Current Events May 17. 1943:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 17, 1943:

British bombers attacked Berlin, the environs

of Rome, the Ruhr and the Rhineland last night and

burst two of the largest dams in Germany, flooding the valleys

of the Ruhr and Eder in huge waves.

The American North African army today stands poised and eager

for the next big jump-off which it believes will be the invasion of continental Europe.

“We did it once and we can do it again," say the veterans of Tunisia.

Six months of battling the Germans in the rugged Tunisian mountains have transformed

this army from a "test tube baby" into a tough, fighting group, which will be

one of the ablest units in future Allied operations

American submarines raiding through Pacific waters have sunk

six enemy ships, including one destroyer and damaged another Japanese

vessel, the navy reported today.

A communique reporting the destruction told also of a torpedo

bomber attack on four Japanese cargo ships off Buin in the Northern

Solomons. One of the cargo ships was set afire.

MANSFIELD NEWS-JOURNAL

               MANSFIELD, OHIO, MONDAY, MAY 17, 1943

RAF SHATTERS GIANT NAZI

DAMS, DEATH TOLL HEAVY

Ruhr and Eder

Valleys Flooded

By Huge Waves

Sources Of German

Power Blasted

To Bits By

Attack.

Associated Press)

LONDON — British bombers attacked Berlin, the environs

of Rome, the Ruhr and the Rhineland last night and

burst two of the largest dams in Germany, flooding the valleys

of the Ruhr and Eder in huge waves.

African Victory Seasons Green American Troops, Now

Ready and Anxious to Tackle Nazis on Soil of Europe

Editor's Note: C. R. Cunningham. United Press

war correspondent, who landed in North Africa with

the Americans -and witnessed the whole six months

campaign, here reveals for the first time some of

the hardships under which they have lived, analyzes

the factors that made them into a first-class fighting;

force and tells how today they have one objective—

to participate in the invasion of Europe.)

By C. R. CUNNIHGHAM

UP Staff Correspondent)

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, NORTH

AFRICA — (UP) — The American North African army today stands poised and eager

for the next big jump-off which it believes will be the invasion of continental Europe.

“We did it once and we can do it again," say the veterans of Tunisia.

Six months of battling the Germans in the rugged Tunisian mountains have transformed

this army from a "test tube baby" into a tough, fighting group, which will be

one of the ablest units in future Allied operations.

And today some of the highlights of those six months of hardship and final triumph

can be told without interference by the censor.

The transformation began on the night of April 29 when we took an important

strategic hill in the drive on Mateur.

AMERICAN BOMBERS

ATTACK JAP RAIL

POINTS BURMA

HEAVY DAMAGE BELIEVED

INFLICTED ON ENEMY'S

WAR MATERIALS

NEW DELHI, India, May 17.

—American bombers returning to the attack on Japanese rail installations

and communications in Burma dropped 10 tons of bombs

on three junctions near Shwebo yesterday and an even greater tonnage

of explosives on the railroad yards at Zigon, 27 miles northwest

of Shwebo, it was announced today. Shwebo is 50 miles northwest of

Mandalay.

"Fires following an explosion in the storage sheds at Zigon caused

smoke columns which" were visible 50 miles from the target," a United

States communique said.

All of the formation's bombs were reported to have struck in the target

area, destroying rolling stock. tracks and warehouses,

Railroad yards at Moksogyon, six miles southeast of Shwebo, and

warehouses at Wetlet, 15 miles, and at Magyizauk, 20 miles southeast

of Shwebo, suffered direct hits attended by explosions and fires.

Six Enemy Ship

Sunk by American

Subs in Pacific

WASHINGTON, May 17-

American submarines raiding through Pacific waters have sunk

six enemy ships, including one destroyer and damaged another Japanese

vessel, the navy reported today.

A communique reporting the destruction told also of a torpedo

bomber attack on four Japanese cargo ships off Buin in the Northern

Solomons. One of the cargo ships was set afire.

Text of navy communique, NO, 379' "South Pacific (all dates are

east longitude.)

1. On May 15, during the night, Avenger (Grumman TBM)

torpedo bombers attacked four Japanese cargo vessels in the Buin

area. One enemy ship was set on fire.

                                        "Pacific and Far East: