Current Events May 28, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 28, 1943:

Six Italian flying fields in the invasion outposts of Sicily, Sardinia

and Pantellaria have been bombed virtually into uselessness within the

hist 48 hours, North African headquarters announced yesterday, as

Allied planes kept up the process of blotting out Axis airdromes.

Russian forces ten divisions strong, supported by five tank brigades, launched

a full-scale offensive on the eastern part of the Kuban bridgehead yesterday,

Berlin radio announced last night.

As weather

conditions improved on the usually fogbound Attu Island, American ground

forces accelerated their attacks against the two Japanese pockets isolated on

Chicagof peninsula, the Navy Department announced today.

The future conquest of the Aleutians depends greatly tjn the success of the

American force which today has a handful of stubborn Japanese troops cornered

on Attu,island. The folio-wing article, written by Eugene Burns, Associated Press

War Correspondent, before the Attu landing, tells why it may be a tough task

to expel the firmly entrenched Japs from the Aleutians bases—stepping stones to

Tokyo.

       THE STARS AND STRIPES

Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations

              New York, N.Y.—London, England Friday, May 28, 1943

U.S. Planes Smash

Six Italian Airfields

On Invasion Islands

Power Plant at Big

Dam in Sardinia

Is Blasted

Six Italian flying fields in the invasion outposts of Sicily, Sardinia

and Pantellaria have been bombed virtually into uselessness within the

hist 48 hours, North African headquarters announced yesterday, as

Allied planes kept up the process of blotting out Axis airdromes.

The raids, by Flying Fortresses, Lightnings and Warhawks of the

North-West African Air Force, were carried out as Algiers radio pounded

away at Italian nerves with ceaseless exhortations

to throw put the Fascists, end the war and make peace for themselves.

The roaring motors over Sicily and Sardinia gave pointed proof, if any was

needed, of the truth of the broadcaster's warning that:

"Allied bombers will darken the sun over Italy. Very soon Allied bombers will

launch mass attacks against you. They will go on attacking until Axis objectives

are swept away. They will attack your harbors, airdromes, railways and factories,

all that can help to delay the Axis defeat."

Power Station Blitzed

Soviets Launch

Full Scale Push,

Germans Claim

Ten Division^ Supported

By Tanks, Open Up

Along Kuban

By the United Press

Russian forces ten divisions strong, supported by five tank brigades, launched

a full-scale offensive on the eastern part of the Kuban bridgehead yesterday,

Berlin radio announced last night. After failing in their attempts to reduce

the bridgehead for three weeks, the radio said, the Russians withdrew their

forces, which were completely exhausted, and replaced them with newly-formed rifle

divisions and tank brigades- from the Volga and Eastern Caucasus.

After heavy artillery preparation these forces attacked Wednesday morning in an

attempt to free the Temyruk road as far as the western promontory of the Tainan

Peninsula, Berlin said.

Two hundred Russian planes were pressed into attacks on German rear communications

before the attack was launched, it was stated. The Germans

claimed 48 shot down and 23 others so badly hit they crashed behind the Russian

lines.

The radio warned that resumption

of the drive must be expected.

page 2

Japs Have Powerful

Bases Built On

Kiska Island

The future conquest of the Aleutians depends greatly tjn the success of the

American force which today has a handful of stubborn Japanese troops cornered

on Attu,island. The folio-wing article, written by Eugene Burns, Associated Press

War Correspondent, before the Attu landing, tells why it may be a tough task

to expel the firmly entrenched Japs from the Aleutians bases—stepping stones to

Tokyo.

AT AN ADVANCE BASE, Andreanof

Islands, Alaska (delayed) (AP)—Airborne dynamite has, so far, not succeeded

in blasting the Japanese off Kiska and Attu islands. Cameras tell why.

That "why" is a fragmentary textbook of Japanese leapfrog island-to-island warfare.

Further, this lens study gives the first account of how the Japanese built a

submarine and airplane base on American soil.

For the past nine months, photograph interpreters have watched the Japanese

build a sub base from scratch; watched him build reservoirs, and now they see

him before his shinto shrine.

Part of Midway Plan?

Yanks Open Up

Again on Attu

WASHINGTON, May 27—As weather

conditions improved on the usually fogbound Attu Island, American ground

forces accelerated their attacks against the two Japanese pockets isolated on

Chicagof peninsula, the Navy Department announced today.

U.S. planes supported the push with bombing and strafing attacks, the announcement

added.

Only 654 casualties have been sustained so far by the U.S. troops which

landed on Attu, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson announced tonight. The

casualties were made up of 137 killed, 399 wounded and 118 missing.

Jap Offensive in China

CHUNGKING, May 27 (BP)-r-Tanks and mechanized units are being rushed

up by the Japanese for a great drive to smash through to China's capital city, a

military spokesman stated in Chungking tonight.