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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1945)
Yankee Invaders Smash Halfway Across Okinawa; British Armored Force in Dr -e to Liberate Holland NAZI REIMS FLEE EASTWARD TO ESCAPE NET Vanguard of Tommies 74 Miles Southwest Bremen Yanks Close Ruhr Ring Paris, April 2. (U.R) British armored divisions drove more than 15 miles beyond Muenster today and struck for Bremen and the Dutch North sea ports in a bid to knock out the Na2i V-bomb bases and liberate Hol land. Armored vanguards of the British second and Canadian first armies were 74 miles south west of Bremen, Germany's see ond nort. and about the same distance south of the Dutch sea coast. Resistance Broken German resistance was broken all along the broad British front and a swift dash to the coast that would complete the liberation of Holland appeared well under way. Official reports said the Bril ish and supporting American units were in Muenster and 13 miles beyond at an undisclosed point. Berlin spokesmen placed the allies 36 miles farther east on both sides of Bielefeld, 189 miles from Berlin. Remnants of the German 25th possibly 50,000 strong, were rac ing eastward from the Dutch seacoast in disorderly flight to escape the British tank columns closing across their line of re treat. Yanks Close Ring Simultaneously, the American first and ninth armies closed an armored ring around the Ruhr, and perhaps 150,000 crack Nazi troops were trapped in the in dustrial basin. At the center of the collapsed German battle screen, Lt. Gen George S. Patton's third army tanks drove more than half-way I across the reich to within 152 miles of Berlin. Field Marshal Sir Bernard L Montgomery's 21st army group headquarters lifted the securit blackout on the British second army today to reveal that the Britons were in and beyond the Westphalian capital of Muenster, 227 miles west of Berlin. Scottish and English veterans of 1 Alamein and Montgomery's march across North Africa were out in front of the blazing tank drive that promised to clear the Nazis from all Holland in a mat ter of days and lay open the short road to Berlin. Osnabrueck Msnaced Osnabrueck, 27 miles north northeast of Muenster, was men aced by the British advance. Tank columns stabbing in from the west were reported eight miles from the -Hy this morning and going fast. Forty-six miles west of Osna brueck, the British captured Enschede, the main escape port for the German 25th army flee ing Holland. Allied fliers swarming over the battle area reported that the Germans were abandoning Hoi land at top speed, giving up their V-bomb bases on the sea- coast opposite London. At least 10 British tank col umns were through the German battle screen, with their eastern most units 190 miles or less due west of Berlin. Batln Enveloped All of the Ruhr basin, Ger many's last and greatest military arsenal, was enveloped by the American first and ninth armies and doughboys of the two strik ing forces were driving in swift ly from the west, north and east to finish off the remnants of 16 German divisions caught in the 4,500 square mile pocket Estimates on the size of trap ped enemy force ranged all the way from 30,000 to 100,000 troops, comprising the last ma jor fighting force left to the Nazis in northwestern Germany. On the seventh army's right flank, vanguards of the French first army were across the Rhine in force on a front of more than 12 miles. Late dispatches said the French were more than 19 miles beyond the Rhine and moving fast toward Stuttgardt. 31 miles southeast of their ad vanced spearheads. French On Move The avenging French army, led by fierce Moroccan and Al gerian veterans, were heading for the castle town of Sigmarin gen, 46 miles south of Stuttgardt where the aged Marshal Henri Petain and the traitor Pierre Laval last were reported hiding Medford United Press Fortieth Year Where Yanks Made Latest Landing J-i-r..' . v .r. RAZED BY BLAZE Fire early this morning com pletely destroyed the planing building of the Southern Oregon Planing Mill company at Cen tral Point. Damage was esti mated at $15,000 with insurance partially covering the building. state police -said. The mill, which is operated by Harry G. Dowson and A. W. Lingaas, had been operating about an hour this morning when it was shut down .because of a broken conveyor cnain. A workman noticed a fire in a 100 horsepower motor which spread