Thursday, May 31, 2012

May 31, 1944; R.A.F. STRIKE FRENCH INVASION COAST

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 31, 1944:

IN NAPLES, May 31. (AP)
British troops advancing through dense mine fields on  the coastal flank of the Fifth army line have reached a point just south of Pescarella Nuova, 14 miles from the outskirts of Rome, Headquarters announced today

LONDON, May 31. (UP) —
RAF night bombers struck a heavy blow at the French invasion coast early today and Allied and Axis reports said large American and Allied forces were following through this morning with new attacks extending from the battered channel wall to western and southwestern Germany.



Lowell Mass. Wednesday May 31 1944
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
IN NAPLES, May 31. (AP)
(AP)—British troops advancing through dense mine fields on  the coastal flank of the Fifth army line have reached a point just south of Pescarella Nuova, 14 miles from the outskirts of Rome, Headquarters announced today:
| Elsewhere the .Fifth army beat against an unyielding wall of enemy resistance. an
Allied communique .said: " it is now clear that the. enemy's intent is to hold this line at all costs"—the line reaching; inland below Rome.

Yanks in
New Attacks
On Germany
British "Heavies"
Along French Coast
Batter Nazi Defenses
LONDON, May. 31 (AP)—
With an escort of J200 fighters,
U. S. heavy bombers today
attacked railway yards at
four places in Germany and
an airbase near Mulhouse,
France.
By Walter Cronkite
LONDON, May 31. (UP) —
RAF night bombers struck a heavy blow at the French invasion coast early today and Allied and Axis reports said large American and Allied forces were following through this morning with new attacks extending from the battered channel wall to western and southwestern Germany.



The Lowell Sun  Wed.  May 31, 1944

ejt

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

May 30, 1944; "ROME WILL FALL"

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY MAY 30, 1944:

A L L I E D HEADQUARTERS, Naples AP)—
Fifth Army Infantry and tanks, alter  repulsing strong 'overnight counterattacks,
struck again today at German defenses within 16 miles of Rome, which Lt. Gen.
Mark Clark said would fall "before many days have passed."


By The Associated Press
The Allied noose around Myitkyina, key to the Burma- China road, tightened today as American and Chinese troops in a swift maneuver by-passed Kamaing, enemy strong point to the west.

 C H U N G K I N G (AP)—Chinese forces, taking advantage a turn of good weather, have scored new successes In n drive along the lofty Mamlett Trail leading to Tengchung, the main enemy base In Yunnan Province and the pivotal point of a Japanese-built connector highway system,


 
GREENVILLE  Mississippi      Tuesday. May 30. 1944    Associated Press (AP)



Fifth Army Opens New Attack
In 16 Miles Of Eternal City
A L L I E D HEADQUARTERS, Naples AP)—
Fifth Army Infantry and tanks, alter  repulsing strong 'overnight counterattacks,
struck again today at German defenses within 16 miles of Rome, which Lt. Gen.
Mark Clark said would fall "before many days have passed."
The Germans offered savage resistance on their last natural defense line south of the capital but headquarters said progress continued "satisfactory." On the Allied
right, the Eighth Army was striding swiftly through the Sacco Valley along the
Via Casilina (Highway 6), capturing Arce and pressing strongly upon Frosinone from three sides.
None of the sweating Americans fighting an uphill battle on the former beach head front nor the Sherman tank crews attacking anti- tank guns hidden in groves and ravines were yet able to see Rome.  Only artillery observers flying Cub planes near the sea, where British patrols found the enemy had abandoned another wrecked village, had a chance to glimpse the Eternal City and its seven hills.

Allied Noose
Tightened On
City In Burma
By The Associated Press
The Allied noose around Myitkyina, key to the Burma- China road, tightened today as American and Chinese troops in a swift maneuver by-passed Kamaing, enemy strong point to the west.
Southeast Asia headquarter: reported the forces under Lt. Gen Joseph Stilwell cut the highway between Kamaing and MogRUng which are about 20 miles apart,
and along the route Stilwell needs to link up the Ledo and Burma
roads. Mogaung is 35 miles west.

