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United Pres.
4 Thirty-ninth Year
President Told 'Invasion Doing All
TO
JOIN IN -PRAYER
7
IT
Roosevelt Will Lead in Sup
plication For Divine Aid
k In Conquering Enemy.
. (The President'! Prayer ap
peari In full on page 8.)
"Washington, June 6 (U.R)
Admiral Ernest J. King, com
mander of the United States
fleet, said after a conference
with President Roosevelt today
that the invasion of Europe is
"doing all right so far."
Mr. Roosevelt conferred with
King, Gen. George C. Marshall,
army chief of staff, and Gen.
H. H. Arnold, commander of
the army air forces, for an hour
and a half.
The service commanders and
the President went over the
latest information. and . ana
lyzed It.
When they came out of the
White House Marshall was ask
ed "how Is the invasion going?"
"I cant" make any state
ment," the general told report
ers. "You know all about it."
King, however, said "It's do
ing all right so far."
Up All Night
The President had been up
much of the night following the
Allied Invasion of western Eur
ope in minute detail. Tonight,
over all radio networks at 7 p.
m., PWT, the President will
lead the nation in a special
prayer which he finished com
posing while the Invasion fleet
was moving across the channel.
In the prayer, Mr. Roosevelt
asks for divine strength "to
conquer the apostles of greed
and racial arrogancies."
"With thy blessing, we shall
prevail over the unholy forces
of our enemy," the President's
prayer said.
"Lead up to the saving of our
country, and with our sister na
tions into a world unity that
will spell a sure peace a peace
Invulnerable to the schemings
of unworthy men. And a peace
that will let all men live in free
dom, reaping the Just rewards
of their honest toil. Thy will
be done, Almighty God."
Psychological Diversion
White House Secretary Ste
phen A. Early told reporters
that the President's fireside
chat discussion last night about
the capture of Rome had the ef
fect of a psychological diver
sion. The Germans and others
undoubtedly listened to it with
interest, he said, and replied
"I think you might call it that"
when a reporter asked if it was
a psychological diversion.
Mr. Roosevelt, in his talk last
night, had warned that victory
over Germany "will be tough
and costly." People in the cap
ital recalled the somber warn
ing when they awakened to
discover that the long-awaited
invasion had begun.
SIDE GLANCES
By
TRIBUNE REPORTERS
Closest prediction to the ac
tual date of the invasion on
European continent, June 6, as
printed in the Sideglance col
umn a few weeks ago, 'was
made by Hap Gillette of Ash
land, who prophesied that D
Day would be June 4. Next
guess beyond the invasion date
was made by Maude Brault of
Medford, who tagged June 11.
The National Broadcasting
. company reported tonight that
i Radio Tokyo went off the air
suddenly and without explana
tion. Enemy stations usually
"black out" when Allied bomb
en have been spotted.
EDFORD
Full Leased Wire
Invasion
(Acme lintlio-Tfilrphoto)
Invasion vehicles and their crews, Impatient for signal that will send them against Germans guarding At
lantic wall, literally Jam the streets ol this Enelish coastal village. Photo radioed from London.
NAZIS WILL TRAP
IN
By United Press
The Japanese end of the be
leaguered Axis whistled tremu
lously In the dai'K on invasion
Tuesday.
The landing operations on
the European continent must be
hiehly welcome to the Germans."
said Nobuhiko Ushiba. former
secretarv of the Japanese embas
sy In Berlin. In a statement
broadcast by Tokyo radio.
"There Is everr possibility
that the enemy will be fatally
caught In a death trap elaborate
ly laid by the German high com
mand." Ushiba took the view that the
Nazis had been easorly awaiting
D-day as the signal for a counter
offensive against the Allies.
"The much-heralded anti-Axis
Invasion of the European conti
nent will most certainly mean
the advent of a decisive turning
point In the European military
situation. It will proviae uir
many with a much-needed spring
board for turning to a victorious
general offensive against the en
emy." Ushiba said he could "well
Imagine the jubilation in the Ger
man high command on receipts
of the news of the Invasion."
Norwegians Told
To Wait Orders
London. June 6 U.PJ Gen.
Wilhelm Hansteen, commander-in-chief
of the Norwegian un
derground, broadcast an order
to all organized fighting groups
inside Norway today to "be
prepared to take partj In the
great settlement."
Hansteen told his countrymen
that they would receive orders
on what to do.
