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THE" BE
ND
EOT
CENTRAL OREGON'S DAILY NEWSPAPER
Weather Forecast
Partly cloudy today, tonight, Sun
day and Monday. Occasional light
. showers In southwest portion and
light snows in southeast portion,
Volume LIU
THE BEND BULLETIN, BEND, DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON, SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 1944
NO. 1 6
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Soviets Poised
For Big Drive,
Berlin Asserts
Germans Expect Reds
To Make Final Bid to
End War This Winter A
By Bruce W. Munn
(United PrM 8taff Correspondent)
London, Dec. 23 (IP) Russian
troops were reported beating
down stubborn German resistance
at both ends of the long eastern
front -in Latvia and Hungary to
day, and Berlin spokesmen
warned that the red army is about
to strike in Poland and East Prus
sia In a supreme bid to end the
war this winter.
Sub-zero temperatures gripped
more than 500 miles of the front
from the Baltic coast to the Car
pathians, freezing over the Polish
plains sufficiently to permit a re
sumption of armored warfare.
Stockholm' corresDondents In
Berlin said nazl military author-
I Hies were admitting freely that
sive was expected to explode
across Russia and Poland within
a matter of "days or hours,'
Patrols Clash
Sharp patrol fighting already
was reported to have broken out
on both fronts In what German
commentators described as the
U. S. 'Forts' Take Heavy
Toll of Japs Over Nagoya
Yanks and Foe
Meet in Fight
High Over City
By Mac R. Johnson
(United Press War Correspondent)
21st Bomber Command. Saipan,
Dec. 23 (Ut (Via Navy Radio)
American Superfortresses in a
runnlng55-minutebattle yesterday
over Nagoya accounted for more
Japanese fighters than the com
bined total in all previous raids on
Japan's main island of Honshu,
reports from returning pilots in
dicated today.
Although official figures are
not releasable here, the 21st bomb
er command did not lose a single
B-29 due to enemy action, as far
as this correspondent has been
able to ascertain.
Japanese losses in fighters de
stroyed, probably destroyed or
damaged in the raid is expected
to exceed the total of all previous
Honshu raids.
Many Planes Bagged
Upwards of two dozen Jap
single- and twin-engined fighters
Were shnt rlnwn. nrobablv de
stroyed or hit in the bitterest
Faerial battles of the Japanese B-29
raids to date, according to claims
of crews I interviewed.
Only a few waves said they
found little or no fighter opposi
tion, while a majority claimed the
toughest fighter opposition yet
over Japan.
One formation which claimed
three destroyed, six probables and
four damaged said more than 150
enemy fighters were waiting for
the Superforts at a high altitude
when the sky giants came in for
their bomb runs over the great
Jananesc aircraft center.
One veteran of the European
war said the air fighting ap
proached in scale the air battles
over Germany.
77 th Division Drives Across
Northwest Corner of Leyte
Allied Headquarters, Philippines, Dec. 23 (HE) The 77th
division drove across the northwest corner of Leyte today
to within nearly 10 miles of Palompon, last Japanese-held
escape port on the islnnd, and American artillery already was
bombarding the town.
The advance carried four miles or more west of the Ormoc
corridor, where another 1,546 enemy dead were counted in
mopping-up operations Thursday. Pushing along an east-west
road, the Americans were approaching the Pagsangahan
river.
American fighter planes covered the advance and also shot
down two enemy planes in the Leyte gulf area.
(The navy department in Washington identified the de
stroyer - transport Ward and1 :
the destroyer Mahan as the
two American vessels torpe
doed and sunk by Japanese
planes during the American
landing at Ormoc Dec. 7.
There was no loss of life, the
navy said.)
Japs Say Ships Sunk
(Tokyo broadcasts said Japa
noro nlanpB Rank three allied
transports and two warships off j the holiday would be just a
on the
nazl reports, but united Press dis
patches from the Russian capital
quoted "unofficial" sources as
saying that unprecedented masses
of men, guns, tanks and planes
were being assembled for a great
"victory now" drive across Prus
sia and Poland Into the heart of
the Reich.
The opening gun of the winter
offensive appeared to have been
fired already in the north. Berlin
said great tank and infantry bat
tles had been raging In western
Latvia since dawn Thursday when
the red army launched its third
attempt- to wipe out the nazl di
visions that have been pinned
against the Baltic coast since last
October.
