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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1943)
Weather Cloud; tonlfht an Sator aay. Warmer Saturday. Temperature On Th KAU. TRIBUXB Want Ad Way Quick Result At Small Cost ' Tribune HI f best seourdajr.. Lowest thti momtnM PractpUattoa Past z hour , I, Z United Press fuU UtMd Win United Pi Full Umd Wire Tbirty-eighth Year MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1943 NO. 228 . . . ; 1 - A i IN LATESTCATCH Navy Announcement Brings Total to 524 Hit by Sub marine's So Far in War. . Washington, Dec 17. (U.B American submarines, back stopping Allied offensive opera tions in the Pacific by striking at the enemy's supply lines, have sunk' eight more Japanese ships. The navy announced today that the latest bag by U. S. sub- ' marines included two large transports,' two' large ' tankers, v. three medium freighters and a 0 small freighter. : These sinkings raised to 824 the number' of Japanese ships hit by our submarines so far in the war. This included 374 .. aunki 36 probably sunk; and 114 damaged. - Secretary . of . Navy . Frank Knox said recentfy there was definite evidence that the Japa nese, are growing-desperately short of merchant tonnage and are being forced more and more ' to rely on barges for transport and supply. . , YANKEESPREPARE V L By United Press . Japan's war-won island em pire in the southwest Pacific be gan to fall atiart today as Amer ican troops consolidated their invasion beachhead on the south coast of New Britain and pre pared for a direct assault on the once-great enerrry stronghold at Rabaul, 290 miles to the north east. ' Waves o? Japanese planes truck incessantly at the invad- Inn forces but Allied fignters ry reused eve' and the eround troops rannea oui swiftly from their landing point on the Arawe peninsula. Resistance Collapses Early reports of the fighting said the three-mile-long penln-1 aula tell into American nanus within the first five hours and that enemy resistance on the ground was collapsing. Washington observers said Gen. Douglas MacArthur's of fensive, which climaxed a month-long aerial bombardment of New Britain, already had rendered Rabaul useless to the Japanese as an operational base. While the enemy garrison on New Britain estimated at 40. 000 men was expected to put up a stiff battle, the fall of the island seemed assured, j- Most of the available enemy airfields on western New Brit ain were believed to have been knocked out by the Allied bomb ing, and the Japanese problem was further complicated by the fact that their main supply and reinforcement center was locat ed 800 miles to the north at Truk. Autslos Back Japs On the northeastern coast of New Guinea, opposite western New Britain, Australian ground troops hurled the Japanese from strongly- defended positions around Wareo, ' on the Huon . peninsula, and launched an at tack on nearby Lakona villa pe. Allied planes operating north west of Australia wrecked two 8,000-ton Japanese transports loaded with troops and equip- ment off Timor Island, and prob - ably damaged a destroyer in the to sound the "no school today" same area, while American signal. An "unfortunate tad bombers on Bougainville con-1 dent," said school authorities. -tinued to pound the remaining I enemy positions there. At the same time, a Pearl Harbor communique disclosed that U. S. bombers struck again ; at the Marshall Islands, droo ping 40 tons of bombs on Taroa and Wotje Islets. Eighteen In tercepting enemy planes were destroyed or damaged and one American plane was lost, - Marines Dive r fib Kl'J Japs misted ferociously at Tanya, Gilbert Mauds, bat wave after wave of r&Uant U. S. Marines, faclnj death unflinchingly. flht on ward, until Japs quit Here, at height of battle for airfield. Marines vlnnce OTer palm-tree alL -. ! 35 Daring Marines Write Gallant Chapter (The following story was written by Sgt. Pet Zurllnden, of Dayton, O., a Marine Corps combat correspondent, and distributed by the United Press). Tarawa, Nov'. 