Current Events March 9, 1944;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY MARCH 9, 1944:

 London, Mar. 8.—(AP)—

U. S. Flying Fortresses and Liberators with a tremendous fighter escort, which made up an armada estimated at between 1,600 and 2,000 planes, struck at Berlin today for the third time in five days with what a conservatively- worded American communique called 'good results.'

Mar. 9.—(AP)—

United States troops smashed a Japanese attempt to run a few barges of troops ashore on the northwest coast of Los Negros island in the Admiralty group Tuesday night, Allied headquarters announced today.

New Delhi, Mar. 8. (AP)—

Centers of Japanese resistance in the town of Walawbum still were holding out against the American jungle forces tonight, but Lt. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell reported a wide flanking movement had completely cut off the trapped enemy.

London, Thursday, Mar. 9.—(AP)—

Moscow announced early today that a furious battle was raging in the town of

Staro-Konstantinov, a "vital enemy base’ southwestern Ukraine, after the Red army battled its way yesterday into the suburbs and, 30 miles to the southeast captured the district of Cherni-Ostrov on the Odessa-Lwow railway.

 BRADFORD, PA., THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 9, 1944.

 38 Bombers, 16

Fighters Lost

In Great Raid

Armada Strikes at

Capital for Third

Time in Five Days;

Tons of Bombs Fall

London, Mar. 8.—(AP)—

U. S. Flying Fortresses and Liberators with a tremendous fighter escort, which made up an armada estimated at between 1,600 and 2,000 planes, struck at Berlin today for the third time in five days with what a conservatively- worded American communique called 'good results.'

83 Enemy Planes Bagged

Out of the huge fleet 38 bombers and 16 fighters were lost, but the escorting planes alone knocked down 83 enemy aircraft; gunners aboard the bombers destroyed others yet untabulated.

Yanks Smash Jap

Move Land on

Los Negros Island

Barges Met With Devastating Fire Fro

New U. S. Positions North of Airdrome

Marines Consolidating Beachhead Near

Talasea in Face of Mounting Opposition

Allied Headquarters, Southwest Pacific, Thursday,

Mar. 9.—(AP)—

United States troops smashed a Japanese attempt to run a few barges of troops ashore on the northwest coast of Los Negros island in the Admiralty group Tuesday night, Allied headquarters announced today.

Marines Hold Beachhead

On another battle front on the  Bismarck sea, American Marines who landed virtually unopposed

Monday morning near Talasea, onthe north coast of New Britain island, were reported holding their beachhead on Wlllaumez peninsula against strong enemy counterattacks.

The Japanese barge thrust at Los Negros island came after enemy planes made a small, ineffectual attack at night on American positions around Momote airdrome, which now

is being used by Allied planes.

The barges were met by devastating fire from positions newly established by the First cavalry division on the peninsula north of the airfield. Not a single barge reached shore.

Bismarck Now Allied Lake The futile attempt to hit the Americans on the eastern side of Los Negros probably was made from Manus island, to the west, since the Japanese so far have made no effort to run the gantlet of American air and sea blockade to get reinforcements into the Admiralties from the outside.

Yanks Complete

Noose around

Japs in Burma

Flanking Movement

By Jungle Forces

Cuts Off Trapped Foe

New Delhi, Mar. 8. AJP)—

Centers of Japanese resistance in the town of Walawbum still were holding out against the American jungle forces tonight, but Lt. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell reported a wide flanking movement had completely cut off the trapped enemy.

The town of Walawbum was announced as captured Monday when the presence of Brig. Gen. FTank Merrill's American Marauders in the North Burma jungle first was disclosed.Gen.Stillwell mentioned the still

resisting knots of Japanese in his communique yesterday.

Fierce Battle Rages

In Big Ukraine Base

Red Fight Way Into Suburbs of  Staro-

Konstantinov, Capture District Center

And Kill Over 3,000 Germans in Day

London, Thursday, Mar. 9.—(AP)—

Moscow announced early today that a furious battle was raging in the town of

Staro-Konstantinov, a "vital enemy base’ southwestern Ukraine, after the Red army battled its way yesterday into the suburbs and, 30 miles to the southeast captured the district of Cherni-Ostrov on the Odessa-Lwow railway.

100 Localities Seized

More than 3,000 Germans were killed, two regiments of German infantry routed and 100 communities were captured by Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov's first Ukrainian front forces, said the midnight Moscow bulletin, recorded by the Soviet monitor from a broadcast.

"Retreating under blows of the Soviet troops the Germans are abandoning tanks, guns and trucks stuck in the mud." it said. "Particularly fierce engagements are going on in the area of the town of Staro-Konstantinov. which is a vital enemy base.”

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