Eisenhower Eyes
Start From Roof
Allied Advance Post. England,
june 6 (U.PJ Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower stood on a rooftop
on invasion eve and watched a
mighty airborne armada form
In the dusky sky and wing
toward France to begin the
final phase of the war of liber
ation. " "
MEDFORD, OREGON,
Vehicles Jam British Roads
Invasion Date
To Thousands
Invasion Port, England, June 6 (U.R) Thousands upon thou
sands of American invasion troops were told exactly where they
were going and what they would do on D-day, It now can be dis
closed, and then were placed under quarantine so rigid their
food was prepared in an outside ; i a and passed to them through
barbed wir?
So far is Is known only two
men 'escaped from the quaran
tined area and both were cap
tured Immediately. Guards in
side and out were under orders
to "shoot to kill" anyone at
tempting to leave the area.
Precautions to guard the se
curity of the attack were super
vised by the office of counter
intelligence and it was one of
the greatest feats of the war. For
the first time In the history of
the American army every man.
down to the last private, was
thoroughly instructed In the op
erations expected of him.
These troops knew the secret
more than a week before D-day
and yet they kept It so well that
townspeople passing within three
feet of them had no Idea of their
destination or purpose. Several
days before embarkation they
were given the last details and
were then completely cut off
from all outside contact.
D-Day Brings Rededication Call
In Nation's Hour of Greatest Trial
By United Press
America's spokesmen called
today for rededication in the
nation's hour of greatest trial.
President Roosevelt and gov
ernors and mayors from coast to
coast summoned citizens to
prayer.
Senators and representatives
voiced the deep hope that the I
assault on Hitler s fortress would
succeed, and this war would be
the last.
Across the land, Americans re
ceived the invasion news quiet
ly, thankful that the decisive
battle at long last was joined,
anxious lest it prove more costly
than their hopes.
Workers Buckle In
War workers, with few excep
tions, worked harder. In Detroit,
the strike capital of the country,
there was not a single production-stopping
labor dispute for
the first time since the days Im
mediately after Pearl Harbor.
TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944.
s.Vk !
Long Known
of Americans
E
EXPECTED SOON
London, June BOJ.R) Mili
tary observers said today that
a penernl Russian offensive co
ordinated with ilic Anglo-American
attack from the west may
be launched within the next 48
hours and almost certalniy will
begin before the week end.
The United Press Informants
said a crushing two-way cltack
from the east and west was laid
down by the American. British
and Russian leaders at the Teh
ran conference last year, envis
aging the complete destruction
of German military power be
fore the close of 1944.
In Birmingham, Ala., William
Mitch, leader of 22,000 coal
miners of whom 2,000 were re
ported on strike, called on him
followers to "work, work, work
every hour necessary until this
war is won." He said "nothing
else matters."
In Lockland, O., union officials
sought to end a wildcat strike
of about 12.000 workers at the
Wright Aeronautical Corp. plant
which stopped production of air
plane engines.
Throughout the nation, base
ball leagues, race tracks, and
fight arenas cancelled programs,
or arranged pauses for prayer.
War Productio Chief Donald
M. Nel?on called on the nation
to exert its "supremo effort."
Long Way to Go
"We've got a long way to go,"
he said, although the invasion
forces were using secret weap
ons "that tht public has never
seen or even beard of" and
RIBIME
United Press Full Leased Wire
PRAYERS OFFERED
IN CITY CHURCHES
FOR ALLIED ARMS
Medford Thrills to Long
Awaited Word of Invasion
Flag Display Is Urged.
An Interested and hopeful
Medford population last night
and today gave closest attention
to all news sources giving out
word of the long-awaited inva
sion of Europe by the Allies
which started early this morning.
Men and women today eagerly
discussed the latest news in of
fices, homes and In street groups
and visited Medford churches to
participate in special D-day
prayer services.
At 8 a. m. a special mass at
Sacred Heart Catholic church
was well attended and at 10
a. m. Medford's Methodist
church was filled with relatives
of men In the services who heard
special prayers for their sons and
husbands and for the success of
the war. This afternoon business
houses are closing between 3 and
4 p. m. In order that employees
might attend a special prayer
service at the Presbyterian
church.
This morning's service was led
by the Rev. Harry W. Hansen
and the afternoon gathering was
In charge of the Rev. Louis C.
Kirby and the Rev. Ward A. Rice
and other Protestant pastors. A
second snecial mass Is sched
uled for Sacred Heart church at
8 o'clock tonight. A vestryman of
St. Mark's Episcopal church
stated that no special services
were being held there due to
the absence from the city of the
rector, but that the church Is i
open and parishioners may en
ter at any time for private de
votions. Arrangements were made this
mo-.ning for whistles and bells of
the city to sound at 3 p. m.,
marking the opening of the spe
cial hour of prayer.
