Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 20, 1944)
Yankee Shock Troops Storm Cherbourg Outer Defenses PORT WILL FALL SAY OBSERVERS Nazis Given No Chance for Sea Escape Defenders Are Badly Demoralized. Allied Supreme Headquar ters, London, June 20 (U.R) American shock troops stormed the outer defenses of Cherbourg five to six miles from the heart of the city today, and 14 miles to the southeast captured Mon tebourg, one of the most bitter ly defended German bastions encountered In the Normandy invasion. Lt. Gen. Omar N." Bradley's forces drove in to clamp an as sault arc against Cherbourg, reaching its suburbs in some sectors, beating down German resistance so disorganized in some places that observers pre dicted the great French port would be in American hands within two days. 30,000 Doomed Naval authorities at supreme headquarters put the seal of doom on the survivors of an es timated 30,000 Germans grabbed by the U. S. drive across the Cherbourg peninsula, declaring that they had virtual ly no chance of evacuation by sea. Toppling German strong points behind the Cherbourg defenses in a concentric drive against the port, the Americans seized Montebourg and a num ber of lesser villages, and 10 miles southeast of Cherbourg Invested Valognes - from the east, west, and southeast. Other U. S. forces bending back the center of the German defense line around the Norman beachhead drove to within two miles of St. Lo, rail and high way hub at the base of the Cherbourg peninsula. Farther around the Allied front, British troops seized Hot tot, two miles southwest of cap tured Tilly-Sur-Seulles. On Wide Front' The converging push against Cherbourg appeared to encom pass the entire front below the port. The Americans held Mon tebourg In strength and were clamping an assault rc sgninst Valognes, four miles to the northwest. Whether the outer defenses of Cherbourg could be carried on the momentum built up during the smash up the peninsula, or whether Bradley would have to call a halt to move up heavy forces while artillery pounds a way into the town was any body's guess, but many of the guessers were on the port being taken in short order. Moscow, June 20 (U.R) So viet vanguards reached the out skirts of Viipuri, back door to the Finnish mainland and Hel sinki, today and front dispatches indicated the enemy's retreat had been turned into a com plete debacle. Russian tanks and infantry, converging on Viipuri over high ways and forest trails on a big arc from southwest to east, captured town after town intact and swept on in pursuit of the fleeing Finns. The Finnish army appeared to have been disorganized com pletely by the Red army's swift smashing of the Maijnerhelm line and two other defense lines farther south in the Karelian isthmus in the first 11 days of an offensive designed to knock Finland out of the war. (Finnish quarters in Stock holm forecast the fall of Viipuri within 48 hours.) Collaboration Plank Is Favored For GOP Washington, June 20 U.R) A six-man republican platform subcommittee, it was disclosed today, has unanimously recom mended a condensed version of the party's mackinac declaration for postwar international col laboration as one of the planks in the 1944 GOP platform. SIDE GLANCES Br TRIBUNE REPORTERS Leland Brophy gloomily re viewing all the trials and tribu lations of farming. Richard Payne turning into the man-of-the-hour by discov ering and reporting a fire at Valentine's. Maury Spatz explaining that his case of poison oak was un doubtedly caused by touching some of those kind of leave. my, IViEDFORDttl R I BUM United Press Thirty-ninth Year jff" (Acme) Telephoto) GERMANY'S SECRET WEAPON ROBOT PLANES Here is an artist's conception of a German robot plane, made from British Home Security drawings. The pilotless aircraft has a 16-foot wlngspan, Is 35 feet lonz and carries the equivalent of a 2000-pound bomb. The propulsion unit is mounted above the plane's tail. 2 Eugene, Ore., June 20 U.R) Officials of the Oregon State Federation of Labor today awaited a ruling from national headquarters of the American Federation of Labor on the State Federation ousting of dele gates from five unions, an action taken in annual convention ses sions here that included election of state officers. New officers, elected at final sessions Sunday, are: Volney Martin, Portland, pres ident; John O'Neill, Portland, secretary-treasurer; Charles W. Crary, Medford, vice president; John Gillard, guard, and Ted Fry, conductor. Executive board members named included District 10, Don Stancell. . - - , . - Delegates outd, for asserted failure to affiliate, with their district councils, were