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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 16, 1944)
Mfn)?ro)f? fflU nnny rPixipn nnn lAJUU ElMa?.mll09 Nl A fo)0 ALLIES ADVANCE OF Americans Now Within 2'a miles of Last Nazi Escape Lines From Cherbourg. Allied Supreme Headquarters London, June 16 (U.R) Amer ican troops advanced today to within 2V4 miles of the main highway and last German-held railroad south of Cherbourg while, on the other flank of the Norman beachhead, the Nazis reported they had blown up sluices and dikes at Caen, possi bly foreshadowing abandonment of the ruined stronghold. The weather turned the worst since D-Day and German resist ance stiffened in a number of sectors, but supreme headquar ters revealed that the Allies had hammered out gains, especially on the Cherbourg peninsula where Lt. Gen. Omar N. Brad ley's American troops were driving to cut off the great port. To the northeast the Ameri cans scored modest advances between Montebourg and Quine ville, a four-mile coastal sector in which they were pushing toward Valognes and Cher bourg. Confused fighting still twirled through the ruins of Montebourg. A headquarters spokesman revealed that the Allies were in firm possession of Caumont,' hotly-contested strongpoint at the center of the beachhead, and had pushed two miles southwest from it where Brit ish units met the enemy in strength and were fighting "su perbly." There was no change in the situation at Villprs-Bocaee, but British tanks and infantry were steadily infiltrating the forested country in the Caumont-Balle-roy-Villers triangle. Heavy fighting was in prog ress between Caen and Tilly-Sur-Seulles, where Marshal Er win Rommel had thrown in a panzer lehr or training divi sion, probably not so well equipped as the other armored forces engaged in the battle of Normandy. Bond Headquarters Given Floral Bell A big floral Liberty bell, fashioned of red, white and blue blosf.ris, is being displayed in; the window of the Fifth War Loan drive headquarters, 21 North Central avenue, today and j tomorrow. The bell is the gift of the Medford Elks club and everyone is invited to stop by the bond headquarters and see the display. SIDE GLANCES By TRIBUNE REPORTERS Doc Charles Kunz feeling neglected without a recent men tion in the Side Glance column. Les Grant searching through two dictionaries in a futile ef fort to prove correct his pro nunciation of a word. Jap Steel Washington, June 16. (U.R) The bombing of Japan's largest steel mills was "aceu rate and ffeetiva" when American superfortresses In augurated their war of de struction on Japanese industry yesterday, the army an nounced today. An afternoon communique also revealed that four B-29s were lost in the raid one to antiaircraft fire, two due to accidents, and on simply list ed as missing. The number of the giant bombers on the raid was not stated. By Walter Rundle Up War Correspondent Advance Echelon, 20th U. S. Bomber Command, Western China, June 16. (U.R) A pow erful force of B-29 super-fortresses flying history' longest air raid plastered tons of de struction Thursday on the steel plants of Yawala, "the Pitts Medford United Press Thirty-ninth Year -MX.'?' ; - . . ...... . (Acmt Rritlio-Telephato) WET LANDING These American soldiers started out for Prance with full equipment and plenty of com pany, but finally landed the bard way coming ashore In a life raft alter thslr landing craft had been sunk. Slsnal Corps radlo-ielephoto. HEARING SLATED FRIDAY, JUNE 23 Public hearing on the 1944- 1945 Jackson county budget will be held in the courthouse auditorium-Friday, June 23, starting at 10 a. m. The budget calls for the raising of $383,560.28 by tax levy. This is an increase of 2.3 per cent over last year. Figures compiled by the coun ty clerk's office show an in crease of 208 per cent in estim ated county receipts for the 1944-1945 tax year, over 1934, one of the depression years. "Hie 1944-1945 receipts are estimated in the budget at $433,596. In 1934 they were $140,650. The current budget shows a 22.4 in crease over the 1934 budget total. The estimated receipts in both years, are for those re ceived from sources other than taxation. The increase is due to higher receipts from the government, and receipts of county offices due to an increase in business in the ten year . period. These in clude fees for marriage licenses which boomed during the two years Camp White was main tained at full strength, deed rec ords, receipts from the O-C land grant taxes, sale of county land and timber, and other sources. Radio Highlights 7:45 p. m., NBC Red, "New Business for Small Business," discussion between Sen. James E. Murray, of Montana, and Maury Maverick, chairman Smaller War Plants Corporation. Center B burgh of Japan." Returning crew members today jubilantly de scribed the raid as "most suc cessful." It was announced officially that preliminary reports showed heavy damage to the imperial steel mills at Yawata and that two of our aircraft were miss ing. Japs Given Notice The crew men said the raid served