rapidly, engulfing the mill, police said. The Central Point fire depart ment was called but the blaze had gained too much headway to be extinguished. The office building and filing shed were saved, according to police. Three freight curs on a siding to be loaded were moved out of dan ger, but only after one had been slightly damaged by the fire. There was a t-artial loss to stock, police said. Lingaas could give no expla nation for the motor catching fire. He said plans for rebuild ing the mill had not been dis cussed as yet. out under protection of the Gestapo. Even more sensational ad vances were reeled off at the northern end of the battlefront, where Field Marshal Sir Ber nard L. Montgomery's American and British forces of the 21st army group were sweeping al most unchallenged across the Wes'phalian plain on the wide open roads to Berlin and the north German seaports. Montgomery's American ninth British second and Canadian first armies were operating under a complete spcurity black cut that cloaked the location of their foremost units. Full Leased Wire rf ii'.. itrm l WAR BOND RALLY WILL BE HELD AI ASHLAND TUESDAY As a "kick-off for the seventh war loan drive in Jackson county, a rally will be held at the Elks club In Ashland Tues day at 8 p. m. with E. C. Sam mons, state chairman for war bond drives and new president of the United States National bank, In attendance. Henry Zacharisen, Medford, county war bond chairman, stated today that the drive has been termed "the mighty sev enth" and that Jackson county's "E" quota has been set at $1, 067,000, almost twice what it has been in recent drives. But two drives will be held this year, lt is understood. Zacharisen stated that em ployers of the Ashland district are urged to attend the meeting Tuesday night. Howard Oden ahd Miss Alice Patterson are co chairmen for the Ashland drive and Zacharisen states that 25 per cent of the county quota has been assigned to the Ashland dis trict. Sammons is to arrive by plane Tuesday afternoon and will spend part of the afternoon con ferring with Zacharisen, George Frcy, drive chairman, and other drive workers. Jaycees To Plan Clothing Drive Medford Junior chamber of commerce officials will meet to night at 7:30 in the Jackson county chamber of commerce building with representatives of other service clubs to discuss plans for participation in the United National -clothing collec tion and to complete organiza tion of the local set up. Plans are being made by Jun ior chambei officials for open ing of a downtown receiving de pot where old and discarded clothing may be left. 1 medford, Oregon, monday, april 2, 1945 Above a view ot Itoman, Okinawa, looking across town toward Lifu Island. Itoman is southern terminus of a narrow gauge railroad from Naha. the island capital. The thatched and tile roofed houses are typical of the native homes which house the islands 435.000 inhabitants 910 to each square mile. Hidden In one of Okinawa s many shel tered cores is the Jap midget submarine., and ..torpedo., base shown at left. Anchored in the base is a Jap ' Sea Truck," which has just narrowly missed bomb from attacking American naval plane. Midget sub is seen in fore ground. Several torpedo boats, covered with palm leaf camou flage, are tied up at right -angle to sub. Yanks Invading Keramo Retto discovered and destroyed 290 Jap "suicide' boats of secret fleet which apparently planned to attack invaders. U. S. Navy Photo. 200 Jap Civilians Try Mass Suicide in Fear of Yanks By E. Q. Valens United Press War Correspondent with 77th Division, in the Ryukyus, April 1 0J.R) Fear Implanted by their own author ities caused an estimated 200 Japanese civilians to attempt mass suicide on Tokashikl is land In the Keramas. Some disemboweled them selves with grenades, others hanged themselves from trees. A number of them still were living when the Yanks reached the scene, but a Japan" machine gunner cut down the . -st litter bearers. Hp was quickly elim inated, however. The mass suicide, the first recorded since Saipan, was dis covered when one battalion pre pared to bivouac for the night about three miles north of Toka shikl town. Horrible cries of pain came from a small valley almost a mile away. When the troops investigated they found the civilians scattered about, some dead, some dying. SlDlPi LIT FOR FIRST FROST Temperatures dropped to 22 degrees in some orchard areas this morning and ranged up to 26 degrees