22. Thirty-five marines and their indomitable "skipper," 1st Lieut. William D. Hawkins, 30, of El Paso, Tex., wrote one of the most - gallant chapters in. the- conquest - of Lieut. Hawkins and more than a dozen of his men are buried beneath the sands of .bloody Betio beach, the most hazardous strip of sand ever bridged - in combat. But they are the first heroes of Tarawa and their deds have been on the lips of almost "every leatherneck since Nov. .20 when they struck the initial blow against the Japs, 10 minutes before the zero hour. -Ticklish Job They were, a special "scout sniper" outfit. Their job was one of the most ticklish ever assign ee, any contingent. . They were told to secure the 600-yard pier jutting out from Betio beach and to wipe out all the Japanese ma- ? threatening the invasion force, The scouts and snipers walked into a hornet's nest. The pier was full of Japs. With a flame thrower outfit and the aid' of dynamite, they routed six nests before our first wave struck the . Deacn Then the Japs dynamited one section of the pier, setting off several mines near the scout snipers, and raked them from the beach with all types of fire, The marines refused to retreat. They used grenades almost every 10 yards, and finally it was the Japs who retreated. ' i ' Get New Orders The marine advance guard then got orders to go down the beach where many hundreds of marines were pinned down by vicious machine gun and. mor tar cross fire. Hawkins pushed across to the airport, wiping out as many emplacements as he could. By now several of his men had fallen. Coming to one compound, they blasted it with hand grenades. and then mowed down the Japs who attempted to rush out. From somewhere a machine gun open ed up. Hawkins was wounded in the hand and three more of his men toppled dead. Pressing forward, they knock ed out three more nests. COP TOO TRUSTING Lodi. N. J., Dec. . 17 U.B Students received an unauthor ized holiday because Patrolman John Clause, taking the word of a boy he met on the street that classes were suspended for ! a day, ordered the town siren Medford district Community Chest subscriptions up to last night weroi , S39.735.99 Quota la 143.71 (.40. In on Gilberts f' v'- cMJ In Tarawa 6 PER CENT LESS IAN LAST YEAR . Washington, Dec. 17 flJ.FD The 'agriculture department, in its final crop report of the year, said today that total 1043 pro duction was six per cent under last year but five per cent more than In any season previous to The corn crop was placed at 3,uyo,13,uuu bushels, second largest on record. Wheat produc tion of 836,298,000 bushels was nearly 100.000,000 bushels more than the 1932-41 average. The report showed record pro- auction of potatoes, beans, peas, soy beans, peanuts, rice and sev eral commercial vegetable crops. The 1943 corn crop was 27 000,000 bushels more than the 1932-41 average and only B5, 000,000 bushels under the 1942 record of 3,131,518,000 bushels The wheat production includ- ed 429,606,000 bushels of winter wheat and 306,692,000 bushels of spring wheat. F, E Washington, Dec. 17 U.P5 The house passed by a voice vote and sent to the senate to day an appropriation bill mak ing $33,750,000 available for Lsupplylng and recruiting farm UDor in The bill Includes only $27, 000,000 in new appropriations, an unexpended $6,750,000 from 1943 making up the- balance Congress appropriated $35,000, 000 for the same purpose in 1043. Usual Mail Service On Christmas Day Washington, Dee. 17 (U.R) Postmaster General Frank C. Walker announced . today that In accordance with the usual holiday custom there will be no regular home delivery of mail on Christmas day.- Gift parcels and special delivery mail will be delivered as usual, however. BETTER-"UNDERSTANDING London Dec. 17 The London Daily Mail announced today that It soon will publish a New York edition, a digest of the week's London editions, "as a contribu tion to the closer understanding of the British and American people." ISA Massed IN HAND TO HAND IT AT PIETRO Yanks Launch Smashing Drive to Reach Main Road to Rome Planes Active. Allied Headquarters, A'clers, Dec. 17. (U.R) American troops have launched a smashing attack to reach the main road to Rome, meeting the Germans In a hand- to-hand struggle at the village of San Pietro, a mile from the vital highway, it was announced to day. Large scale renewal of the Fifth Army offensive to break through to the road coincided with the second major blow In two days by Flying Fortresses against Germany's rail supply lines into itaiy. Fortresses Busy In their first powerful blow against Padua, 25 miles west of Venice In northern Italy, the Fortresses dropped 200 tons of bombs In less than six minutes, partially wrecking a rail bridge ana the Padua