Lines Yield
Yanks, Fighting in Far Parts of World, All
Hold Hope They Will Be Home Next Yuletide
Rome, Dee. 23 (IPi The most
common Christmas message the
GI sends home from this theater
is, "I hope this is the last one over
seas." Sgt. Arnold A. Anderson of
Scobey, Mont., said, "1 hope the
home folks' Christmas is merrier
than mine." ,
Pfc. William Agers, infantry,
man of Granite City, 111., said:
"Merry Christmas, folks. Next
time it will be in person."
There was a faint touch of
irony in the message from Pfc.
Leonard Wilkins, Infantryman of
Marshalltown, la.: "That won't be
Santa Claus I am shooting at
Christmas day."
General MacArthur's Headquar
ters, Leyte, Dec. 23 Ui You don't
have -to read over the GI's shoul
der to tell what he has been writ
ing home these days. It can all be
summed up in half a dozen heart
felt words
"Wish I were home for Christ
mas." Sgt. Leslie Winston, Helena,
Mont., to his wife, Thelma:
"I wish I were there to have
Christmas dinner. I miss you very
much and am sorry I am unable
to pick out a Christmas present
for you from the Philippines, but
I'll see what I am able to do later
on." . .
London, Dec. 23 (IP) American
soldiers in Britain have one big
Christmas wish to be home for a
turkey dinner with their families.
They are reconciled to staying
here until the job is done.
Cpl. Walter S. Brown, 21, Man
chester, N. H., had turkey last
Christmas at Camp Robinson,
Ark.
"But I can't expect to have that
at the post where I am stationed,"
he said. "I think a letter from
home would be the nicest present."
German spokesmen admitted i was reported
McKenzie Pass
Closure Is Set
Drifting snows that constantly
narrowed the traffic lane, and
extreme icy conditions, will force
the closure of the McKenzie high
way pass at 5 p. m. today, it
was announced by William E.
Chandler, engineer in charge of
the Bend division of the state
highway department. Usually
the route is only closed when the
summit gap, a mile high, is choked
with snow, but vast stretches of
ice on the pavement brought the
emergency closing, it was stated.
The McKenzie highway Is the
shortest route between, Central
Oregon and Eugene.
The McKenzie pass highway was
closed last year on Jan. 1, when
maintenance crews were unable lo
counter with deep snows.
Motorists planning to travel the
McKenzie route were discouraged
at the . highway department of
fices, owing to hazardous con
ditions. Other Central Oregon highway
conditions were described today
by highway officials as:
Koail Conditions Reviewed
Santiam, packed snow and slow
travel; The Dalles-California liiah-i
way to Klamath Falls, "normal";
at Government camp on the Wap
initia cutoff, parkO'l snow, and on
the Willamette highway, three
miles of dangerous driving over
ice. Only one-half Inch of snow
had spent Itself in northern areas
Mindoro island today and had
sunk or damaged 20 allied war
ships and transports in other at
tacks Wednesday through Friday
off Mindoro, in the gulf of Leyte
and in the Sulu sea.)
(Tokyo also said groups of 10
to 20 American planes raided Le
gaspi, Davao and Clark fields on
Luzon island.)
Japanese planes again struck
at American installations on Min
doro island, 300 miles northwest
of Leyte, but lost seven to Amer
ican fighters and two to anti-aircraft
fire. There was no enemy
ground activity on Mindoro.
Oregon School
Funds Allocated
In Prospect Here
Bend today prepared for its
fourth consecutive wartime
Christmas, with indications that
the holiday would be just a bit
quieter and probably somewhat
sadder than usual, due to the
large number of men and boys
and girls who are away from
home, serving their country In far
parts of the world. Because Christ
mas falls on a Monday this year,
a double holiday Is in the offing.
Practically all places of busi
ness, stores and offices, will be
closed Monday. All drug stores
will be closed for the two days,
Sunday and Monday.
Services Planned
As In the past, Bend churches
will observe the Christmas holi
days with special services, some
of which are being set for Sunday
this year. Midnight services are
being arranged for both the Cath
olic and Episcopal churches, start
ing at or shortly before 12 Sun
day night. Other than the church
services,' there will be no public
observance of the holiday.