Chinese Score
New Successes
In Yunnan Drive
C H U N G K I N G (AP)—Chinese forces, taking advantage a turn of good weather, have scored new successes In n drive along the lofty Mamlett Trail leading to Tengchung, the main enemy base In Yunnan Province and the pivotal point of a Japanese-built connector highway system, the Chinese high command announced today.
Maintaining their progress in the Salween offensive, the Chinese
labored up steep mountain paths and captured Longshulkou
the highest  village on the Marnlen
Trail, (elevation 8,000 feet), the high command communique said.
At Chalkungyang, described as the "last enemy pocket" on the Marnlen Trail, Chinese troops were attacking-the surrounded Jap garrison, and its capture was believed imminent.





ejt

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

May 29, 1944

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 29, 1944:
NAPLES. — (AP)
American  t a n k s have  struck to t h e slopes of the Alban hills less than 16 miles from Rome's outskirts, and are attacking German mobile strongpoints. A front dispatch said today.

LONDON.—(AP) —
A thousand  heavy American bombers and  1,200 fighters spanned t h e length
of Germany today, bombing two  aircraft factories in Poland and four in central and eastern Ger many while other fleet's struck up from the south  at the Vienna and Wiener Neustadt areas,

Southwest Pacific,—(U.P.)—
Acting Prime Minister Frand M. Forde ofAustralia suggested today that Gen. Douglas MacArthur's forces may invade the Philippines before "many more months" go by.



Allies Driving
At 4 Citadels
In German Line
NAPLES. — (AP)
American  t a n k s have  struck to t h e slopes of the Alban hills less than 16 miles from Rome's outskirts, and are attacking German mobile strongpoints. A front dispatch said today.
By SID FEDER
NAPLES. —(AP) —
Fifth army troops stormed toward four Rome-line strongholds against fierce resistance today, thrusting one wedge within 17 miles of t he Eternal City.
Headquarters declared three of 18 German divisions engaged in b a t t l e had been v i r t u a l l y destroyed in t h e b r o a d offensive launched May 11. w i t h more than 15,000 prisoners taken.

8,000 Planes Blast Axis Europe
By GLADWIN HILL
LONDON.—(AP) —
A thousand  heavy American bombers and  1,200 fighters spanned t h e length
of Germany today, bombing two  aircraft factories in Poland and four in central and eastern Ger many while other fleet's struck up from the south  at the Vienna and Wiener Neustadt areas,
As t h e stunning day of bombardment drew to dusk, it appeared t h a t the Allies might have sent out another fleet as large as t h e record number of 8,000 war planes which flew Sunday from British a n d  I t a l i a n  bases.
The predominantly American fleets of warplanes scourged t he face of Europe, bombed the invasion coasts of France and Belgium, strafed the front lines in
I t a l y and reached deep inside Germany, Poland and Austria to terar-up hideway plants of  t h e German aircraft industry.
Poznan and Kreising. Those in Kreising is five miles southeast The sky-darkening fleet equaled that of yesterday, which was t h e largest ever dispatched by t h e
U. S. a i r forces.
The Polish factories were at Poznan and Kreisling. Those in Germany were at Leipzig, Tutow, Cottbus and Sorau. The flight to Poznan entailed a round trip of at least 1,450 miles.
Strike French Coast
Simultaneously, hundreds of lesser American bombers struck heavily and repeatedly at the French invasion coast, bombing bridges, railroads and airdromes.


TWO              THE RACINE JOURNAL-TIMES, MONDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 29, 1944.
New Drive to Biak Island Takes
MacArthur Closer to Philippines
A L L I E D HEADQUARTERS,
Southwest Pacific,—(U.P.)—
Acting Prime Minister Frand M. Forde ofAustralia suggested today that Gen. Douglas MacArthur's forces may invade the Philippines before "many more months" go by.
His indirect prediction of an early assault came as American jungle troops closed in on Mokmer airfield, 900 miles southeast of the Philippines, after landing on Biak island Saturday in a 200-mile invasion jump from the north coast of New Guinea.
"I hope that it will not be many months before we will go back to the Philippines with a bang, then to Formosa and Japan, Forde said at a luncheon of the Australian Natives' association.
MacArthur himself, in announcing the landing on Biak island, said that it secured bases "for the advance to (the Japanese empire's) vital areas in the Philippines and the Netherlands East Indies."
Posh Towards Airdrome.
Tanks, planes, and naval guns were supporting infantrymen in their drive toward Mokmer airfield, one of three on the island. The fall of Bosnek. main village on the island, within the first few hours of the invasion secured thenew beach-head and doomed the airfields.



ejt

Monday, May 28, 2012

May 28, 1944; New Guinea bases expanded:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, 1944:

Sunday, May 28—
Veteran American infantrymen, supported by a heavy naval and air bombardment, landed on Biak island in Geelvink bay at dawn Saturday, advancing 350 miles westward in Dutch New Guinea to practically complete the reconquest of all New Guinea and move within 800 miles of the Philippines.

