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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (July 16, 1943)
July 16, 1043 HERALD AND NEWS, KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON PAGE THREB Yank Paratroopers Slash Way Through Pillboxes to Spearhead Sicily Invasion By JOHN THOMPSON Chicago Tribune Correspondent Representing the Comblntd United States Press WITH AMERICAN AIR BORNE TROOPS IN SICILY, (Dcluyod) Spearheading tho In vasion of Sicily, an American parnclmto troop combat t a m has Just completed a brtlllunl mill tough mission, (ulfllllnii the expectation of this tho largest airborne combat nperntlon over attempted by the U. S. army. Since late Frlduy night, when they luiided by tho Unlit of a wnnlnii moon, they havo been fighting crack German and Ital ian troops, killing and ciipturlng hundreds and hundreds. They havo fought as small guerrilla bunds, attacking pillboxes and stronu points with urenades, anti-tank weapons and knives and they have fought as a small but mailed team against tho Her man Qoerlng grenadiers and tanks. Tak Louts They have taken rather heavy losses but they never gave around. And It was largely through their slashing, domoral- I nfi attacks on strongly pro. pared enemy positions that the advance ot tno mucn turgor sea borno forco coming In behind them was accomplished in the area around Vlttoria. It would take a book to tell the full story of this operntlon and it will bo days before all do ts I Is are even learned, for nl most every man who tumped did a lob worthy of an army medal. But this much at least can be told by a correspondent who jumped with them to make his second combat Jump and this by night. Started Badlr Actually this mission started under most Inauspicious clrcunv stances for the entire team was dropped by troop carriers 30 to BO miles from the planned oDlec Uvea. Instead ot Jumping Inland In front of the center force to cut off enemy reinforcements, destroy strong point and other wise soften up tho seaborne land' Ing, the entire group of para troops Jumped In front of an other force farther out. While the moon was dipping low along the western horizon we camo In over the sea, mighty armada of transport planes flying in, perfect forma tlon. The terrain looked unfamil lar to tho team .commander, a colonel from Mount Carmel, Pa., but a red light flashes from the pilot controls.- Heavy Loads Wo had been standing for ev cral minutes In our heavy para chutes, the soldiers weighted down with loads of ammunition guns and demolitions and this re porter sagging under his own load of noncombatant , equip ment. Tho red light meant that we would be over our objective In a few minutes. They passed quickly. The green Jump light flickered, there was a rush down the aisle to ward the door and In a moment wo wcro hurling through space, Then there wus the snap of shoulders as the 'chute opened Plane Down A brilliant glare Illuminated the ground revealing an olive grovo Instead of the expected wheal field. For a moment most of us thought that ground troops had sent up flares and were opening fire. Then tho sickening realization came that the flnro was from one of our transports which hud brokon In two and hud burst Into tlumos. Tho next moment wo were landing, Thirty foot from tho ground the osclllutlon swung my body horizontal as I smashed through an olivo treo and then to the ground. It wus a good landing, all things consldrrcd. The others didn't furo as well. Your correspondent emerged from his tangled shroud with a wrenched knee, skinned knuck les and bruises, and whut wus not to appear until later a cracked rib. . Wrong Locality That night wo went prowling about in small groups, trying tn rcuch some ground that we could recognize. Before dnwn as It turned out luter, cveryono re- alized, wo hud landed In the wrong loculity and we hud to check to find out In what port of southern Sicily we wero. Then we started a general movement to the northwest toward our orlginul objective. Many men Jumped Into the fight right away, lundlng on ma chine gun nests or pillboxes. Others soon found their hands full as they ran into Italian strong points along the coast or further Inland along slrungo highways. Los Men We began to loso men, but not many, as tho tough wily troop ers rushed tho pillboxes. These emplacements were designed with three-foot cement wulls, slits commanding all approach es, 47-mllllmeter guns and machine-guns, and a great deal of wire. But the troopers had come to kill and thry did. Their anti-tank weapons and grenades drove the gunners from tho silts of the pillboxes to be rushed. Well- aimed Gnrund rifle fire often ac complishcd the same purpose and within a short while each pillbox surrendered Its load of Italians or a few Germans. That was along the beaches. Inland the fighting continued throughout the day. Croup Increases Our own group by daylight had increased, including this cor respondent and two medical off! cers, also unarmed, who hnd been "swented out" In the dnrk hours together, to 25 assorted troopers. And here It might be pointed out that every man who Jumps, with the above exceptions, jumps ready to fight, whether lies a cook, company clerk, a rigger or one of the service command, and they fought hard and viciously Our executive officer had Joined up with us and at his command we moved off In col umn, with flanking scouts, in tending to swing north around Vittorla. That was a day we won't soon forget, particularly this reporter, who had seldom walked more than two miles at a time at home. First Rush Our first rush snoved the