At the suggestio-.i of D. D. Da
vis, ministers urged their con
gregations to display American
flags today and during the com
ing critical days Many business
houses already have displayed
their sidewalk flags.
A special prayer meeting will
be held at the Medford Church
of the Nnzarene this evening at
8 o'clock in observance of the
allied Invasion of Europe It was
announced this afternoon by the
pastor, the Rev. Fred Weather
ford. which match "everything the
enemy has been able to devise."
In New York, the world's
greatest city, Protestants, Catho
lics and Jews gathered In their
churches to pray, the Christians
summoned by pealing bells, the
Jews by shofars (ram's horns).
At the Brooklyn navy yard,
workmen paused briefly to pray.
The New York state guard unit
on Staten Island took grimmer
action: it mobilized to guard
against possible sabotage.
New England's governors at
tended special prayer services.
New England's workers stayed
on the Job.
Former President Herbert
Hoover who as director of Bel
gian relief saw at first hand the
horrors of World War I, hailed
the invasion as meaning that
"the end of German tyranny is
on the way." .
For rank and file men and
women it was a solemn diy.
The waiting was over.
NO. 64.
Right
5TH ARMY DRIVES
NAZIS NORTH LIKE
FRIGHTENED SHEEP
Kesslering's Broken Forces
Offering Only Feeble Rear
Guard Resistance.
Allied Headquarters, Naples,
June 6 (U.R) The Allied 5th ar
my drove the battered Germans
In disorderly retreat across the
Tiber river on a 17-mile front
from Rome to the Tyrrhenian sea
today and sent powerful arm
ored columns five mile beyond
the river under orders to destroy
the fleeing enemy.
Front dispatches said Nazi
Field Marshal Albert Kessler
ing's broken 14th army was of
fering only the feeblest sort of
rear guard resistance as the Al
lied tanks and riflemen burst
across the winding Tiber at a
score of points north and west of
Home.
2000 Surrender
At many points the enemy re
treat had turned Into a disor
ganized rout under the raking
fire of Allied planes and tanks,
and 2000 Nazis threw down their
arms and surrendered to a fast-
rolling British column that
trnpDed them on the east bank
of the river, near the teacoast.
Every bridge across the Tiber
below Rome had been blown up
by the fleeing Germans, but 11
of the 14 main spans inside the
capital were intact and Allied
troops were crossing In a steady
stream.
Only In the northeastern out
skirts of Rome did the Germans
offer any determined resistance.
A force of enemy tanks was re
ported battling desperately
around the Llttoria airport In an
attempt to stem the swift Allied
advance long enough for the
main body of Kessclring's troops
to escape.
War Bulletins
London, June 6 (U.R) Radio
France at Algiers quoted a pur
ported German broadcast ..to
Spain tonight as saying Allied
troops had landed and gained a
foothold in the Boulogne-Calais
area of northern France. The re
port lacked confirmation In any
responsible source. It also said
Allied paratroops captured an
airdrome in the fame region.
London. Jn ft II pi Th
German Transocean News Agen -
cy said tonight that the Allied
"offensive area" had been ex
tended to the entire Norman
peninsula.
London, June 6 (U.R) The
German-controlled Vichy radio
said today that violent fighting
was taking place on the islands
of Guernsey and Jersey, west of
the Norman peninsula, and the
Allies were suffering heavy
losses.
London, June 6- flJ.R) Ger
man coastal artillery in France
opened up with salvoes across
the Channel soon after noon to
day, shaking towns in southeast
England.
STATE CORPORATION
COMMISSIONER DIES
Portland, Ore., June 6 U.R
State Corporation Commissioner
Lloyd R. Smith of Oregon died
today in his Portland home. He
was 62.
Smith was in his office yester
day but his health had been only
fair in recent months.
Funeral arrangements are
pending.
The commissioner was ap
pointed first by Gov. Charles.
Sprague in 1939 and reappointed
In 1942.
Battle of Europe Opens
With 4,000 Vessels and
1 1,000 Planes in Assault
By Virgil Plnkley
United Press War Correspondent
Washington, June 6. (U.R) President Roosevelt report
ed late today that the invasion of Europe is running "up to
schedule,"
He said that up to noon American naval losses In the
operation comprised two destroyers and one escort ship and
that air losses were relatively light, amounting to about one
per cent.
Supreme Headquarters, Allied
Juno 6. (U.R) American, British,
landed in northwestern France
Normandy, and by evening had "gotten over the first five or aix
hurdles" in the greatest amphibious assault of all time.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill revealed that allied troops
were fighting inside Caen, 9V4 miles Inside northwest France, that
the invasion penetrations had reached several miles In depth in
some cases, and that footholds had been established on a broad
front as the operation proceeded "in a thoroughly satisfactory
manner."