notice on the Japanese that the Industrial heart of their empire Is marked for the same type of systematic destruction that was heaped on the Ruhr. Our super-fortresses set ablaze the Imperial Iron and Steel Mills, the largest in the empire, whose blast furnaces and coke ovens produce one-fifth of Jap an's steel. "It looked like we knocked hell out of the place," Lt. Robert Winters, Wichita, Kans., one of the returned fliers, said. Pilots said the attack arpar- oully caught the Japanese off Full Leased Wire rA" German Civilians in Italy Ordered Home Immediately Bern, June 16 (U.R) Reports from the Italian frontier said tonight that German authorities had ordered all German ci vilians living in Italian territory to return to the Reich imme diately a move regarded in some quarters as foreshadowing a Nazi military evacuation of The orders affecting all Ger man civilians in Italy were sent to German consulates in occu pied , Italy yesterday, the fron tier reports said. No explana tion accompanied them. The move came after a Ger man military flight of nearly 100 miles north of Rome and when Allied advices from Italy were referring to the likelihood of a quick drive to Florence. Allied Headquarters, Naples, June 16 (U.R) Fifth army troops sweeping northward up Italy have plunged through more towns and taken Grosseto, 90 miles northwest of Rome and 65 miles below Florence, it was announced officially today. DRAFT LAW VIOLATOR TAKEN TO PORTLAND Joseph Pierpont Morgan, held in the county jail as a selective service law violator, was taken to Portland today by Deputy U. S. Marshal Paul Hanlin, He has been detained here for three days. The first name of the pris oner being Joseph, fellow pris oners facetiously referred to him as J. Pierpont Morgan. . Norwell, Mass.,. June, 16. (U.R) Apparently the victim of a sex fiend, the body of 10-yoar-old Frances McGrath, daughter of a former Boston city councilor, was discovered in a patch of woods here today after a week long search. ' - 29 Target; Western China Air Bases guard. Most of the pilots said they encountered no fighters and the flak was inaccurate. Colorful Show Capt. Ira Matthews, Fayette, Ala., said, "it was as colorful as a Fourth of July celebration no kidding." First news that the planes were over the target was flash ed back to base by radio from MaJ. Donald Humphrey of Potts ville, la. . Lt. Col. William S. Blanchard, Boston, raced into the map-lined wardroom in which MaJ. Gen. George Stratcmcyer, Brig. Gen. Kenneth B. Wolfe, and the 20th bomber command staff were sweating it out. "I have the pleasure to an nounce that Betty is over the target at 10:50," Blanchard shouted. Wolfe's tense face broke Into grin and he said: ' This is only the beginning of our organized destruction of the Japanese industrial cmpire." MAil, SOCKET MISSIIIS ntMMRIBUNE MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1944. w - Italy. TO CRATER OPEN TO TRAFFIC The road to Crater Lake is open to the rim from both the south and the west, according to a report from the office of the National Park service here yes terday. Crews have cleared a parking space near the lake which will accommodate about 20 cars and it is expected that this will be enlarged before Sun day. Park officials point out that while the roads are open, due to the weather being unsettled there may be fog at the park and persons arriving there may be ) unable to see the lake. It was also stated that there are no facilities at the lake for camp ing, for servicing of cars, for meals, lodging or fishing. The trail from the rim of the lake down to the lake has not yet been cleared. Snow in the lake area Is still about four feet deep, the crews reported. The name of the tow" of Manteca is, derived from the Spanish mantcauilla. meaning I butter. Wolfe then authorized corres pondents to reveal that the B 29's had made an earlier raid on June 5 when they bombed the Makasan. railway shops at Bangkok, Siam, through which Japanese supplies pass into Burma. The Slam raid was described as a "maximum strike," intend ed as a shakedown flight for the B-29s and their crews prepara tory to the Yawata raid. Re sults were described as "good to excellent." The planes on the Japan raid started out after a briefing at which the crews were told: "If there ever was a Juicy tar get, this is it." By Walter Rundle UP War Correspondent A Secret American Base, Re mote Western China, June 16. (U.R) -Great secret air bases from which American B-29s took off yesterday to bomb Japan were planned at th Cairo conference and lushed to com SHATTER FIERCE Invasion Forces Sweep For ward From Beachhead- Latest Landing Important Washington, June 16 (U.R) A U. S. carrier task force ven tured within 600 miles of Tokyo on Wednesday to blast Japanese bases in the Bonin and Volcano islands, the navy revealed late today. The task force destroyed 47 enemy planes, sank two ships and damaged 10 other surface craft, the navy said. American losses were four planes and five men. Pearl Harbor, June 16 flJ.PJ American invasion forces, shat tering