December 2, 1944;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, DECEMBER 2, 1944:

ARMIES ONLY

7 MILES FROM

SAARBRUCKEN

Smash Thru Roer Barrier Into

West Bank Fortress Of

Linnich

PARIS, Dec. 2 — (UP) — '

The American Ninth Army today fought it’s way to the marshy shores of the River Roer in the two bastions of Linnich and Julich which bar the path toward Cologne and to the far north the Nazis gave up their previous bridgehead in Saarbourn, blew up three bridges and fell back to the east bank of

the Rhine.

PARIS. Dec. 2—( UP)—

American Arm IPS today seized another five-mile stretch of the Roer river barrier to the Cologne plain with a smash into the west bank fortress of Linnich, and to the south speared to within seven miles of the great industrial center of Saarbrucken.

The bloody battles of the Roer and Saar valleys were roaring toward a blazing climax. German civilians in the Saar basin, fearful of the approaching Allied tide, already were fleeing east along clogged roads reminiscent of France in the dark days of 1940.

Fiom the northern end of the 400-mile offensive front threatening Germany's lifeblood of fuel and arms in the Ruhr and Rhineland came the heartening news that flood waters of the Rhine and Mann rivers had begun to subdue— a sign that argues well for the impending Allied struggles

for river crossings.

PEARL HARBOR

BLAME RESTS ON JAPS

Investigation Board Admits

Errors In Judgment

Were Found

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2-(AP)

—Any further punishment for the

Pearl Harbor disaster probably

will be visited upon the Japanese

alone.

The Army and Navy announced last night no grounds had been found for court martial proceedings against United States military

personnel. Boards of inquiry reported, however, that errors in judgment and lack of skill in both Washington and Hawaii con- I tributed to the tragedy.

While some demands immediately arose in congress for a separate investigation there, faith in their vindication was voiced in behalf of the two men in command at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese struck their treacherous blow December 7, 1941.

"When the entire story is unfolded. I am certain of complete vindication in the eyes of the American people, Maj. General Walter C. Short said, in a statement issued to the press atDalian, Tex.

" The statement of Secretary of Navy Forrestal means that Admiral Kimmel has been cleared,"' said Charles H. Rugg, counsel for Rear Admiral Husband K. Kimmel. at Boston.

Meanwhile, the inside story of why the United States garrisons at Pearl Harbor were taken by surprise, with resultant crippling blows to the fleet and air forces, remains secret.