in other sections. Frost Observer Roy J. Rogers reported. He forecast slightly wanner temperatures tonight, but with frost. Lighting of smudge pots was general throughout the valley early today for the first time this season. A heavy pall of smoke covered the fringes of the valley. Assistant County Agent C. B. Cordy said the buds were still tough and able to resist the cold. He estimated the com met cial damage as negligible. Smudging was heaviest in the Central Point district. NAVY STATION FIRE Alameda, Calif., April 2. flJ.PJ Two firemen were overcome by smoke today when a $100,000 fire severely damaged two piers at the Alameda naval air station Eleven fire boats and air station apparatus brought the fire under control within hc!f hour. AS 0FFIOICT0R Roosevelt Nominates Fred M. Vinson, Federal Loan Agency Head, Successor Washington, April 2 (U.R) Justice James F. Byrnes, predict ing that "V-E day is not far dis tant," resigned today as director of the office of war mobilization and reconversion. . President Roosevelt, express ing "heartfelt regret," accepted the resignation and Immediately nominated Fred M. Vinson, head of the federal loan agencies, as Byrnes successor. Vinson formerly was director of economic stabilization. He took over the loan job only a few weeks ago after Jesse H. Jones was ousted by the presi dent. Year In Office . Byrnes had been mobilization director for a yepr and 10 months. He was charged with co ordinating all home-front phases of the war effort and settling dis putes among government agencies. He Issued the disputed orders closing race tracks and Imposing a midnight curfew on entertain ment places. He promised on Sat urday these bans would be re voked on V-E day. MANPOWER BILL IN MAIDEN TALK Washington, April 2-rU.PJ The resignation of War Mobilizer James P. Byrnes appeared today to have clinched Senate defeat of the compromise Manpower Bill. Senate opponents of the con troversial Job-freeze measure had been confident before the Byrnes announcement that the bill would be defeated. Now, they said, the margin will be greater. Vote on the bill may come late today, but more probably tomorrow or Wednesday. Sen. Wayne L. Morse, R., Ore., former member of the War La bor Board, attacked the bill in his first speech in the Senate as "going further down the road to give men arbitrary and un changed power than any other bill ever proposed by this ad ministration." Morse said he was "satisfied the bill is being pushed by the administration to carry out a program which will not be in the best Interests of representa tive government In this coun try." Those who talk about a tren power shortage, he said, "are simply Ignorant of the facts." "In Portland, Ore.," he said, "10,000 wat workers are out of Jobs today because of the can cellation of ship-building con tracts." "There Is a rising unemploy ment problem." i "Don't tell me" he said, "that this administration proposes to meet unemployment by passing a bill to put workers in Jail if they don't take the Jobs the ad ministration wants them to." FEDERAL COURT TO RETURN HERE Federal court will resume In Medford April 6, instead of at Klamath Falls April 5, accord ing to a dispatch In a Portland r.ewspaper Sunday quoting Judge James Alger Fee. No of ficial notification of the change has been received bv court offi cials here. Court recessed here last week and Jurors were Instructed to report in Klamath Falls April 5 to hear a number of land con demnation cases. No informa tion was obtainable today on the cause of the change of plans. United Press GOODRICH FAMILY HAS CLOSE CALL E Medford Dentist Rescues Family As 3 A. M. Blaze Razes Griffin Creek Home Dr. George K. Goodrich, Med ford dentist, was hospitalized early yesterday morning for burns suffered when the Good rich home on the Upper Griffin Creek road was destroyed by fire. Dr. Goodrich, his wife and two small children escaped from the burning dwelling about 3 a.m. and saved none of their possessions but the family car, friends report. Neighbors stated this morning that Dr. Goodrich was forced to break a window in order to rescue the children. He then re entered the building In a vain effort to save some clothing while Mrs. Goodrich moved the family car from under a burning tree. His physician stated that tho dentist suffered burns to his face, left arm and left hand but that they were not serious and he would be able to leave the hospital in a