fierce Japanese counter attacks against their Saipan beachhead, swept forward today against principal island installa tions, Including the town of Garapan, to exploit their land ings. Progress of assault forces at Aginan' Point at the southwest ern end of the island indicated the situation was satisfactory and that further gains were expected. Earlier reports said that assault troops broke through enemy de fenses at the point, turned back several armored counterattacks and struck in to Charan Kanoa. The attempt to seize Saipan was considered significant in the light of its possibilities as a cen tral Pacific base. It now appears that the American high com mand deliberately timed the B 29 raid against Japan with wide spread assaults in the Pacific in one of the greatest single series of attacks against the enemy. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, in his second communique on the operations, said fighting was heavy but his troops were mak ing "good progress" in their drive through Saipan, lying strategically in the middle of Japans central Pacific Island chain 1449 miles southeast of Tokyo. The Invasion of Saipan, a volcanic-peaked island 15V4 miles long and 4V4 miles wide, outflanked the enemy's import ant Caroline islands and placed the American front line within five hours flying time of Japan. San Francisco, June 16 (U.R) The management of San Fran cisco's renowned Hotel St. Francis today confirmed its sale to an eastern syndicate headed by Benjamin Swig of Boston for a ronorteH 5 000.000. believed to be the largest outright sale, price paid for a single real es tate holding in California. pletion in four months by thou sands of Chinese farmers and la borers who undertook the most massive construction project here since the great wall of China was built centuries ago. Under the direction of 26 American army engineers, 400, 000 Chinese, working with little else than their hands, converted ancient rice paddles Into taxi strips and hard stands which meet the most exacting engineer ing specifications. These Chinese, drawn from their farms and towns in the lush plains of western China not far from the towering mountains rimming Tibet, sweated and toll ed hauling 158,000 tons of rock and sand which went into these vast bomber bases with their several thousand foot runways and inner and outer ramps. 5000 Laborers A few weeks ago, I stood on the platform of a newly-completed control tower and looked across a heaving sea ol 5,000 United Press Full Leased Wire 7 V J NORMANDY j j oM - VX v. Mai fSk. C ' ArronchM )fy FRANCE u r.rt.-Mor ' 0 10 20 B0 40 ' (Acmei Ttlephoto) 30 MILES INLAND! American and British mobile lorces sm&sh through center of German's Normandy defense lines at Caumont and Vllleri Bocage while patrols race southward beyond Le Beny-Bocage, 38 miles inland and far beyond outflanked bases of Caen and St. Lo. T TO BE INSTALLED AT ROGUE RIVER Rogue River, June 16 Ore gon's first high-grade, low-cost agricultural limestone plant and distribution system is being con structed by the Sullivan Lime company, W. B. Sullivan, Rogue River, and H. B. Jorgcnsen, Sil verton, announced this week. Price of the ground agricul tural milestone in carload lots at Rogue River will be $2.75 a ton, it is announced. The plant to handle 300 tons of ground limestone daily is be ing built on the Southern Pacific railroad siding here. The lime will be distributed from bunkers to be constructed at various points In Willamette valley. It will be handled through farm co operatives in the vicinity. Under the plan, the farmer will receive his lime shipment directly on his truck from the bunker at the time he wishes to spread the lime on his fields. The deposit of limestone, run- ning 88 per cent eolclum car bonate, Is known as the Bristol deposit and is located on Foots creek. The rock will be loaded by power shovel onto trucks to be transported six and a half miles to the grinding plant at Rogue River, Construction of the "agstone" plant has rcclcved high priority rating from the War Production hopes to be in operation by I August ' straw-hatted Chinese laborers, scattered as far as the eye reached. Thousands of crude baskets dangled from bamboo poles bal anced over the stooped shoulders of the Chinese filing in endless procession along the roads lead ing to the field. They carried carefully selected water-worn rock taken from rivers, many of them miles away, for 20-inch foundation runways and hard stands for parked planes. Else where groups of coolies with h'immcrs crushed stono for the filler layers, while crews of women fitted the stones into place and painstakingly tupped them Into the ground by hand. 