from the following locals: Eugene Carpenters, Corvallis Laborers, Grants Pass Carpen ters, Tillamook Laborers and Medford Carpenters. At the Medford Labor Tem ple W. M. Garfield, manager of the Medford Carpenter's local, stated that William L. Coombs was the Medford delegate to the convention. Mr. Garfield had not been informed of the convention's action and could make no statement until hear ing from Mr. Coombs. Crary, named .vice - president of the Oregon State Federation, is business manager of the Med ford Electrician's Union, Local 659. Stancell, elected to the ex ecutive board as a representa tive from District 10, is secre tary of the Medford Teamsters' Union, Local 962. HETMlBONS NEW NAZjSEGRET London, June 10 (U.R) The Germans introduced another "se cret weapon" today, a foot square box which rises to a height of 6000 to 8000 feet and then springs open to release long, silvery strips apparently in tended to foul the propellers of attacking airplanes. The strange new anti-aircraft missile was used for the first time today In attempts to de fend robot plane launching pat forms behind Pas de Calais from Allied air attack. It was report ed to have been completely in effective. Airmen speculated that the strips, apparently metallic, were designed to foul propellers, but others believed it was more like ly that they were aimed to throw off whatever device the Allies us to locate and bomb targets through the clouds a condition which prevailed over much of the Pas de Calais today. Dr. Hedges Elected Chiropractic Chief Portland, Ore., June 20 U.R) Dr. A. R. Hedges, Medford, is the new president of the Oregon Association of Chiropratic Phy sicians. Other officers elected at the meeting here Monday night were Dr. J. W. Sargent, Portland, vice president Dr. Charles H. Rhoades, Portland, secretary treasurer; Dr. R. D. Ketchum, Bend, Oregon representative to the National Chiropractic as sociation, and Dr. Roy L. Dunn, Roseburg, Chaplain. Full Leased Wire Tlf nn.t.. I Four Big Nazi Oil Centers Blown Up By Yankee Planes London, June 20 U.R) A record fleet of 2250 American heavy bombers and fighters blasted four big Nazi oil centers in to roaring pillars of fire today. " The mighty blow at the heart of -the German war machine evoked only meager opposition from the battered Luftwaffe. Switching suddenly from the i tactical campaign against enemy communications in northern France, the 8th Air Force sent well over 1500 Flying Fortresses and Liberators and half as many fighters over northwestern Ger many to bomb and burn syn thetic and natural oil refineries at Hamburg, Hannover, Magde burg and Poelitz. Other American heavies crossed the Straits of Dover to smash for the third time in 24 hours at the robot plane cata pults in the Pas de Calais area. Staggering Blow The staggering blow at Ger many's fast-dwindling oil re sources was carried out in per fect weather that enabled the American sky giants to lay their high explosives and incendiaries squarely across the targets, They came over their objec tives almost unopposed and left great billowing columns of smoke and flame towering thou sands of feet in the air. Two hundred miles away on their homeward flight, the American crewmen still saw black smoke clouds, evidence of the success of their attack. PROPERTY VALUES GROW IN COUNTY Total net taxable valuation of property in Jackson county has been placed it $27,747,670 for the 1944-1945 tax year, as shown in the annual summary by the assessor's office. This is an increase of $633,700 over the 1943-1944 tax year when it was $27,113,970. Assessor C. A. My ers reported there was an in crease in the valuations and a cut in the tax levy. The above figures do not include the pub lic utility valuations which are fixed by the state. Real property vale Is fixed at $22,847 110, an increase over last year when it was $22,113,- 970. The personal property valu ation is listed at $4,900,560, an increase of $110 over last year. An Increase is shown In the number of beef cattle, dairy cows and poultry,, with hogs lower and sheep and goats with only a small gain. Y Purchase of the old Jackson County Bank building at the northeast corner of Main street and Central avenue was an nounced yesterday by Leland Brophy, Medford Jeweler. The building was owned by the United States National Bank of Portland houses the Lantis and Johnson shoe store, the Law rence Jewelry store and Herman Nigl's shoe repair shop. At the time of purchasing the bank building Mr. Brophy as quired a 12'i-year lease on the Vawter building adjacent on Main street and which houses his Jewelry business, the Needle Art shop and Dr. Frank A. Freeburger'f