yards. Five enemv planes were shot down and not a bomber was lost. Across Italy, the Biitlsh Eighth Army hurled hack strong . Ger man counterattacks made with flame-throwing tanks in an effort to stem uoom 'edsine throuah the broken Ortona-Guardiagrele eiense line, (Cairo radio, heard In London said Eighth Army troops were dnly 1.8 miles from Ortona, on tne Adriatic coast, and that the town was In flames. Break. throughs had occurred at points, me broadcast sald.)i v . P0ST0FFICE WINDOWS OPEN TO 6 SATURDAY Th windows In the post office will remain open until 8 n. m. tomorrow, Dec. 18, It was an- nouncea ioaay by Frank De- bouza, postmaster. The later nosing time has been made to accommodate citizens during the rusn oi unristmas mall. " POSTPONE RED VOTE Moscow, Dec. 17 (U.F9 resident Mikhail Kalinin has signed a decree postponing elec tions to the Supreme Soviet until December, 1944, the third post ponement of elections since the war started, It was announced today. WACS IN AFRICA Washington. Dec. 17 01.0 The war department announced today that 102 enlisted women and three officers of the Wo men's Army Corps have arrived at Allied headquarters In North Africa to supplement the several wac companies already servlne in that theater. ' Roosevelt Home From Conferences Says Report On Journey Must Wait Washington, Dee. 1 (U.R) President Roosevelt returned to the White House today from his Cairo and Tehran conferences and was given a loud welcome by virtually every important fig ure in the government. The first thing Mr. Roosevelt did after shaking hands with countless old friends was to hold a quick conference with his con gressional leaders and Inform them that he will not be able to report directly to congress on his trip until he delivers his an nual state of the union message in early January. . . Th President did indicate however, to the congressioal leaders that he would devote some of his Christmas Eve ad dress to a discussion of his con ferences. Tumultuous Greeting As Mr. Roosevelt stepped from his automobile under the south portico of the White House h ww given a tumultuous wel Red Forces Crack German Lines War Bulletins London, Dee. 17 (U.R) Two U-boats were destroyed by British air-sea assaults on a submarine pack which pre vented a prospective attack; on two westbound convoys In the North Atlantic recently. It waa announced officially today. Changsha, Dec. 14 (U.R) Chinese forces, defeating the Japanese "chiefly by hand-to- hand bayonet fighting" suffered 14,000 casualties, 3,000 more than the. Japanese, in recaptur ing Changteh, but the city is a vital point in Allied warfare in the entire Pacific area, Gen. Hsueh Yueh, commander of forces which took the city Dec. 9, said today. JUGO PARTISANS TURN NAZI DRIVE, INFLICT LOSSES London, Dee. 17 (U.R) Mar shal Josip Brozovich's Partisan Army of Liberation reported to day that It had broken a full scale German offensive in Jugo slavia and, launching a wide spread counterdrive, had ad ministered "heavy defeats" to the Nazis In a number of sectors. The Jugoslavs Issued a regular and a special communique pro claiming that the tide of battle had turned in their homeland. "The great German offensive against liberated territory has failed to develop according to enemy expectations," the spec la. communique said. "From nil sectors reports are coming in of enemy failures and of successes achieved by Jugoslav units." The special bulletin closely followed and amplified the daily communique from Partisan head quarters, which aald: "In the Croatia areas of Kor dun and BanIJa, the German of fensive has been fought to a standstill, and units of the Jugo slav Army of Liberation have gone over to the counterof ten sive. ...... Airplane "Father" Honored by Nation Washington, Dec. 17. (U.R) Orville Wright, the one-time bicycle mechanic who has lived to see the "flying contraption" that ' he and his late brother, Wilbur, built grow into one of the most potent forces in war and commerce, was honored here today on the 40th anniver sary of their historic pioneering airplane flight. A quiet, retiring man of 72, Wright came from Dayton, O., at President Roosevelt's Invita tion to receive the plaudits of a grateful nation. He made one condition that he not be called upon to make a speech. come by leaders of both parties In congress, cabinet members, and agency heads. Mr. Roosevelt looked