en emy back up and over the hill altogether. He out-numbered us then about three to one. The troopers hod him on the run, but he camo back strong with more artillery fire and then tanks, not only Mark IV's but his huge Mark VI Tiger tanks mounting 88 millimeter guns in the turret. The next hour was our worst. Everyone expected an utiack by tho tanks In forco and it looked as It thcro wero a good chance that we would bo over-run. The colonel had sent word by a run- Altout My Since being asked lo help gut on the farm labor probltm and having ac cepted tho appointment as labor assistant to wwk with th Klamath county labor committee, th ques tion' might hav com up as lo th status of my In surance business. " Myrl C. Adams While th Job of securing yolunir labor to harvest Klam ath's larg crops is taking good dal of my lime tempor arily, I definitely am looking altar and continuing my Ufa insuranc business. I accepted this temporary appointmont only in a desire to cooptrat in th war effort. Lit insuranc is my business. MYRLE C. ADAMS WESTERN LIFE INSURANCE CO. 830 Pin St. Phon 8136 nor to tunk force headquarters, suying: "If you wunt this position held wo must huve mora flra power. But whulever happens wo (iron t moving off this hill," Dig Into Fox Holes Ho and his stuff were dug into fox holes while the commnnd post wus under henvy fire. One stuff member, Cupt. A. W. Ire- lund of Bultlmoro took 10 men to the right flunk Willi orders to hold ut ull costs. Another held the left flank. Wo waited, this reporter being some 100 yards to tho rcur shelt ered by a culvert whllo the ronr of enemy lank engines grew louder, Out In front the parachutists kept up a constunt f Ire. The crews knocked out two Mark IV's, but other crews wero blown up. Ono youngster after cuptur Ing a small Italinn tunk similar to the British Brcn gun carrier charged off In It with the avowed purposo of "scoring those blanks." A direct hit killed him. Called "Last Hope" Then the colonel called on his last hope and ordered three available Howitzers wheeled up for direct fire. I sow one gun coma up this hill Into position Ono trooper rode Its barrel whllo others muscled the piece up tho slope to a ridge beside a small white stone house. The tanks began registering hits all around the gun almost immcdi ately, but with the coolness of veterans these men placed their gun. They opened fire at 1800 yards, knocking out two tanks. By this time higher liendqunrt ers had brought up some 105's which were firing rapidly and the tank attuck wus stopped. By evening more troopers hud ar rived und the colonel ordered a counter-attack In order to rccov er our dead and wounded. Then like In the last minutes of a Hoi lywood ending, came our Gen era! Sherman tanks and some half-track towing anti-tank guns. You could hear the para chute troopers cheers even above the clatter of the tanks. Charge Into Waves At 8:10 our tnnks opened fire and we charged In two waves while the Germans replied with intense morlar fire and sweeping machine-gun fire. Overhead their Mc.tsersch mitts prowled to ob serve or strnfe. Ricocheting bullets sang their bee-like song of death past my culvert while shell fragments whirled through the air. Half an hour later it was quiet. And in the gloom of the gathering night our men came back to their lines while tho tanks withdrew, hav. Ing destroyed from the rear e huge Tiger tank. We counted many dead and American Artillery Stuck in Rendova Mud ! ,w djswrvtrt? mn 1 I - I y INEA Radio Tele photo) In the tropical Jungle of Rndova In the Solomons Island group, this large Amtrlcan Held gun oecame begged down In deep mire. Yankee soldiers are shown placing a large piece of wire netting under the wneei of the, weapon to get It roUin'. ... " wounded but it was a victory be yond question. Drives Off Enemy The attack had driven the en emy off his hill back through tho village and ho had aban doned tons of equipment. In fuct, reconnaissance later show- ,'if- . Tne gummcr recreation pro- thlS SCCtOr. arum hat rlmn ( n lolnl nt H9.7 ,A.!,a T"!1 ,thc C .bi VC, "Hi with tho last check on July 13. of this task force which hud EnrolImcnt for thB hign Khool been held up by the. enemy si, 4S3 fth 4 g and strong point was able to push oni ,-. . . ... t , ,r through in the same manner as '"8 Pa in the pro- .".,.,, ,,!, -m I gram there. At Mills school hvnPAnH i nr nrn haHP"i ere have been 299 enrolled, boxes and the rear areas had en-; . . , . . ' abled the combat team on the!w,th 17bys a.n,d V8'''5 ,.,,ll,nrn flnnlr .n Hvn, n i CClVing thC-bcncfltS Of the Tecrea- Naval Guns Help There was another contribut ing clement. The enemy s huge tlon school In swimming classes 42 boys and 33 girls had enrolled by pillboxes and strong points pro- July 13 to make a total of 75. tccting high ground from the i Average age of the summer west hud during the height of the program participants has been lowered with the average age of the youngsters set as 8 years and 8 months. Average age of the boys is 9 years and 2 months, and for the girls it is 8 years and 4 months. battle come under fire of heavy naval guns and one ot our war ships. Fire of these guns was direct ed by radio from two young na val ensigns who had jumped with us and who had been out in front in the worst fighting all day. That was yesterday and today the men arc resting, reorganiz ing and often eating for the first time. You find during the fierce throb ot battle that hunger is non-cxlstcnt, but it comes back once you've had a chance to relax. . New Umatilla Dam Project Rejected PORTLAND, July 16 OP) The proposed