office. LAUCK U.S. SUB GRAYBACK BELIEVED LOST IN PACIFIC THEATER Washington, June 20 (U.R) The navy today announced the loss of the 1,475-ton U. S. sub marine Grayback, presumably in the Pacific whera American snhmerslhles are taking a high toll of Japanese shipping. Skipper of the vessel, who was listed as missing along with the ship's complement of ap proximately 65 men, was Cmrd. John A. Moore, of Memphis, Tenn. The first U. S. submarine to be announced lost in three months, the Grayback was ap proximately 299 feet long with a 27-foot beam. The vessel was commissioned in June 1941. It is the fifth un dersea craft of its class to be lost in the war. The Grayback is the 24th American submarine and the 160th naval vessel sunk in this war. American submarines in the Pacific have sunk 607 Jap anese vessels, probably sunk 36, and damaged at least 115 more. The Grayback, under Moore's command, had been credited with sinking an auxiliary cruis er and two freighters on one mission for which Moore was awarded the Navy Cross. Henry Wallace In Chungking To See Chiang Kai Shek Chungking, June 20. (U.R) Vice President Henry A. Wal lace arrived in Chungking to day with personal representa tives of Gen. Chiang Kai Shek and American Ambassador Clar ence Gauss who flew with him from Sinkiang, China's vast western province. Wallace and the Generalis simo rode together in an auto mobile to Chiang's residence where they had tea. In the wel coming party were Dr. T. V. Soong, Chinese foreign minister; Dr. Sun Fo, president of the leg islative Yuan of the Chinese na tional government; U. S. Ambas sador Clarence Gauss and other members of the American diplo matic corps. "I come from Siberia, one of the newest lands, to begin my visit In one of the oldest," Wal lace said at the air field. He said he had entered China via Sinkiang, "through the back door, but I believe developments of the coming years will prove me right in saying I've entered through the new front door." BOLT HITS AEfolAL ON GOLD HILL RESIDENCE Gold Hill, June 20 (Spl.) Lightning struck an aerial pole at the home of Mrs. Joe Blair, during Sunday's electrical storm, ripping shreds of wall paper and insulating paper from the walls of an upstairs room, where Iron bolts held the aerial in position from the inside. For tunately the paper did not Ig nite, although it was badly scorched in streaks. A large ra- Idio, downstairs was silenced. MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 194 POWERFUL AMERICAN AND JAP FLEETS MAY TANGLE IN FAR WESTERN PACIFIC BRITISH WIPE OUT ISOLATED NAZIS IN OLDPERUGIA Germans Resume Retreat to North Alone Entire 150 Mile Italian Battlefront. Rome .June 20 (U.R) British 8th army wiped out isolated Ger-, man rear guards in the streets of the ancient cathedral town of Perugia today as French colon ials smashed the last organized resistance on Elba after a light ning 78-hour campaign that cost the enemy 500 dead and wound ed and more than 1,900 prison ers. Official reports disclosed that the Germans had resumed their retreat to the north along all the 150-mile Italian battlefront un der savage attack by allied war planes and the pursuing 5th and 8th army ground columns. 27.000 Prisoners Approximately 27,000 enemy prisoners already had been rounded up by the advancing al lies since the start of their of fensive little more than a month ago and the bag was mounting rapidly. 1 Bad weather that limited aerial operations and left trucks and troop cars bogged deep in mud appeared to be the major factor slowing the allied advance on all fronts, and there was no indication that the enemy was I yet ready to stand and fight in force. 1 The Elba campaign, mean-j while, came to a blazing climax at noon today when the last Nazi stragglers and snipers were rounded up and killed or cap tured. Halt Repair Work On Old Normandie New York, June 20 (U.R) The former French luxury liner Normandie, now the U.S.S. Lafayette, is lying idle at the Todd shipyards, and no repair work is being done on the ship once scheduled for conversion into an American troon ship. "The Lafayette remains at the Todd shipyards in Brook lyn for preservation," an offi cer of the third naval district said. ' The Lafayette burned and capsized at her Hudson river pier in February, 1942, as she was undergoing conversion from passenger liner to navy uses. She was raised at a cost of $3,750,000. Surprise Attack By Naval Task Force Hammers Matsuwa Island, Key Jap Base By Rusiall Annabel United Press Staff Correspondent Aboard a United Stales Flag ship Off Matsuwa Island, June 13 (Delayed) (U.R) A strong naal task force ghosted In through dense fog before