Gen. Dwight D. Elsenhower's supreme headquarters revealed
that the allied armies, carried and supported by 4,000 ships and
11,000 planes, encountered considerably less resistance than had
been expected In the storming of Adolf Hitler's vaunted west wall.
Nasis Admit Penetration
Nazi broadcasts reported allied troops pouring ashore most of
the day along a broad reach of the Norman coast and to the east,
and admitted that Invasion landing barges had penetrated two
estuaries behind the Atlantic wall.
The apparent key to the lightness of the Nazi opposition to in
vasion forces opening the battle of Europe was contained in a dis
closure that thousands of allied planes dropped more than 11,200
tons of bombs on German coastal fortifications In eight and a half
hours last night and early today.
As massive allied air fleets took over complete command of
the skies over the invasion zone, Reichsmarshal Hermann Goerlng
issued an order of the day to his air force declurlng that the In
vasion "must bo fought off, even If it means the death of the luft
waffe." Churchill Tells Satisfaction '
Late In the day Prime Minister Winston Churchill, making hi '
second statement of the day to commons, said the Invasion was pro.
ceedlng "in a thoroughly satisfactory manner." Earlier hs told
commons It was going "according to plan and what a plan!"
Simultaneously the German DNB news agency reported that
the Invasion front "has been further widened." Nazi broadcasts
throughout the day told of the amphibious assault developing on
a grand scale, with fighting as deep as 10 miles Inland a figure
apparently extended by the last enemy report.
Supreme headquarters revealed late In the day that had wea
ther had forced a 24-hour postponement of the invasion. The al
lied command gave the go-ahead order last night despite strong
northwest winds and rain squalls when weather experts forecast
improving conditions today. The weather still was somewhat un
favorable, however, impeding the support given the land armies
by the air force.
"Over First Few Hurdles"
Although detailed official reports were lacking as the tense
first day wore towards a close, it was summed up by one source
at headquarters In the words: "We have gotten over the first five
or six hurdles." The surmounted hurdles were described as:
1 The German air force did little or no bombing of ports from
which the Invasion was mounted In the last critical days.
2 Attacks on Invasion convoys failed to reach the expected
scale.
3 Minesweepers succeeded In sweeping channels to the
beaches without much opposition from shore batteries or from
the air.
4 The troops got ashore with less opposition from shore guns
than was' believed probable.
5 Opposition generally was well below expectations; for in
stance, up to a certain time this morning, the German air force had
flown only 90 battlo area sorties.
Casualties Relatively Light
Allied overall casualties appeared to have been relatively light.
Headquarters announced that they were light among air-borne
troops and "surprisingly small very small" at sea.
The disembarkation went according to plan. Warships suc
ceeded In silencing shore batteries and laying smoke screens on
schedule. A United States battleship moved in much closer to
j shore than scheduled In order to
fortifications.
The mincswecplng was described as the biggest and probably
most difficult operation of Its kind ever attempted. Hundreds of
sweepers headed the Invasion fleets, clearing the water and mark
ing channels.
The German DNB news agency said this afternoon that allied
landing barges had pushed Into the estuaries of the Orne and Vlre
rivers In the coastal stretch between Cherbourg and Le Havre
"In the rear of the Atlantic wall" the vaunted defense line that
Hitler hoped would keep Invaders off the soil of Germany.
Nazi broadcasters also acknowledged that allied tanks had
cut several kilometers Inland between the towns of Caen and
Islgny, and admitted allied penetrations ranging up to 10 miles.
Heavy Fighting Near Caen
The Germans reported heavy fighting In the area of Caen,
nine and a half miles Inland and 113 miles from Paris on a direct
railroad line.
Nazi broadcasters said the allies had won footholds on several
Islands off the coast of France. Earlier they reported landings In
the channel islands west of the Norman peninsula.
The Transocean agency reported that a naval battle was going
on in the channel north of Le Havre between German units and
allied forces trying to make a landing.
DNB, the official Nazi agency, said German counterthrusta
were being undertaken cast of Cherbourg, but "the enemy keeps
throwing the bulk of his troops Into the area between Cherbourg
and Ouistreham."
The 28th and 101st American parachute divisions dropped in
the Normandy area, DNB reported, adding the usual propaganda
claim that mnny were captured.
Even while the Berlin radio was blaring repeated reports of
allied landings, it quoted military quarters as forecasting still
more, "especially In St. Malo bay." St. Malo, ancient walled city
with ramparts 80 feet high, Is on the Ranoe river.
Expeditionary Force, London,
and Canadian invasion forces
today, established beachheads in
silence a troublesome group of