extreme ly fit after his long journey. He wore a rumpled gray suit and a loud plaid shirt Watching the protographers as he got out of his car, he said: "I would have dressed for the occasion if I had known about this." Mrs. Roosevelt, her daughter Mrs. John Boettiger, and- three grandchildren, Sis tie, Buzzle. and little Johnny, met the Presi dent at the point of his arrival In Washington and rode with him to the White House. The first person to greet the President at the Whit House was his secretary, Grace Tully. Mr. Roosevelt was hit by a bar rage of "hello" and "how arc you" from members of his White House staff. Byrnes Greeted War Mobilization Director James F. Byrnes rushed up to the side of the presidential car and Mr. Roosevelt called out BIG RAF BOMBERS Blockbusters Spread Fire ahd Ruin U. S. Flying Forts Strike at Bremen. London, Dee. 17 (U.R) Hun dreds of the RAF's e biggest bombers resumed the knockout offensive .against Berlin with a 1.500-ton . block-buster assault that spread fire and ruin through the Nazi capital last night, and the German radio revealed to day that American Flying Fort resses damaged Bremen heavily In a raid on that port yesterday. The German radio announce ment was the first disclosure that Bremen was the target of yesterday's Fortress raid. The Nazis admitted "heavy destruc tion" In the big port city, which previously had been pounded six times by the American heavies and more than 100 times by the Royal air force. . Fly Through Clouds The great armada that struck at Berlin last night . fought through thick cloud formations that blanketed northwestern Germany, but pathfinder planes tnat preceded -the raiders laid their target indicators squarely on -tne capital. - --. Thirty miles from thelfTib- jective the black-winged raiders swung Into , a path of flares dropped by enemy night fighters and followed those flaming beacons right to the heart of Berlin. ... . '. i Tens of thousands of hleh explosive and fire bombs hurtled down on the battered city, put ting a tnunaerous end to the 13-day respite Berlin had en. joyed, since Its last' Visitation from the RAF. The German Transocean newt: .agency- de nounced the raid as "a terror attack on a considerable scale." WASTE PAPER SALES BRING INDICTMENT Chicago. Dec. 17. (U.R) A federal grand jury today indicted the Thomas Paper Co., and Alvln E. Sandrtiff. president, for al leged violation of Office of Price Administration regulations In up grading waste paper sold to some oi tne nation's laraest oaner manufacturers. The 47-count Indictment charged the upgrading of 750 tons of waste paper sold at a $25,- uuu overcnarge during August and September. . . Downey, Cal., Dec. 17 (U.R) The 10,000th basic trainer built by Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Corp. for the army and navy rolled off the assembly line here today, company officials an nounced. . . . over the heads of the photogra phers, James, how are youT ' To the' repeated Inquiries about how he felt, Mr. Roosevelt answered over and over again fine" and "all right" He then went through the nar row corridor leading to" the old diplomatic reception room on the ground 'floor of the White House. When the double doors swung open deafonli.g applause greeted the President. Senate Democratic Leader Al- ben W. Barkley of Kentucky was the first of the large group of probably more than 200 offi cials to grasp the President's hand. Then the crowd of cabinet members and congressional lead ers converged on the Chief Ex ecutive, elbowing each other to step up and shake hands and welcome him home. . House Speaker Sara Rayburn, questioned by reporters, said that an Invitation waa Issued but 'Mr?Rooevelt won't come up to Capitol HU1 befor his annual fnessBitg" Sister Aimee j " """"" r, IB In her first appearance before the press since ber long Illness, famed STanitust Aimee scrapie ncrcr son thanked reporters far their kindly treatment and annanneed . that she weald reaame the palplt ad carry oa an til she died. G. PASS CAPTIVE SLAYING OF CPO Seattle, Dee. 17 U.R) Glen E, Carriker, 19-year-old seaman from Bucklln, Mo., was convict ed of first degree murder today for the. slaying of a chief officer during an attempt to escape from a moving train- Oct. 6. There was no recommendation for the death penalty. Carriker faces a Ufa term in prison. Carriker, who waa being re turned to