The weatherman has indicated
that a white Christmas Is in pros
pect for Central Oregon, and it is
the Russians had broken into the
nazi pocket at a number of points
on a ffi-mue iront east and north
east of Liepaja port. The nazis
said Zl Russian Infantry divisions,
pernaps 4U0,uu0 men, supported
Dy nunareos oi planes and tanks.
were battering into their lines all
along the front, with the critical
battle still raging Indecisively
north of Auce, 77 miles east of
Liepaja.
As usual In the opening stages
of a new campaign, Moscow did
not directly confirm the enemy re
ports, although a communique
said 68 German planes and 101
tanks were destroyed on the east
ern front Thursday the biggest
total reported in many weeks.
Salem, Ore., Dec. 23 U- The
secretary of state's office has an
nounced the first distribution of
ci niQTifiO nut nf the state ele-
Air commander of the forma- mentary scnurn iu expected that tne tirst skiing par
ticm wWhencounTered Dlanes school districts in Oregon. tieVof the season will be moving
la.rU The fund is apportion 1 on the , whl,c mountains just In
, r ...... - u--i nf thP numorr "l H'"-i13 hn u.-oct nf Jnrt narlu Snnrlav
inroo pmiinc nf nhnut fi 1 TnTrrs i w :u '
each. The Vrmm attacked as I employed in"""?i,Z
NEW CHIEF NAMED
Redmond, Dec. 23 Jess Ed
gar, for five years a member of
the Redmond police department,
will become chief of police on
Jan. 9, it was announced today
oy Mayor T. J. Wells. Edgar will
succeed Athel Dudley, who re
cently resigned. Edgar has been
acting chief of police.
State highway officials reported
there was no snow Hi' descent,
indicating that yesterday's slorm
fell at the summit on his route, it
The storm brought three Inches
of snow to Bend, with the fore
cast calling for scattered snow
storms over the Cascades over the
weekend.
Chilling Weather
Due Northwest
Portland, Ore., Dec. 23 Uli Real
winter weather was In prospect
for the northwest over Christmas,
with the weather bureau predict
ing the coldest readings of the
season so far.
The Portland area was sched-
700,000 Tortured, Massacred
By Germans, Soviets Assert
Commission Makes Report on Atrocities;
Some Reported Left to Die in Ice Barrels
Moscow, Dec. 23 (U.E) The soviet state atrocity commis
sion reported today that the Germans tortured and massacred
700,000 persons, including some American and British citi
zens, lit a big concentration camp near Lwow during the
occupation of southern Poland.
The report was based on the examination of bodies, cap
tured German documents, and the testimony of escaped
prisoners. The victims were mostly Russians and Poles, but
among them were Czechs, Yugoslavs, Dutch, and Italians.
The commission said that after the fall of Benito Mus
solini, the Germans demanded an oath of loyalty to Adolf
Hitler from all Italians gar- :
risoned at Lwow. Two thou-, .-,,
sand officers and men re- iJOO in Germany
fused and were shot. Among
them were, five generals and
45 officers.
Thft mnnrl llctnH thn nmna r.t
nazl war criminals accused of the
Lwow atrocities. The list was
headed by Dr. Hans Frank, chief
of the nazi-controlled government
general of Poland, several army
generals, and leaders of the
gestapo.
Ice Torture Used
In addition to the notorious
methods of asphyxiation, crema-j
tion and machine gunning, the
commission said, the Germans de
vised a torture by Ice. In mid
winter a prisoner would be
stripped, bound, and put in a water-filled
barrel until he froze to
death. Many were killed undiir
trains.
A special composition called the
Tango of Death was played by
the camp orchestra during the
mass murders, the report said,
and the entire orchestra was shot
later.
Pictures published by Moscow
newspapers showed a perform
ance of the "Tango of Death'
while prisoners were being exe
cuted, heaps of hundreds of bod
ies, and a special machine for
crushing human bones.
Poor Draft Held
Stove Fire Cause
Rather than the fault of the
fuel oil. Insufficient draft was the
cause of three successive stove
fires in Standard Oil stations in
Bend recently, it was reported to-
uled for a temperature of around Hav bv cltv firemen after an in-
24 degrees tonight and down to ! vestlgation. Smoke pipes were not
around 20 for Christmas. The
high today is not expected to top
39 and about the same tomorrow
and Christmas.
of sufficient length to carry away
fumes, thus causing oil to con
gregate, it was explained.