CHUNGKING, May 27 UP)—
Fighting has broken out in the neighborhood of Tsungyang, about 75 miles south of Hankow, in southern Hupeh province, a Chinese communique reported Saturday, and the possibility was being discussed here of a vast pincers against the Chinese rear as a likely Japanese move in central China, aimed eventually at this


 
Allies Cutting Escape;
Yanks Invade Biak
New Guinea Landing Puts
U. S. Forces 350 Miles
Farther in Drive West
»/-> Allies (Official) By United Press
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Southwest Pacific,
Sunday, May 28—
Veteran American infantrymen, supported by a heavy naval and air bombardment, landed on Biak island in Geelvink bay at dawn Saturday, advancing 350 miles westward in Dutch New Guinea to practically complete the reconquest of all New Guinea and move within 800 miles of the Philippines. Storming ashore at Bosnek village on the southeastern coast against heavy Japanese resistance, the American ground troops suffered onlylight casualties and already were advancing toward the Mokmer and Sorldo airdromes, the former only seven miles from Bosnek,
General Douglas MacArthur announced. "For strategic purposes, t h i s marks the practical end of the New Guinea campaign."
Domination Looms
(Continued on Page Three)
(Column Five

Sunday Morning    The Salt Lake City Tribune    May 28, 1944                                  A3

Jap Pincers
Hinted in
Hupeh Thrust
CHUNGKING, May 27 UP)—
Fighting has broken out in the neighborhood of Tsungyang, about 75 miles south of Hankow, in southern Hupeh province, a Chinese communique reported Saturday, and the possibility was being discussed here of a vast pincers against the Chinese rear as a likely Japanese move in central China, aimed eventually at this
wartime capital. Chinese dispatches claimed the Japanese drive in Honan province,
which is north of Hupeh, has been stalled, and that a Chinese counteroffensive
is' making progress, but it wag believed possible that the invaders were adjusting their positions and bringing up reinforcements for renewed assault,
Concede City's Fall
The Chinese communique reported "further progress" in the "Loyang sector," particularly east of Lushih, but the fall of the ancient walled city of Loyang itself,
claimed by the Japanese, has been here. In that vicinity of Loyang, planes of the Chlnese- American wing of the Fourteenth air force strafed enemy troops Friday,
a communique of Lieutenant General Joseph W. Stilwell's headquarters said, killing many enemy troops and destroying at least 30 trucks.



 U. S. Invades
Another Isle
In New Guinea
(Continued from Page One)
perimeter a mile to the east and a mile to the west of the village, the largest on the island.
Some shore fire met the naval I bombardment and minor damage I and casualties were suffered by the task force MacArthur's headquarters spokesman and communique announced.
No enemy planes opposed the landing. The Fifth air forces pounding of the Mokmer and Sorido airfields, as well as all other air bases in the Geelvink bay sector, had neutralized the bases and paved the way for the invasion.
MacArthur issued a personal statement at the time of the invasion announcement, declaring that the offensive moves of the past 11 months in this theater have more than fulfilled his "most optimistic hopes and expectations."

Chinese Units
Take Bastion
Near Kamaing
Allies (Official)
By United Press
SOUTHEAST ASIA HEADQUARTERS.
Kandy, Ceylon, May 27—
Lieutenant General Joseph W. Stillwell’s Chinese jungle fighters have captured the Mogaung valley stronghold of  Var6ng and are tightening a death trap around Kamaing, 12 miles to the 'southwest, where the largest Japanese force left in north Burma is encircled, a S E A C communique announced Saturday.
While one unit of Stillwell's Twenty-second d i v i s i o n drove down on Kamaing from the northwest, British-led chindits were reported closing in from the cast and south for an nll-out assault which promised to end only with the death or surrender of the last man of the trapped Japanese Eighteenth division.









ejt