Umatilla Rapids dam is frowned upon by the army engineers and the war pro duction board as a solution to ihn nntirtnntpri Cniiimhin river power shortage in 1945, the Bon-j penditurcs. nevillc administration reported! last night. ' Classified Ads Bring Results. New Budget Ruling May Affect Counties McMINNVILLE, July 16 (P Yamhill county officials pond ered today a circuit court ruling that county budgets should be published in full a decision that may affect several Oregon coun ties: ' " Judge George P. Duncan said the summarized budget ordered published by the Yamhill county court was inadequate. The pur pose of publication, he held, is to inform taxpayers of various itetas of proposed expenditures and their relation to past ex- State Commission Hears Postwar Road Plans in Roseburg ROSEBURG, Ore.. July 16 UP) The Oregon state highway com. mission inspected the North Umpqua road between Roseburg and Diamond lake today, after hearing a five-point program of road development presented for consideration at a meeting in Roseburg last night. Nearing the end of a tour of the highways of western Oregon, the commission met last with Douglas county court and the city chamber of commerce officials to receive recommendations cone e r n i n g post war projects. particular emphasis was placed on the completion of the Pacific highway south of Eugene by County Judge D. N. Busen bark in presenting the Douglas county program. If you want to sell it phone The Herald, and News "want ads," 3124. mm o; van Because Chevrolet Dealers ARE SKILLED IN SERVICING ALL MAKES OF CARS Because Chevrolet Deaen EMPLOY TRAINED MECHANICS Because Chevrolet Dealers USE QUALITY ' . PARTS IV IB i Because Chevrolet Deaen GIVE GOOD SERVICE . For year Chevrolet dealers have had more trade-In than any other dealer organization. . . Therefore, they have had brooder experience In servicing all make and models. . They're "America' Service Specialists.". . . They're the men to tee when you want good, dependable service on your car I . . BUY U. S. WAR BONDS AND STAMPS yTory;.?. "save the wheels that serve America" SEE YOUR lll-lfriSM fT INT A I Pl SERVICE ON ALL MAKES LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER OF CARS AND TRUCKS Buy Bonds to Buy Bombs For Pelican Bomber During Women's Clubs July Drive By EMMA CARTER BPW Club July is half gone and Klamath county still has many more bonds to buy before the quota of $300, 000 Is reached. Klamath hasn't failed to make any set quota yet, so the BPW and Soroptimlst clubs have great faith In our citizens continued loyalty to their country, as shown by their continuous buying ot bonds. This month Is "Bonds for Bombs" for our Klamath Pell- can bomber. July MUST be still another red letter month in our all out war effort on the home front. To fail to meet our quota of bonds this month would be to fail our courageous boys who are giving their all each Contagious diseases were rec orded as on the downward trend, according to the Oregon state board of health bulletin for the week ending July 10, and Klam ath county came through with but one case of measles for the book. Eighty-eight per cent of the county's physicians reported to the health unit. Measles, mumps and whoop ing cough led the state report on the communicable disease chart. Klamath kids seemed relatively free from the two latter ailments. Crowded Areas Get Additional Funds WASHINGTON, July 16 (IP) Expenditure of another 200, 000,000 for community facilities in crowded war production areas was authorized m legislation signed into . law by President Roosevelt yesterday. Congress previously provided $300,000,000 for construction of such facilities as schools, water works and health improvement projects. , - - day they are In the service of their country. We can surely do no less than to deny our. selves some of the luxuries we still enjoy here at home. Since the schools have closed for the summep there ha been : a nouceaoie decrease in lump and bond sales to our young people of school age. During va cation these young people should be buying more stamps and bonds than ever, since many of . them are now earning money ot their own. Parents will do their children, as well as their coun try, a great service if they will instill thrift in these young folks by Insisting they invest their savings in War Stamps and Bonds. This saving will provide . an education backlog for tho post-war years. RememDer, citizens, our slo gans this month are, "Pass tho Ammunition," "Bonds for Bombs" or "Eggs for the Pel- ii-au. i ncsc win cum us many dollars' worth of bonds but they are needed cargo for that find bomber we've already bought. We can't send the Klamath Pel ican out without the ammunl ton! Let's all buy bonds and help to "Pass the Ammunition"! MEDICATED POWDER 40 YEAR FAVORITE Skin rash torture relief hailed by millions For the itching of minor skin rashes heat rash, baby's diaper rash, thousands everywhere are turning to a kind of medicated powder special ists often recommend for these mis eries. It's called Mexsana, formerly Mexican Heat Powder. And this cooling, soothing powder which has) been a favorite for over 40 years, costs very little. It's especially eco nomical when you buy the larger sizes. You'll want to have a supply handy for cooling the heat out of beat rash, the bum out of sunburn, and the ouch out of itchy mosquito bites-Todsy be sure to get Mexsana. Start Wearing Them Now Right Into FALL! . BLACKS TRAVEL PRINTS JERSEYS SUIT DRESSES AND ONE-PIECE STYLES 1UY WAR IONDS mi TURNER CHEVROLET CO. 0 v ;i CRAIG'S 617 MAIN 410 So. 6th St. Phone 4113