Hremen at first were Inclined
Some snow is predicted for to the belief that an extra potent
southeastern Oregon, with light fuel oil had been the cause of the
showers for southwestern Oregon, fires.
Yule 'Memorials' for Bend Men in Service
To Be Prepared for USO By Local Relatives
die Surjerforts crossed the coast.
the second group joined the fight
over the target and the third
group picked up from there and
battled the B-29's to the coast on
heir way home.
nf the various districts, under tne
nrovislonsof the 1943 law. I NO PAPER MONDAY
Among the apportionments for The Bulletin, following a long
nnr?ties were- established custom, will not issue
Crook $5,722.08; Deschutes $15,- a paper on Christmas day, Mon
125.92. ' t,ay-
There will be no luscious, three-
tiered cakes, thick with pink and
white icing for many Bend boys
in prisons, in Italian foxholes and
in the jungle hells of the Pacific
this Christmas but there will be
cakes for servicemen in Bond.
Home made cakes. Lots and lots
of them.
Mothers and wives and grand
mothers of boys in far-flung quar
ters of the world, remembering
this Christmas the cakes their
men liked the best, put their chins
up and took down the recipe
books. Tomorrow and on Christ
mas day they will make those
cakes and serve them, oven fresh,
to servicemen at the USO's formal
Following Is a list of the women
who will make the cakes and the
men thev never stop thinking of:
Mrs. Roy Cooper for T5 Roy
Britain; Mrs. William Weaser, for
her son, Roy Weaser, machinist's
mate, 2c, Seabee at Camp Rous
seau, San Francisco, Calif.; Mrs.
R. L. Winters, for her grandsons,
Robert Fagg, seaman 1c, south
Pacific; Gene L. Salisbury, cox
swain, on board ship; Ray Whlt
son, storekeeper, 2c, on board
ship; Russell McClanathan, sea
man 2c. south Pacific.
Mrs. Vance Coyner for her
brothers, TSpt. Mason L. Maurer,
now at Camp Blandlng, Fla., after
30 months in south Pacific service,
Christmas dance. The dance, for; and Wayman C. Maurer. chief mo
USO Junior hostesses and all tor machinist's mate, Bremerton,
servicemen In Bend, will be held) Wash.; Mrs. Harry A. Peterson,
at the Trinity parish hall present for her husband stationed in
USO Bend quarters at 8 p.m. Italy.
Dec. 25. Mrs. Eldon Preston, for her son,
Lt. Kenneth L. Preston, a prisoner
of war in Germany; Mrs. Julius
Olson, for her husband, a staff
sergeant now on Leyte; Mrs. W
A. Wlrtz, for her daughter, SSg!
Jessie Wlrtz, with a Wac detach
ment in Italy.
Mrs. W. G. Burleigh, for her
five sons, Sgt. Van G, Burleigh,
tail gunner with the army air
force In Burma; Lt. (J.g.) Gilbert
E. Burleigh, navy fighter plane
base, Norman, Okla.; Pvt. Robert
J. Burleigh, officers training
school. Camp Roberts. Calif.; Par
rel! Burleigh, seaman 2c, on
board ship in the Pacific; Pvt.
Donald L. Burleigh, with a mule
mounted force In China.
Mrs. A. B. Burleigh for her cous
in; Wayne H. Hull, seaman 1c,
San Diego; her nephew, Robert
W. Brentano, Philippines, and a
friend, Sgt. Richard Blaemlrc,
now in England.
1PVI
ill
ml
tu
Clearing Skies
Aid Americans
In Grim Battle
Victory in Big Tank
Fight Claimed; U. S.
Forces on Offensive
Lt. Robert S. Stearns, Laplne,
was killed In action near BmIIii,
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carey
Stearns, Laplne, were notified
today.
Robert Stearns
in
Reported missing since Septem
ber 28 in action over Germany,
Lt. Robert S. Stearns, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Carey Stearns, Laplne,
was killed in action, his parents
were notified today by the war de
partment.
Meager information received hy
relatives indicates thut Lt.