dawn this morning to surprise Jnpan's key naval and air ferry base on Matsuwa Island in the central Kurlles and subject the instal lations to a half-hour bombard ment, the heaviest ever deliv ered in this sector of the Pacific front. The warships making the dar ing foray under the command of Rear Adm. Ernest Gregor Small, Washington, D. C, steamed in under enemy coast defense bat teries and threw In a terrific volume of fire before the Jap guns could open up or enemy bombers could get Into the air. Complete Surprise The surprise was so complete and the effect of the shelling so demoralizing that no resist ance developed so far as the commanders could dctermint. Only a few wild shot were fired in return. The strike was the deepest penetration yet made In force into Japanese waters, for Mat suwa lies only 400 miles from the big, thickly populated north ern home island of Hokkaido and 900 miles from Tokyo. The action was coordinated UnlU L BY REMAINSJN BILL House Insists On Amend ment to Ag. Department Appropriation. Washington, June 20 U.R) The house insisted by a vote of 219 to 124 today on retaining in the agricultural department ap propriation bill an amendment to ban "political or lobbying" activities of department em ployes. The house also voted to cut funds for the farm security ad ministration but concurred in a senate-approved provision allo cating $1,500,000 to cover opera tion of the farm tenancy act and $40,000,000 for rural electrifica tion administration loans. The conference report on the measure now goes to the senate with strong indications that it will be returned to the confer ence committee for further ef forts to resolve differences. Extend GuayuU The house earlier had voted 299 to 43 to extend the $35, 000,000 guayule rubber experi mental program. The house reduced farm secur ity administration funds for lend ing activities from $96 710,000 to $67,500,000 and cut the ad ministrative fund from $28,265,- 000 to $26,000 000. Rep. John Tuber, R , N. Y., op posing the granting of any funds at all to FSA, charged that ad ministrative costs represent 39 per cent of the total appropria tion. L FREED FOR DRINK Washington, June 20 flJ.R) War Production Board Chair man Donald M. Nelson today notified distillers that their August Industrial alcohol output will not be needed, freeing their facilities for the manufacture of more than 50,000,000 gallons of whiskey. Nelson said he made the de cision after Rubber Director Bradley Dewey advised him that alcohol requirements for the synthetic rubber program will be about 20,000,000 gallons less than had been estimated for 1944 and about 30,000,000 gal lons less than expected for 1945. with naval operations taking place In the central Pacific and, according to the commanders, was unique as one of the few times a naval force has attacked an enemy air base without fighter support and the first time such an operation has been carried out in heavy fog. During the half-hour bombard ment, approximately 5,300 pro jectiles were hurled into the one and one-half square mile base, equalling the bomb load of around 120 Liberators. The ac tion was supported along the Kurile chain by bombers of the 11th AAF and Venturas of Fleet Air Wing Four. Before the attack, a bugle call sounded general quarters through the steel passageways of this warship at 3:30 a. m, In Thick Fog The task force turned In to ward Matsuwa, knifing through the grey fleece of the fog, so thick you can't see the length of the ship. For three days we had been hoping to get within range be fore the enemy detected us, and now It was beginning to appear that we were going to achieve a complete surprise. We were so close to Japan proper any thing could happen. We knew the enemy had warships, bomb ers and submarines which could be used against us. The Japs -FuU Leai.d Wire mil itii&ilM i-i--. (Acme) Telephoto) ITALY PREMIER Ivanoe Bo nomi, Italy's new premier and for mer underground leader, who suc ceeded Badogllo when King Victor Emmanuel delegated his powers, FEAR CHANGSHA TAKEN BY JAPS Chungking, June 20 (U.R) Japanese forces have broken into and probably captured the flam ing city of Changsha after a whirlwind three-week offensive through Hunan province that threatens to cut China In two and Isolate her from her western allies, a communique disclosed today. More than 50,000 Japanese shock troops, Including picked veterans rushed down from Man churia, launched the final as sault on Changsha Sunday, at tacking behind a massive aerial and artillery bombardment. By mid-day, the city's outer defenses were beaten flat and the Invaders smashed into the streets, while strafing fighter planes