'This would be a good-sized Job at home with modern equip ment," army engineers told me. . "Hera it s hard even to realize what we're doing." From the control tower the field presented a fantastic pano rama. Croups ol 13 to 40 formers, NO. 73. TO E Republican precinct commit teemen and committeewomen se lected at the May primary elec tion will meet Thursday, June 22, in the basement dining room of the Medford Hotel, it was an nounced today by Kenneth Den man, Medford, retiring chairman of the Republican central com mittee for Jackson county. The meeting will open at 7:30 p. m. New officers will be elected and other committee business transacted during the meeting, according to Denman, who will preside until his successor is elected. Democrats of the county have also scheduled their precinct committeemen's meeting for the same date and will meet on the mezzanine floor of the Medford Hotel at 8 p. m. Y.M.C.A. COMMITTEES APPOINTED BY ELLIOTT Committee members who will work out details of a program for the newly organized Medford Y. M. C. A., aid with the selec tion of the association's person nel, and plan the budget, have been announced by Dr. B. R. Elliott, president. Serving on the program com mlttce will be the Rev. Harry W. Hansen, Mrs. Karl Brockhaus and Homer Blum. Named to the personnel committee are Mrs. Dolph Phipps, Frank Redden and A. C. Pierce while Tony Mnnno, Mrs. Richard Payne and Rnlph Cook will make up the budget committee. Revealed each with the name of his native village painted in black and red characters on a white banner, filed by. They were shifts which moved all day to and from indi vidual proJccts men from one village broke rocks, those from another carried water in buck ets. Lines of 50 to 200 Chinese chanted as they tugged at ropes to drag eight-ton hand-hewn sandstone rollers the local ver sion of a steam roller over the hand-placed rocks on the field. Sales to date in the Fifth War Loan Drive S505,804.50 "E" Sales $112,137.50 Quota . $600,000 Total Quota for County 12,262.000 WOOSH ACROSS LIKE Fi BALLS Fantastic Stream of Pilot less Nazi Bombers Blasts Southern, London Area. London, June 16. (UP) A fantastic stream of pilotless Nazi bombers rained fire and explo sives across southern England all last night and through the morn ing hours today, and Radio Ber lin said the robot fleet had smashed at London itself in "the beginning of vengeance" for the allied attacks on Germany. Adolf Hitler finally had laun ched his boasted secret weapon against Britain and the mighty invasion arsenal piled up on the island, and British official sour ces made no effort to minimize the gravity of the attack. Counter Promised All southern England was alerted, and Home Secretary Herbert Morrison confirmed the existence of the robot raldera and promised immediate coun teraction, in a statement to com mons. A German high command communique said south England and the London city area were bombed last night with "new type explosives of very heavy caliber," and Berlin military commentators boasted that the mysterious raiders were "a new anti-invasion weapon of the greatest effect." "The new weapon used against England is the beginning of vengeance" for the "barbaric" allied bombing of the Nazi home land, one enemy commentator Gaid. - Also Carry Guns Reports from eyewitnesses who watched the Wellsian pa rade swoosh across southern England during the night pour ed into official London today, including one account that told of automatic machine guns rak ing the countryside. Flashing across the night skies like a string of fiery comets, the mysterious projectiles whooshed down on scores of unidentified districts in southern England, ex ploding into gigantic balls of fire. Eyewitness accounts of the raid varied, but all reports indi cated that the missiles weie either rocket-bombs or radio controlled planes crammed with high explosives set to go off within a matter of seeonds after striking the ground. High Speed Observers said the projectiles came over at terrific speeds, singly or in groups of two or three, some soaring 3,000 feet or more in the air and others slam ming over the rooftops in level flight. RAF night fighter pilots went up to challenge the robot raid ers, diving recklessly through a terrific hail of fink thrown up by the British ground defenses in an effort to explode them in mid-air. Many of the projectiles were believed to have been hit and eyewitnesses reported seeing tre mendous explosions high over head. Many more fell with tefific Impact on the countryside, and preliminary reports indicated that considerable damage and casualties resulted. Rescue squads still were digging through ine wreckage for victims in a number of southern districts this afternoon. United States Marauder Base, Eng., June 1 6 U.R) Ninth air force marauder and havoc crews, sworn to secrecy, were revealed today to have pounded the Nazis' "secret weapon" in stallations glnco last November, dropping a total of nearly 11,000 tons of bombs on the tiny tnrgets in the face of desperate fink barrages. The Ninth air force made more than 7,000 separate at tacks in an attempt to knock out the guns before they could be completed and trained on southern Kngland. The tonnage they dropped is in addition to thousands of additional tons dropped by the Eighth air force's heavy bombers. Industrial accidents last year took the lives of 18.400 Amer ican workers, according to the U. S. department of labor,
