THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 17, 1943:
American war planes shot down 77 Japanese aircraft
over Guadalcanal island Wednesday—at a loss of not
more than six United States craft — to score one of the
most decisive aerial victories of the war.
Destroyed were 32 Japanese bombers and ' 45 zero
fighters.
The allies swung the main weight of their aerial pincer,
against Europe back to Germany today with a blockbuster
raid on Cologne, while the bombardment of the continent's
southern ramparts fell off sharply.
The easing of the aerial offensive against Sicily coincided
with extra vacant Italian propaganda claims that the allies
had massed 3,000 planes, thousands of tanks, more than
1,000,000 troops, and more than half of the British navy for
an attack on southern Europe.
Ceaseless waves of German troops, bolstered
by tanks and planes, attacked Soviet lines northeast of
Orel today under orders to recapture four lost towns at all cost.
The battle, 30 miles northeast of Orel at the hinge or the southern
and central fronts, was in its fourth day with territory that served as a
springboard for the abortive German push on Moscow in 1941 at
stake.
Radio Rome said today that invasion
barges were moving in a steady stream from Africa
to Pantelleria, only 60 miles southwest of Sicily, and estimated
that the allies have massed 5,000 planes and more
than 1,000,000 troops around the southern rim of the Mediterranean
for an assault on Europe.
Times News
TWIN FALLS, IDAHO, THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 1943
YANKS DOWN 77
ENEMY AIRCRAFT
AT GUADALCANAL
By The Associated Press
American war planes shot down 77 Japanese aircraft
over Guadalcanal island Wednesday—at a loss of not
more than six United States craft — to score one of the
most decisive aerial victories of the war.
Destroyed were 32 Japanese bombers and ' 45 zero
fighters.
It was the second large Japanese aerial assault in the south Pacific
region in less than a week and came amid reports the invaders are building
up their forces at Rabaul, New Britain, and Wewak, New Guinea,
as well as in the northern Solomons.
American planes have blasted hard at those bases in recent days, dropping
209 tons of bombs in eight raids.
The total of 77 planes destroyed in Wednesday's raid was almost exactly
twice that of the Japanese losses last April 7 when 39 enemy
craft were shot down during a single raid.
Allies Shift
Aerial Drive
To Cologne
By United Press
The allies swung the main weight of their aerial pincer,
against Europe back to Germany today with a blockbuster
raid on Cologne, while the bombardment of the continent's
southern ramparts fell off sharply.
The easing of the aerial offensive against Sicily coincided
with extra vacant Italian propaganda claims that the allies
had massed 3,000 planes, thousands of tanks, more than
1,000,000 troops, and more than half of the British navy for
an attack on southern Europe.
Already, the Rome tub-thumpers proclaimed in a new bedlam- of
nervous patter, invasion barges are moving in a steady stream frdm
Africa to Pantelleria, newly won allied base 60 miles southwest of
Sicily.
WAVES OF NAZIS
ATTACK RUSSIANS
MOSCOW, June 17 (U.P)—Ceaseless waves of German troops, bolstered
by tanks and planes, attacked Soviet lines northeast of
Orel today under orders to recapture four lost towns at all cost.
The battle, 30 miles northeast of Orel at the hinge or the southern
and central fronts, was in its fourth day with territory that served as a
springboard for the abortive German push on Moscow in 1941 at
stake.
Field reports indicated that the red army was holding all newlywon
positions in the face of fierce enemy attacks. Three German battalions
suffered heavy losses In manpower and equipment during
yesterday's fighting. Five tanks and three German planes were destroyed
by gunfire.
Some 80 miles northwest of Orel, an estimated 1.000 German infantrymen
dislodged Soviet troops from their forward positions near Zhizdra.
A Soviet counter-attack restored the situation, however, and
at least 160 enemy officers and men were killed In the fighting.
Million Troops
Reported Poised
To Attack Italy
By DOUGLAS WERNER
LONDON, June 17 (U.P.)—Radio Rome said today that invasion
barges were moving in a steady stream from Africa
to Pantelleria, only 60 miles southwest of Sicily, and estimated
that the allies have massed 5,000 planes and more
than 1,000,000 troops around the southern rim of the Mediterranean
for an assault on Europe.
(A London broadcast quoted "reliable reports from Bern
that peace demonstrations have broken out in southern
Italy, already under heavy allied aerial bombardment.)
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