turned Its crowded build ings Into flaming torches. Bitter street fighting ranged on until nightfall when Chung king lost radio contact with the outnumbered defenders, and it was indicated they had been forced to surrender the city, a key point on the Canton-Hankow railway. BABE WINS - Chicago, June 20 U.R Babe Didkriksen Zaharias, using her superior power to recover from many off-kilter shots, defeated Margaret Russell of Detroit, 4 and 3, today in the initial match of the 15th women's western open golf tournament. would not be expecting an at tack In such weather, because no such operation ever before had been carried out In the fog. At 5:15 a. in., I . t out onto the wing of the brid' e. I didn't hear the warning nuzzcr and was crossing the platform when the first salvo was fired. There was a dazzling flash, a wave of heat and then a thunderous concussion. I thought "Ihey got us a di rect hit on the bridge" before I realized it was our own guns. Half Hour Hammernig The fog-shrouded task force hammered the unseen island for half an hour, maneuvering all the while at top speed, each ship maintaining its appointed position. It was a deadly war drama of the sort you could hardly believe even while taking part In it. It was certainly too much for the Japs, with the shatter ing rain of high capacity shells breaking among their hangars, barracks and supply dumps. The shelling was so demoral izing, they fired only a few errptic shots, and none of our ships was touched. We had no casualties, either combat or op erational, and not an enemy plane took off to offer resist ance. If there were any Japa nese warships nl the area, they prudently retired. Weather Forecait: Cloudy with show ers tonight and Wednesday. Slightly cooler. Temp. Highest wterday 84 Lowest thla morning 60 Precipitation oast 24 bra, . M NO. 76. JAPANESE LOSE 300 PLANES IN Futile Stab at U. S. Task Force Seen Tip-off Jap Carriers Near Squadron. By United Press Powerful units of the Amer ican and Japanese imperial fleets prowled the war western Pacific virtually within battle range to day, after a desperate air-sea fight in which the enemy lost more thon 300 planes In a futile strike at the big U. S. task force supporting the invasion of the Marianas islands. Displncnra thnf mnma Af 4fc emy planes were launched from turners raised me possibility that the Japanese naval com mand might at last be ready to risk its battle fleet in defense of the Marianas, only four hours' flying time from Tokyo. One U. S. Ship Damaged The Japanese were believed to have sent a strong task force. Including carriers and escoi ting warships, within range of the American task force to launch their attack Sunday. There was no official comment on that pros pect from Admiral Chester W. Nlmltz' Pearl Harbor headquar ters. The abortive attack on the American fleet off the Mari anas cost the Japanese the bulk of their striking force and re sulted in damage to only one U. S. ship. American plane losses were not announced Immediately, but the enemy's casualties were the heaviest they have suffered sine the climactic battle of Mid way, more than two years ago, when about the same number of Japanese aircraft were de stroyed. Many of those planes, however, went down with their wrecked carriers. Take Asliio Field The crushing blow to Japan' waning aerial strength came as American marines and army troops fought their way across the southern end of Salpan isl and In the Marianas and cap tured the Asllto airdrome. Sea bees wero reported already at work repairing the 3600-foot lanning Held which, If extended. comn accommodate the B-29 Suoer-Fnrtrna new A JannnpiA vm.. .!-.. aid 30,000 American troops had been landed no Sairan. It claimed that Japanese planes wero attacking the supporting American fleet continuously and that they sank Six U. S. Wflrhln tamltttaA It others, and shot oown more than ' pianes since June 12 Other American air forces were on the attack over the cen tral and southwest Pacific, smashing at Truk and Rebaul. IROWCTED L George Moro was elected to a three-year director's term at the annual school election of the Griffin Creek district held last night. R. R. Childs, who has served on the hoard for the past 12 years, declined election for another term. Harold Tolle will serve ai chairman for the coming year and the third member of the boord is Roy Guches. Patrons at the meeting accept ed the financial statement and approved a tentative budget sub mltted by the board. Mrs. Myrtle Wilson was reelected as school clerk. Sales to date In the Fifth War Loan Drive 8762,502 "E" Sale! , Quota , ..$171,637.50 .SBOO.000 Total Quota for County 12.262,000