short time. It is not known when the Injured man will be able to reopen his office. House Being Enlarged It was thought that the blaze may have started in a section of the house undergoing enlarge ment, workmen having been en gaged, in raising the floor and enlarging the kitchen. The loss was partially covered by Insur ance. Mrs. Goodrich and children spent Sunday night In the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Bierma, next-door neighbors, and are now with Mrs. Goodrich's par ents, Mr. and Mrs. R. O. Ste phenson, who also reside in the Griffin Creek district. iNTS LISTED BY BOARDS New selective service regis trants for March with Jackson county board number one are Robert Lew Kulbe, James Sam uel Woods, Elzle Lemmons. Charles Alfred Burcher and Melvin Monroe McCalcb. New registrants at board num ber two are Alfred Christian Hagcrty, Robert A. Wilcox, Ar thur Clinton Kent, Clyde Everett Thompson, Bobby Ray Lee, Will lam Theodore Buehling, Fred David Prettyman, Jr.; Irvin Lee Moore, Wilmur Wesley Robert son, Lloyd James Rogers. Jack Lloyd Chamberlain and James Everett Pleyer. Adalbert Nichols was Inducted Into the navy at Seattle March 29 and Herbert Kenneth Dawson was approved for general service after a pre-lndustion physical ex amination at Portland, March 26. The six-section organ In San Francisco's Civic Auditorium has one pipe 32 feet long. 308,180 Japs Killed or Captured In American Philippine Campaign By H. D. Oulgg United Press War Correspondent Manila. April 2 (U.R) American troops killed or cap tured 308,180 Japanese in seiz ing control of 32 islnnds In the Philippines during the last six months, lt was announced today. Gen. Douglas MacArthur's communique, In disclosing the Japanese casualties, also an nounced continued gains by U. S. forces on Luzon, Ncgros, Cebu and Mindanao. In the last five days through out the Philippines the Japanese casualties amounted to 10.971 killed and 185 captured, while the American losses for the same period were 340 killed, 48 miss ing and 919 wounded. The heavy casualties on the Japanese were Inflicted by the U. S. Sixth and Eighth armies which reconquered the main por tion of the Philippines, includ-1 BUNE Full Leased Wire NO. 9. Less Delinquency Among Juveniles Shown For 1944 Washington, April 2. flJ.R) Juvenile delinquency through out the United States showed an overall drop in 1944 of five per cent from the preceding year, the children's bureau of the U. S. department of labor reported today. Katharine F. Lenroot, chief of the bureau, said preliminary data showed 815 cases for San Francisco, a decrease of 14 per cent, and 4108 cases for Los Angeles, a decrease of eight per cent. Other western cities for which preliminary figures were report ed: Portland, Ore., 3205 cases, up 18 per cent; Ogden, Utah, 1680 cases, up 27 per cent; Salt Lake City 2527 cases, down three per cent. Highest figure for the nation was reported In Philadelphia, with 9395 cases. J'TijnuPT J 1X1 nmU' 01, London, April 2 (U.R) The red army today captured the Hungarian transport hub of Nagykanlzsa, and Berlin said lt had Irreparably flanked Vienna in a lightning thrust to Semmer lng, key mountain pass on the trunk railway 42 miles south west of the Austrian capital. Vienna Itself was threatened directly. Soviet spearheads were reported only a dozen miles from the outskirts of the metropoli tan area. Russian advices said disorders had broken out in the capital and elsewhere In Aus tria. Nagykanlsia Taken Marshal Feodor I. Tolbukhln's 3d Ukrainian army captured Nagykanizsa, Hungarian oil cen ter and hub of the transport net work of all southwestern Hun gary. Marshal Stnlln, announc ing the victory, called It a pow erful German stronghold. It is 20 miles southwest of Lake Bala ton and 64 miles northeast of Zagreb. (A broadcast dispatch of the DNB News agency reported the soviet push to Semmerlng. It represented a gain of almost 25 miles from the advanced red army positions reported yester day). Disorders Spread The Moscow radio reported that Increasing disorders were spreading In Carinthla and Styrla and also In Vienna Itself. The London Dally Mall quot ed unconfirmed German reports that 30 Russian divisions, possi bly 450,000 men, had begun a massive assault on Stettin, Ger many's bigRest Baltic port, from points on the east ban; ol mo- Oder opposite the city. Dog Owners Given Warning by Police Dog owners are warned by city police again