Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Current Events May 10, 1943:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY MAY 10, 1943:
American and British forces, sweeping south from captured Bizerta and
Tunis, were chasing the remnants of the battered Axis forces in Africa last
night into the Cape Bon peninsula. There 'the enemy was expected to make
either a last futile stand or an almost certainly disastrous attempt to
evacuate.

The Luftwaffe took a beating over the weekend in light raids against England.
Two of about six bombers were shot down in a breakfast-time raid Saturday, two
others of a small force were destroyed over England during the preceding night,
and one more was shot down over its airfield in France.

Air attacks on Japanese transport and railroad
installations in the Rangoon area were intensified today as Japanese troops
menaced British positions on the Arakan front.

A number of attacks on Jap bases in the Pacific were announced yesterday from
Gen. MacArthur's Headquarters. Madang, Japan's second most important base in
New Guinea, was blasted by medium bombers with 21 tons of bombs, causing
large fires on fuel dumps and bivouac areas. Anti-aircraft fire was heavy but
there was no interception. American . Air attacks on Japanese transport and railroad
installations in the Rangoon area were intensified today as Japanese troops
menaced British positions on the Arakan front.


                       THE Stars and STRIPES
Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operation
                       New York, N.Y.—London, England Monday, May 10, 1943

Axis Resistance Collapsing in Tunisia
Foe, Retiring in Rout
To Cape Bon Area,
Faces Certain Doom
Must Attempt a Dunkirk or Fight Without
Air Support or New Supplies;
20,000 Prisoners Taken
American and British forces, sweeping south from captured Bizerta and
Tunis, were chasing the remnants of the battered Axis forces in Africa last
night into the Cape Bon peninsula. There 'the enemy was expected to make
either a last futile stand or an almost certainly disastrous attempt to
evacuate.
Except for a few isolated pockets, all organized resistance by the Axis
appeared to have ceased, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, commander-inchief
of Allied forces, said at Allied headquarters in North Africa
yesterday.
AJUS troops were in a desperate position. Cut off from supplies of food
and ammunition, they could hold out only a few days at best, Allied leaders
said.
At least 20,000 prisoners have been taken since Wednesday, Gen. Eisenhower
said.
Of the 120,000 Axis troops estimated to be in the northern part of
Tunisia when the final offensive began Wednesday, about 50,000 were
believed to have been able to make their way into thie narrow, 47-mile-long
Cape Bon peninsula, correspondents at headquarters estimated.
Allowing for the 20,000 who had surrendered, and for huge numbers of
casualties, there were probably 30,000 to 40,000 encircled in the northern
battlefields, cut off from their comrades fleeing into the Cape Bon peninsula.
British forces were in close pursuit of the Axis troops retiring into Cape
Bon. One group, from the Eighth Army, was moving into the peninsula
from Hammamet, on the peninsula's southern edge. Another, sweeping
south from Tunis, occupied a village on the coast road and pushed on at
least four miles to reach the northern edge of Cape Bon.

Build 100 New Ships
NEW ORLEANS, May 9—Andrew J. Higgins, New Orleans boat builder, said
he had started work on an order for I00 new-type steel cargo ships to cost
a total of $40,000,000., They'll be built on assembly-line methods. Higgins said
he could not disclose the purpose of the new ships.

Luftwaffe Takes Beating
In Light Weekend Raids
The Luftwaffe took a beating over the weekend in light raids against England.
Two of about six bombers were shot down in a breakfast-time raid Saturday, two
others of a small force were destroyed over England during the preceding night,
and one more was shot down over its airfield in France.
Allied fighters swept across the English Channel in daylight yesterday, but there
was a break in the series of heavy bombing raids on Nazi targets in Europe.

Bombers Sink
Jap Troop Ship
2 Hits on Another Vessel,
21 Tons of Bombs
On Big Base
A number of attacks on Jap bases in the Pacific were announced yesterday from
Gen. MacArthur's Headquarters. Madang, Japan's second most important base in
New Guinea, was blasted by medium bombers with 21 tons of bombs, causing
large fires on fuel dumps and bivouac areas. Anti-aircraft fire was heavy but
there was no interception.
Off the Madang harbor, a transport carrying about 300 Jap troops was set on
fire by strafing, and finally sunk by three direct hits from masthead height. Two
direct hits with heavy bombs were scored on a cargo vessel which was left burning
and sinking. Thirteen or more enemy fighters were intercepted, one being shot
down and two damaged in aerial combat.
Another fighter, caught on the ground before take-off, was destroyed by strafing.
Koepang, Timor, was also attacked by medium bombers, and the radio station
and 'barracks set on fire.
Another Dutch New Guinea target, Babo, was attacked and fires that could
be seen 70 miles away were started. In the Mubo area, in the northeast sector,
attack planes in close support of ground troop •bombed Jap positions.
One Japanese destroyer was directly hit, and near misses were scored on two
others, during an attack by U.S. Planes off Gizo island, in the New Georgia
group of the Solomons.
U.S. Hits Burma Transport
NEW DELHI, May 9—American . Air attacks on Japanese transport and railroad
installations in the Rangoon area were intensified today as Japanese troops
menaced British positions on the Arakan front.

Fred Allen Replaces Hope
On BBC's Sunday Feature!
Fred Allen replaces Bob Hope on the BBC Sunday. The Allen show will be
heard over the forces wavelength from 12.35 to 1 PM.
Guest star of the opening broadcast will be "Sohnozzle" Durante, and Portland
Hoffa will assist in the comedy routines in the familiar Allen pattern. The show
is still sparked by an injection of the long-standing Benny-Allen feud.

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