Stearns, a bombardier, was in a
plane shot down only ten miles
from Berlin. The young officer,
a graduate from Laplne high
school, went overseas last May.
He was attending Oregon State
college when he entered the service.
Aside from his parents, Lt.
Stearns Is survived by one broth
er, Pvt. James Stearns, now at
Fort Lewis. Marshall T. Hunt,
Bend, Is an uncle.
Test Well Planned
On Oregon Coast
Portland, Ore., Dec. 23 in-The
Oit-gonian today said that the
Texas company is planning to
drill a test well In Columbia coun
ty of Oregon soon that may open
an Important oil development.
The company was reported to
have spent about a quarter-million
dollars In geological testing in
that area and in other parts of
western Oregon.
COAT IS LOST
Bend police today were asked
by Lowell Gibson, 1300 East First
street, to Investigate the theft of
his navy "pea" coat from his auto
mobile. Gibson expressed the opin
ion that the coat was stolen while
his car was parked either at his
nomc or at the Oasis caie.
Paris, Dec. 23 (IPi Clouds of
allied f lghter-bomber8, bombers,
and fighters swarmed Into the
battle of Belgium today In perfect
weather, battering nazl panzer
forces from the Ourthe to the
Rhine, and American armored
forces scored an important defen
sive victory in a great tank battle
nine miles west of St. Vith.
It was the moment which the
allied command had been waiting
for the first break In the weath
er since the nazl offensive was
launched just a week ago and
thousands of American and Brit
ish -planes of every type, including
a great task force of Flying Fort
resses and Liberators, joined the
battle.
South Flank Hit
In the air blow fell upon Field
Marshal Karl von Rundstedt's col
umns, as Lt. Gen. George S. Pat
ton's third army was reported
slashing into the southern flank
of the break-through, where it
was Indicated the Germans hava
succeeded In capturing Luxem
bourg city, capital of the princi
pality. .- -
Supreme allied headquarters
characterized the American tank
victory west of St. Vith as "the
first and very Important defensive
; victory."
! The battle raged between St.
Vith and Vlelsalm which Is nine
miles due west on the wandering
i river Salm. Here, SHAEF. reveal
ed, two of the German main spear-
beads attempted to link up, but
American armored forces, rush
ing into battle, prevented the
juncture.
Weather Perfect
SHAEF characterized the
weather over the break-through
area as "absolutely perfect." The
sun shone brilliantly and In blue
skies the dominant allied air pow
er was thrown into battle for the
first time since the nazi attack
was launched.
The attack was started by RAF
heavy boifiber formations last
night attacking Rhincland trans
port centers and communications.
In early morning a great forma
tion of Flying Fortresses, divert
ed from their ordinary strategic
bombing to tactical duties, roared
over thet confused battle lines.
Some 400 American heavies,
with an escort of. 700 Thunder
bolts and Mustangs, smashed at
rail and road targets Just for
ward of the American lines In Bel
gium and at the jam-packed rail
yards at Ehrang, near Trier and
at Kaiserlautern, west of Mannheim.
Weather Pleases
The ninth air force and the 19th
and 29th tactical air commands
were out In full strength.
"This Is just the weather we
have been waiting and praying
for." pilots said.
The Germans were out in force,
too, and big dogfights raged over
the battle areas.
Reports from the first 100 ninth
air force sorties and the figure
was expected to top 1,000 before
the day was over said that 12
tanks and 18 German planes had
been destroyed. The planes were
shot down in two dogfights over
the Trier and Coblenz areas.
American divebombers were
crashing loads of high explosives
on nazi panzer columns and lt was
anticipated before the day was .
I over they would roll up one of the
biggest tank slaughters ot tne
war in the west.
Planes Lost
Five American planes had been
reported lost at this point.
American military spokesmen
refused to confirm or deny re
ports that Patton had wheeled
third army forces northward to
drive into the southern flank of
the nazl salient.
However, an SHAEF spokes
man said Patton had yielded Ens
dnrf Sanrlautern bridgeheads
across the Saar. German reports
had said these bridgeheads were
yielded In the course of Patton's
deployment of his forces north- .
ward.
The city of Luvembourg radio
station returned to the air after
several days silence with a broad
cast of German programs similar
to those beamed from the trans- -
mltter before Its liberation. -