Current Events June 24, 1943

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 24, 1943:

RAF night bombers, striking a heavy blow at the Ruhr chemical

town of Mulheim, pounded out yesterday a month of the most intensive

air bombardment ever delivered—31 days that saw 10,000 tons of explosives

and' incendiaries lay waste all the Ruhr's major production centers.

A U.S. BOMBER STATION, England, June 23—When the crews were briefed

for the raid on the chemical works at Huls at the northern end of the Ruhr

yesterday, S2 officers told them: "They make synthetic rubber at Huls."

When they returned, the crews told S2 officers at the interrogation, "They used

to make synthetic rubber at Huls."

RAF Wellingtons, carrying

their nightly burden of bombs in the Allied air offensive against Italian

cities, hurled two-ton "block-busters" into the key railway center of Salerno,

30 miles northeast of Naples last night, only 12 hour-s after American

Mitchells had heavily damaged the same area.

       THE STARS AND STRIPES

      Dally News in the European Theater of Operations of Operations

           New York, N.Y.—London, England Thursday, June 24, 1943

RAF Raid on Ruhr Concludes

Heaviest Month of Bombing;

Italian Ports Again Hit Hard

10,000 Tons of Bombs Hit

Valley in 31 Days;

USAAF Also Out

RAF night bombers, striking a heavy blow at the Ruhr chemical

town of Mulheim, pounded out yesterday a month of the most intensive

air bombardment ever delivered—31 days that saw 10,000 tons of explosives

and' incendiaries lay waste all the Ruhr's major production centers.

Within hours after the RAF completed its latest pounding of the

Reich's rich industrial region, USAAF heavy bombers were retried crossing the

English east coast. IN the absence of a communique at a late hour last night, no

details of their operation were available.

With the 'bombing of Mulheim, air observers said, the RAF's job to strangle

the heavy industry of |he Ruhr is almost complete. Only a few isolated towns like

Gelsenkirchen, steel and chemical manufacturing center, Herne, producing coal

and chemicals, and Humborn, less than 70,000 population, have not been visited

by a major force of bombers.

                                                               Huls Still Burning

Huls Used to Be

Rubber Center.,

Crews Report

But It Isn't Any More;

One Fort Returned on

Two Left Engines

By Andrew A. Rooney

Stars and Stripes Staff Writer

A U.S. BOMBER STATION, England, June 23—When the crews were briefed

for the raid on the chemical works at Huls at the northern end of the Ruhr

yesterday, S2 officers told them: "They make synthetic rubber at Huls."

When they returned, the crews told S2 officers at the interrogation, "They used

to make synthetic rubber at Huls."

The crew of the B17 Dearly Beloved barely got home to tell about it.

Dearly Beloved was well into Germany when one engine on the right wing quit.

1/Lt. Eugene G. Haynes, of Birmingham, Ala., said it was best to stick with the

formation and drop the bombs on the target. A few minutes later, the engine

on the right side stopped and Lt. Haynes had no choice.

40% of Naples Arsenal

Destroyed; Hits On

Torpedo Piamt

ALLIED AIR FORCE HQ., June 23 (AP)—RAF Wellingtons, carrying

their nightly burden of bombs in the Allied air offensive against Italian

cities, hurled two-ton "block-busters" into the key railway center of Salerno,

30 miles northeast of Naples last night, only 12 hour-s after American

Mitchells had heavily damaged the same area.

As the drive to smash Italy's war "industry from the air continued.Hhe North

West African Air Force command announced that reconnaissance photos

showed that 40 per cent of the royal arsenal at Naples had been destroyed by

raiding Wellingtons and American Flying Fortresses.

Coal Strike

Is Called Off

Until Oct. 31

Lewis Sends Men Back,

Providing Government

Operates Mines

WASHINGTON, June 23—

America's third coal strike within seven weeks ended today when John

L. Lewis instructed the 530,000 striking members of the United Mine

Workers to go back to work under a truce lasting until Oct. 31.

The principal provision of the union's truce was that the government

retain control of the mines. They have been under the jurisdiction of Secretary

of the Interior Harold L. Ickes since the first work stoppage May 2,

when President Roosevelt ordered him to take over the mines, by force if necessary.

Failing to reach an agreement with the mine operators, Lewis bowed to the rising

anger of the nation generally and sent his miners back to work with these words:

"The miners are going to work for their government, not for the coal operators."

He added that Mr. Ickes had given assurance that the minimum wages and conditions

prevailing would 'be continued.

A mere trickle of the 530,000 strikers came back on the early shifts, but as

union leaders spread word of the truce increasing numbers reported during the

afternoon, and a general resumption of work was expected tomorrow.

                                                     War Work Curtailed

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