Current Events April 2, 1944

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY APRIL 2, 1944:

SAN FRANCISCO, (AP)—

The assault on the Japanese naval stronghold of Palau, near the Philippines, by powerful American task forces was "described as one of the greatest surface and naval bombardments ever staged by the navy," stated a New Guinea air base dispatch received Saturday from Olen Clements, Associated Press war correspondent.

SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland,(AP)

War touched Switzerland briefly for a bitter 20 minutes Saturday when this industrial city at the German frontier was bombed by planes officially identified as American.

Russian armies again have used their famous encirclement maneuver to close the last German escape route across the middle Dniester and have driven multiple spearheads closer to Odessa, Moscow announced Sunday as the Germans themselves said other soviet forces were poised at the Tartar pass through the Carpathians into Hungary.

 

COUNCIL BLUFFS, lOWA  SUNDAY, APRIIL 2, 1944.

Assault on Jap's Palau Base

Heralded as One of Greatest

Ever Staged by U. S. Navy

Part of Widespread Attack That Gave Truk

Battering From MacArthur's Air Fleet;

82 Nip Planes Destroyed in Last 72 Hours

SAN FRANCISCO, (AP)—

The assault on the Japanese naval stronghold of Palau, near the Philippines, by powerful American task forces was "described as one of the greatest surface and naval bombardments ever staged by the navy," stated a New Guinea air base dispatch received Saturday from Olen Clements, Associated Press war correspondent.

This was the first intimation from any quarters that" the huge armada, which opened the attack

Wednesday within 30 miles of the Philippines, had moved near enough to Palau to shell that

stronghold

Clements mentioned the nature of the attack in a March 31 dispatch dealing with a supporting

raid by planes of Gen. Douglas MacArthur on the enemy air base of Hollandia, New Guinea.

Use MacArthur Forces

"The attack on Hollandia (Friday),"Clements wrote, "was all a part of the widespread attack on

the Japs at Palau far west of battered Truk.

Swiss City

Is Bombed

by Mistake

SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland,(AP)

War touched Switzerland briefly for a bitter 20 minutes Saturday when this industrial city at the German frontier was bombed by planes officially identified as American.

At least 36 persons were killed and heavy damage was caused in the industrial district and in a section noted for its old buildings and natural history museum. Both districts are close to the railway station, which also was hit, causing 12 deaths. Most of the bombs were incendiaries.

There were few indications that explosives were used. An area of about five 'Square blocks in the Herrenacker district was burned out. The museu:m was burned down and a theater across the street was damaged slightly. At least 1,000 Civsons were homeless. All fires were under control by Saturday.

Red Armies

Drive Nearer

to Odessa

Fifth Army Troops

Straighten Line

Northeast of Cassino

By Henry Wall.

(Associated Press War Editor,)

Russian armies again have used their famous encirclement maneuver to close the last German escape route across the middle Dniester and have driven multiple spearheads closer to Odessa, Moscow announced Sunday as the Germans themselves said other soviet forces were poised at the Tartar pass through the Carpathians into Hungary.

A Berlin broadcast also said soviet spearheads had broken through the Tartar pass leading

through the Carpathian mountains into former Czechoslovakia, now Hungary.

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