today that any dogs found running loose during tho next three months will be picked up by the poundmaster. ing the capital of Manila, and left only one major Island Bohol still under Japanese control. On Luzon, ground forces con tinued to compress the Japanese pockets while Fifth Air Force bombers again hit the shattered port of Legaspl, on the south eastern tip of the island, with 200 more tons of explosives. Elements of the 11th Corps pushed into the Santa Maria river valley east of Manila at a point nine miles southeast of Tanay, but were meeting in creasing resistance. Two columns of American troops were moving slowly over the rugged terrain In northern Luzon against Baguio, former summer capital and Japanese headquarters In the Philippines. One force was less than three miles south of the city and the second contingent had moved within five miles from the north. TOKYO REPORTS ISLANDJf KUI Hard Fighting Flares on t Southern Flank Okinawa Front; Drive Near Capital Guam, April 2. (U.R) Ameri can invasion troops have smash ed forward more than halfway across Okinawa In a swift ad vance against scattered Japanese sniper and pillbox resistance, front dispatches reported today. An announcement that Okinawa had been split in two was ex pected hourly. Hard .'ighting flared on the southern flank of the American army-marine front where tank led infantrymen were driving toward Naha, the island's burn ing capital, less than seven miles distant. Kuma Invasion Told Tokyo radio reported without allied confirmation that Ameri cans completed a new landing today on the island of Kume, 52 miles west of Okinawa, and 340 miles northeast of Formosa. Tens of thousands of troops of the new American 10th army swarmed ashore along a wide beachhead. Two air fields and more than a dozen villages were captured. It was indicated U. S. planes soon would be using at least one of the two captured airdromes. United Press War Correspond ent E. G. Valens, accompanying forward elements of the two army units driving across Okin awa from the captured Kadena air field, said resistance con tinued comparatively light. This column was heading downhill toward Noza and the Nagusuku bay naval anchorage on the east side of the lstand. Resistance Spotty "The only enemy resistance," Valens said, "is from a few scattered pillboxes, snipers and 100-pound land mines." -The' hardest fighting raged In the "badlands" north of Naha, prime objective of this amphib ious operation on the main guar dian Island of the southern ap proaches to Japan. There the troops under Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner collided with Japanese prepared positions and machine gun nests. Roads were heavily mined. But when the mines were neutral ized, soldiers riding cowboy, style moved In on bulldozers to triple the width of the roads. Carrier planes from the vast Invasion armada lying offshora pin-polnte'l individual enemy targets In front of advancing army and marine Infantrymen. They drew anti-aircraft firs from the Japanese. Valens saw one dauntless diva bomber make an emergency landing on Kadena airstrip. It was the first large American plane to land there. Emplacements "Bluff" Kadena was reported to be a Japanese defense "bluff." Un derground gun emplacements were described as little more than wooden pigstyes. The wreckage of Japanese planes lay scattered across the captured airfields, attesting to the effect iveness of the pre-lnvasion bom bardment and carrier strikes. SUMMONS HEADS U. S. NATI Portland, April 2. The board of directors of the United States National Bank of Portland, at lis regular monthly meeting Fri day, voted several changes among top-flight executives of that Institution. Paul S. Dick, president of the bank since 1931, was elevated to tho position of chairman of the board; E. C. Sammons was elect ed president; A. M. Wright, pres ent first vice-president, tendered his resignation and A. L. Mills. Jr., was promoted to the position vacated by Mr. Wright. All changes became effective imme diately. Medford Soldiers On Casualty List Pfc. Clarence P. Nelson, son of Mrs. Mary E. Nelson, 308 Hamilton street, is listed by the war department as a prisoner-of-war of tho Germans, accord ing to a releaso of the Office of War Information. Another release stated that M. Sgt. Earl D. Williamson, hus band of Mrs. Blllie J. William son, B Rose avenue, had been wounded while serving In the European war theater. I
