June 15, 1944; B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, MAMOTH ENGINES OF DESTRUCTION:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY JUNE 15, 1944:

Mammoth Engines of Destruction Flying From Distant, Secret Bases, Will Be Operated as Major Task Force Known as 20th Bomber Command—

Details of Thursday's Attack Not Given Out. Washington, D. C.—(AP)—

The army threw a new fighting giant into the war in the Pacific Thursday, turning loose the. new B-29 Super Fortress in an air attack on the Japanese homeland. A terse war department communique said: "B-29 Super Fortresses of the United States army air forces 20th bomber command bombed Japan Thursday.

Supreme Headquarters Allied

Expeditionary Force —(AP)—

 American troops have surged powerfully ahead in their stab into the Cherbourg neck, Allied headquarters announced Thursday, and Berlin reported that less than six miles separated the spearhead from the last west coast communications linking Cherbourg with France.

WATERLOO, IOWA, THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1944

OPENING STEP

IN NEW TYPE

OF OFFENSIVE

Mammoth Engines of Destruction Flying From Distant, Secret Bases, Will Be Operated as Major Task Force Known as 20th Bomber Command—

Details of Thursday's Attack Not Given Out. Washington, D. C.—(AP)—

The army threw a new fighting giant into the war in the Pacific Thursday, turning loose the. new B-29 Super Fortress in an air attack on the Japanese homeland. A terse war department communique said: "B-29 Super Fortresses of the United States army air forces 20th bomber command bombed Japan Thursday." It was the first fighting assignment for the sky mammoth and the announcement also served to disclose for the first time the existence of the '20th air force (of which the 20th bomber command is a part) world-roaming unit, under the personal direction of Gen. H. H. Arnold, chief of the army air forces.

The war department withheld details on the new bombing

of Japan proper—first such attack on the mainland since- the Doolittle raid of April 18, 1942.

 The war department withheld details on the new bombing  hit, nor from where the B-29's went into action.

However, the war department subsequently disclosed that planes taking part in Thursday's raid came from the India-China-Burma theater.

In contrast to the 1942 Tokyo raid, first disclosed by the Tokyo radio, Japan's transmitters were silent Thursday on the Super Fortress bombing.

Nearly two hours after the war department announcement, however, the German DNB agency said in a dispatch designed for foreign publication:

"Japan has been bombed, by American aircraft according to reports from Washington."

There was no indication that the' German home radio had carried the news.

SIX-MILE GAP

LEFT TO  PINCH

OFF PENNENSULA

Americans Battling Inside

Montebourg; Allies Hold

Except at Troarn.

Supreme Headquarters Allied

Expeditionary Force —(AP)—

 American troops have surged powerfully ahead in their stab into the Cherbourg neck, Allied headquarters announced Thursday, and Berlin reported that less than six miles separated the spearhead from the last west coast communications linking Cherbourg with France.

The gains were hammered out in spite of furious counterattacks all along the 100-mile invasion front in which the Germans had thrown about 20 divisions and

600 tanks.

Allied headquarters, confirming that American infantry and parachute troops, supported by tanks had scored further gains west of Carentan, said Allied soldiers were holding firm everywhere else despite the massive nature of the German counterstroke and were inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.

British Give Up Troarn.

This was after it was acknowledged that the British at the eastern end of the line had been forced to give up Troarn, their anchor 'nine miles east of Caen,

and Villers-Bocage, one of their two advance points 15 miles southwest

of Caen.

Further heavy counterattacks in the Villers-Bocage area were turned back Wednesday evening, headquarters said, and the British were still secure in their hold on Caumont, their other most advanced point, 20 miles southwest of Caen.

JAPS TELL OF

U.S. LANDINGS

IN MARIANAS

Declare Attack on Saipan Island

Repulsed But "Battle

Continues."

a

Washing-ton, D. C. —(INS)—

The navy announced Thursday that American troops have landed in the Marianas islands, 1,450 miles from Tokyo, and that a battle is under to seize these important far Pacific bases from the Japanese.

London—(AP)—

A powerful American task force, which has been harassing J a p a n e s e

strongholds in the Marianas islands since last Saturday, is now attempting to land troops on Saipan island, the Tokyo radio declared Thursday — a daring operation which, if successful would give the United States an ocean base within 1,500 miles of Tokyo.