Bremerton, Wash., on charges, of overstaying his leave after his arrest In a stolen car at Grants Pass, Ore., waa accused of seizing the revolver of a sleeping guard and making a dash to leave the train. Another guard, Chief Water tender Nathaniel A. Anderson, Snohomish, Wash., gave chase and the two exchanged shots. Anderson waa killed and Carri ker fled from the train, only to be captured a few minutes later. The young sailor was arrested In Grants Pass and brought to Medford at the time of his cap ture on the charge of overstay ing his leave. He was taken to Portland under guard of Herbert Craln, navy recruiting specialist In charge of the Medford substa tion, and was en route to Brem erton, Wash., in the company of another guard when he killed him in his attempt to escape. London, Dec. 17. U.R) The condition of Prime Minister Winston Churchill Is Improving steadily, and there has been no spread of the pneumonia patch in one of his lungs, It was an nounced officially today. : A bulletin issued at No. 10 Downing street, the prime min ister's official residence, said: "There has been no spread In the pneumonia, and the Im provement In the prime min ister's general condition has teen maintained." The British Press association, reporting continued Improve ment In Churchill's condition, said the original announcement of his Illness appeared . to have aroused an "unjustifiable amount of pessimism." farmhomThecord Sacramento. Dec. 17. U.R) William J. Cecil, state director of agriculture, today estimated Cali fornia farmers would receive a cash Income of $1,500,000,000 during 1943, "by far the highest" In history, but said that net farm Income did not increase proportionately. BELIEVEDOPENED, Bitter Battle Still Raging Nazis Reported Trying Out New Rocket Gun on City. London, Dee. 17 U.R The Berlin radio reported today that massed Russian forces had launched an offensive on the Leningrad front, breaking Into the German lines at several places, In what appeared her to be the first blow of the Red army's long delayed winter cam. paign. . A Nazi ' broadcast said the Germans had been engaged In hard defensive fighting near Leningrad" sine yesterday, and the bitter battle still waa raging indecisively, a number of So viet breakings were "llauldat. ed,". the radio said. Waiting Weather Slffna have been lnrratna that the Red army was awaiting only an improvement In weather conditions and a frozen foothold to strike In full fore at th unstable German front. ' Moscow has reported a week. long bombardment of Leningrad by German and Finnish guns', and there have been mysterious hints that th Nails were trying out; a new rocket-gun against the old czarlst capital. Th Nazis acknowledged thst the Red army was attn-'tlng not only on the Leningrad tront but also against the Kherson bridge neaa- or the lower ' Dnieper, la the Klrovograd area of th Dnieper bend, between th Prt. pet and Berezina rivers of th , upper Dnieper, around Zhlobln west of Kricher and west and northwest of NevaL. , . COLD WAVE EBBS IN EASTERN AREA By United Press Th winter's worst cold wave began breaking up today, and the weather bureau pred'eted general relief from the Arctl temperatures by tomorrow. At Chicago, the forecaster said temperatures would rise slowly in the east and south tomorrow after another day of sub-normal thermometer readings In those areas. Greenville, Me,, reported th coldest weather In the nation, 2 degrees below zero. Earlier that territory had 21 below. Farmers In the vicinity of Larexo, Tex., fought desperate 1 to protect crops from the see ond day of freezing weather at thermometers dipped to 29 to set a record low for the Rio Grand valley. Jacksonville, Fla., with a win. ter average of 82, recorded 24 this, morning. . SIDE GLANCES By . . TRIBUNE REPORTERS Workers at the City hall per forming tasks with one hand while holding their noses due to mixed smells of paint, incens and fish oil permeating th building. Staff members of the U. S. National bank being forced to run the air-conditioning system of the building after Sam Col ton dropped a large package, breaking its contents. Vern Brophy declaring that his flock of hen didn't seem to realize the importance of maxl mum production for the war ef fort Lulu Saulsberry deciding to emulate the president's decision on holidays and advance her Christmas celebration tor th benefit of ton Jena, .
