THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 24, 1943:
Italy yesterday was 'bearing the brunt of a mounting aerial offensive which
is the prelude to Allied invasion of Europe.
Hundreds of American and British planes, operating from bases in North
Africa, the Middle East ami Malta, kept up an almost constant pounding
of airfields, railroad yards, shipping and industries on the islands close to
Italy, aiming their heaviest assaults at the ports on each side of the narrow
straits between Sicily and the mainland.
American forces and installations in the ETO (European Theater of Operations) are ample and ready for whatever role they may be called upon to play in the invasion of the Continent. This declaration was made last, night by Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers in an address on the Army Hour radio program. At the same time he disclosed that the U.S. air force here, in proportion to its size, now is "on a footing with the RAF."
"The preparedness of the British, here in the British Isles, may be taken for
granted. One illustration will serve; last week I watched for more than an hour as
the Home Guard of this area passed in review. I have seldom seen better
equipped, more determined soldiers.
"The women of the British Isles are no less competent to perform the duties
for which they have been trained.
The battle for Attu Island neared its end yesterday as U.S. Army ground forces, supported by low-flying fighter planes, battered the trapped Japanese troops, who were split into three groups on. the tiny peninsula of Chicagof Harbor.
Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox disclosed yesterday that the Attu battle "is a
successful operation. It is in the mopping up stage now."
THE STARS AND STRIPES
Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations
New York, N.Y.—London, England Monday, May 24, 1943
Air Offensive on Europe Mounts in Fury
293 Enemy Aircraft
Destroyed Over Italy;
Allies Lose Only 16
Planes Striking Italian Islands Concentrate
On Cutting Supply Lines to Sicily;
Guerrilla Flareup Besets Axis
Italy yesterday was 'bearing the brunt of a mounting aerial offensive which
is the prelude to Allied invasion of Europe.
Hundreds of American and British planes, operating from bases in North
Africa, the Middle East ami Malta, kept up an almost constant pounding
of airfields, railroad yards, shipping and industries on the islands close to
Italy, aiming their heaviest assaults at the ports on each side of the narrow
straits between Sicily and the mainland.
Besides inflicting serious damage on their targets, the USAAF and RAF
planes delivered a stunning body blow to the steadily weakening Luftwaffe
and the Italian air force by shooting down 293 planes in four days at the
loss of only 16 of their own.
Invasion jitters continued to grow throughout Europe; and in Yugoslavia
guerrilla warriors gave the Axis leaders new worries by launching the most
concerted attacks on German and Italian troops that have been reported in
months.
'We Are Ready'
ETO Chief Say s
Training, Planning And
Building Over Now,
Gen, Devers Asserts
American forces and installations in the
ETO are ample and ready for whatever role they may be called upon to play in
the invasion of the Continent. This declaration was made last, night
by Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers in an address on the Army Hour radio program. At
the same time he disclosed that the U.S. air force here, in proportion to its size,
now is "on a footing with the RAF." "The far-reaching decisions being made
in Washington should not be confused with plans for carrying out these decisions
in this and other theaters of operations," Gen. Devers said. "Plans, made with
visions months ago, cover many eventualities.
The decisions now being reached by our great leaders have to do with the
selection of the most effective plan, and essential modifications.
American Preparedness
"I stress this point, not only to relieve your mind of any fear based on erroneous
beliefs that one phase of the war is concluded before the next phase has been
considered; but also in order to reassure you as to the condition of American preparedness in this particular theater.
"The preparedness of the British, here in the British Isles, may be taken for
granted. One illustration will serve; last week I watched for more than an hour as
the Home Guard of this area passed in review. I have seldom seen better
equipped, more determined soldiers.
"The women of the British Isles are no less competent to perform the duties
for which they have been trained.
Japs Trapped
On Attu Island
Battle Is Nearly Over;
Now In Mopping Up
Stage, Knox Says
WASHINGTON, May- 23—The battle
for Attu Island neared its end yesterday as U.S. Army ground forces, supported
by low-flying fighter planes, battered the trapped Japanese troops, who were split
into three groups on. the tiny peninsula of Chicagof Harbor.
Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox disclosed yesterday that the Attu battle "is a
successful operation. It is in the mopping up stage now."
"It is only a question of time," Col. Knox said, "before the Japs will be wiped
out or forced to surrender."
He described the situation as similar to the Tunisian operation when the Axis
forces were driven from Cape Bon. Twin-engined Japanese bombers unsuccessfully
attacked two U.S. Surface vessels in the Attu area yesterday, the
Navy Department announced. The Jap planes could have come from the Kurile
Islands chain 630 miles to the west of Attu.
Battle in Fog
United Press war correspondent Russell
Annabel, with the U.S. forces on Attu, described the battle for Attu as a "battle
in a fog."
"We came ashore silently in the fog and we have -been fighting in fog ever since,"
he said. "It is a bitter barren land in which there is no cover but the fog and a few shallow holes dug with great effort among the moss-covered crags of the island.
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