, United States Army. Thomas Rudolph, who started in| (a' Engagemems on the Signal Corps years ago as mes-| E ' F t ast rron | LONDON, May 18.-Soviet long- senger, has been promoted from | range bombers are continuing to blast Nazi rail transportation cen- ters, but action on the long eastern land front remains limited to local engnflemenbs, Moscow announced. ail facilities in Germany and J. Sherman Tanner and family,|miljtary trains were bomb};d at recent arrivals in Juneau, are guests | Mingk jn White Russia, at Barano- at the Juneau Hotel. Mr. Tanner iS|wicze, southwest of Minsk, and at connected with the Weather" Bu-|Chelm. ; reau. | geant. Blaire Steel, another young old- timer in the Signal Corps, has been | promoted from Staff Sergeant 0 ‘Technical Sergeant. ————— TANNER, FAMILY HERE e e— — LINDSETH IN TOWN Chris Lindseth has arrived here istered at the Juneau Hotel, and three fighters were shot down (4 (4 4 merican Dawn Reopens Battle in Jungle Dawn, sending long shafts of light into the jungle of Bougainville in the Empress Augusta Bay section, recpens mop-up of Japs who during the night infiltrated to close range of American positions. four men at right come out of their foxholes with rifles ready, another (in background) crawls along in an exposed position. Man directly behind tank changes his position in its protection. (AP Wirenhoto) Sues for Divorce May 18, —At a largely attended meeting of } BLONDE Jean Murphy Jaburg, who was escorted by Wayne Lonergan, just before and just after he mur- dered his wife last October, has filed suit for divorce in Palm Beach, Fla. The 28-year-old singer and her husband, Hugo F. Jaburg, were married seven years ago. They | have been separated for eighteen months. Mr. Jaburg is the singer's second husband, her first having been the father of her 8-year-old son Gregory. (Internatignal) STRIKE ENDS AT DETROIT; PLANTS OPEN DETROLIT, May 18-—Michigan’s major labor dispute appeared to be settled, at least temporarily, when the first of 52,000 war production workers made idle by the strike of 3300 foremen, began receiving calls to return to their jobs. How soon the long assembly lines of the thir- teen affected plants will be moving at full speed remained in doubt. The |week strike was r€ached last night return to work, i decision to end the three-| (4 —eeeet | While STIMSON SAYS HITLERLINE 10 BE TOUGH Warns Nex! Objedtive Is | Seriesof Strong Moun- | fain Positions WASHINGTON, May 18. — War Secretary Henry L. Stimson said he Allies in Italy are now begin-| ning to come in contact with the |outposts of the heavily fortified | Hitler line, and cautioned thai the inext step in the campaign would Ibe ‘“exceedingly difficult.” The Gustav line has been crack-| {ed, but the Hitler line, ranging from {10 to 15 miles beyond, is a series | | of mountain positions, heavily rein-| forced by German engineer units, ! using forced civilian labor. Even |beyond that the mountains flank | the routes to the north. | Summarizing, Stimson said, “We |do not wish to make claims in ad- ivance” of our attainments, but ad- {ded that the “tangible” results of the campaign to date do not need advertising. ——e . | | | | FORRESTAL CONFIRMED WASHINGTON, May 18. — The |Senate has confirmed the nomina- tion of James V. Forrestal as Sec- retary of Navy. At his first news | conference he announced a destroy- ler, to be named Knox, will be launched soon. Secretary Forrestal also said the outer Pacific defenses have been beaten down to a “line of defense in name only” and declared the American sea forces have pene- trated 1500 miles within the enemy defense perimeter extending from the Kuriles through the eastern { | | pelago, President Signs Third Exfension igned the third for victories, | Marshalls to the Bismarck Archi-! Lend-Lease Ad, A PFinnish broadcast said that by the six separate chapter meet-| WASHINGTON, May 18.—Presi- Russian dive bombers, escorted by ings of the Foremen's Association dent Roosevelt has si tighters, ralded Hamina, 20 miles of America, on instructions from extension of the lend-lease act,|if 1t was true that American ar- northeast of Koika on the Gulf of Washington, Robert Keys, national hailed as a program symbol of Al- tillery was belted like machine and sald eight bombers union president. instructed them to lied unity which will hasten the day|8uns. He said it was impossible to OW CAPTURED For (4 ces ALLIES IN SMASHON TWOLINES 4 | Northern Anchor of Hitler, Gusfav Defenses Re- porfed Taken CRUISERS OFF SHORE NOW Sllilj.l_fi FORMIA German Broadcast, Com- munique Claim Cassino Evacuated Last Night BULLETIN ALLIED HEADQARTERS IN NAPLES, May 18. — American forces have seized Formia, coastal city stronghold of the whole southern wing of the German defense line. The Fifth Army converged in two directions on the ecity. It is also stated that in the capture of Cassino and the monastery ahove, a substantial man Parachute Division has been wiped out. The communique this afler- noon says “the Gustav line now ceases to exist and the enemy has been completely outman- euvered. The Eighth Army fought its way forward inte Liri Valley during the last 24 hours and developed a pincer movement which cut highway No. 6 to prevent withdrawal of the enemy.” ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NAPLES, May 18.—Smashing for- ward along most of the Itallan battle line, Allied ferces have en- veloped the bloody ruins of Cassino, shattered the monastéry above it and captured the lofty peak form- ing the northern hinge of the Hit- ler line and are closing in from two directions on Formia. The hitherto impregnable Cas- ino was doomed yesterday when |the Eighth Army sliced across the | highway two miles west, cutting off |the retreat route. | The Berlin broadcast ;lng said the defenders {evacuated last night. | “Evacuated” | The German High Command |confirmed the broadeast in a com- | munique saying the evacuation was done to save manpower and also |declared that. fighting has flared |again on Anzio beachhead. | To.the west, strong Allied thrusts were made south of Cisterna and Littoria, the German communique stated, and added the evacuation of | Cassino was carried out “without any interference.” The Allied forces have been stall- ed before Cassino since last Janu- ary, and on March 15 reduced the town to ruins by a gigantic aerial bombardment. Town Encircled British troops had virtually en- circled Cassino in conjunction with [Polish troops which stormed Hill No. 593, the northern anchor qf the Hitler and Gustav line for both Cassinc and Formia, 72 miles . air- line from Rome and about 40 miles from the southern edge of the Anzio beachhead. Cruisers off shore pumped 3,000 shells into Formia before the dough- boys moved in. Esperia Captured The French center attacked and captured Esperia, strongpoint in the Hitler line of defenses and have |also reached other points. Fifteen hundfed Nazis have sur- rendered, making a total of 20,000 s0 far in the entire Italian cam- paign. One prisoner wanted to know this morn- of Cassino { describe the devastation it caused.