Man Spricht Deutsch lei On Parle Francois Sprechen Sie deutlicher. THE ST; Aimez-vous les bonbons? Sprekhen Zee doytllkher. Ay May voo lay bone-bone? Speak more distinctly. >i»y newspaper e#U3..Arm«d in the European Theater of OptratioB Do you like candy?
Vol. No. 149 lFr. New York—PARIS — London lFr. Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944 Foe 38 Miles from France 'Destroy Enemy Now*—Ike North Line Holds;
rmans SUPREME HEADQUARTERS Ge ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCES Liege-Bastogne 22 Dec. '44 ORDER OF THE DAY Gamble Is TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE A.E.F. The enemy is making his supreme effort to break out of the Highway Severed desperate plight into which you forced him by your brilliant OurChanee victories of the summer and 'all. He is fighting savagely to take back all that you i.ave won and is using every treacherous Field Marshal von Rundstedt's plunging spearheads From the front lines to the trick to deceive and kill you. He is gambling every thing, but already in this battle your gallantry has done much to foil stabbed 40 miles into Belgium, but on the northern flanks supply ports and from the his plans. In the face of your proven bravery and fortitude, highest general down through he will completely fail. of Germany's mightiest offensive of the war, the Nazi blitz the ranks, the United States But we cai.not be content with his mere repulse. came to a halt as Americans stood fast, Supreme Head- Army in Europe mobilized its By rushing out from his fixed defenses the enemy may give us quarters said last night. the chance to turn his great gamble into his worst defeat. So Official battle reports, which lag 48 hours behind the entire reserves yesterday with 1 call upon every man, of all the Allies, to rise now to new a grim and confident deter- heights of courage, of resolution and of effort. Let everyone situation at the blazing front, said enemy columns had mination to smash the Ger- hold before him a single thought—to destroy the enemy on the reached the Belgian town of Laroche. This is 14 miles man counter-offensive and ground, in t air, everywhere—destroy him! northwest of Bastogne, which the thrust outflanked on the United in this determination and with unshakable faith in north, and 11 miles northeast of Sedan. This placed them the German Army. the cause for which we "ight, we will, with Cod's help, go In his third dramatic Order of forward to our greatest victory. 38 miles from the French border. the Day since the landings on American troops, responding to Gen. Eisenhower's call June 6. Gen. Eisenhower said the to crush Germany's desperate gamble—virtually unpre- Germans now were "gambling everything" and called upon every cedented in modern history—were holding the charging line member of the Allied Expeditionary at several points. Force to rise "to new neights of courage, of resolution and of ef- Northern Stab Confined fort" to crush the enemy now. Anti-Spy Alert Is Stiffened; SHAEF said U.S. troops had confined the northern Nazi "By rushing out from his fixed stab to the area of St. Vith, Stavelot and Malmedy. The defenses, the enemy may give us the chance to turn- his great Paris 'Chutist Rumor Denied three Belgian towns were held by Americans up to noon gamble into his worst defeat," Wednesday, the latest period covered by official reports. Eisenhower declared. In this whole sector, it was officially stated, the advance Not since the Palaise Gap, on U.S. Army and French authorities tightened their security has been slowed. In the Monschau area, fighting dimin- the eve of the Allied victory in the restrictions j-esterday following warnings from both the Pro- ished to only local actions and no substantial gains were Battle of France, has Eisenhower vost Marshal and French radio that spies and saboteurs in addressed his armies in an Order made. of the Day. He predicted a victory Allied uniforms and civilian clothes were operating behind Germans were believed to be concentrating troops in then, as he did in his D-Day mes- Allied lines. this sector for another try. sage. Official sources denied yester- The German DNB news agency, picked up by Reuter in A tension comparable only to that day that German paratroops have New Red Drive of D-Day itself gripped the Army, landed near Paris. London, last night dramatically interrupted its transmission from divisions in the line through Associated Press reported that from the Eastern front to flash the report that the Nazi the furthermost rear echelons. tour German soldiers, wearing Hinted in U.S. winter offensive in the west has been slowed by flank attack Confidence, not gloom, marked American uniforms and riding a by the U.S. Third Army, but there was no confirmation of the tension jeep, were captured by six MPs in • WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (AP).- Brig. Gen. Ewart G. flank., com- Belgium. The jeep packed enougn A new Russian offensive in answer this report from any Allied source. mander of Advance Section, Com- dynamite to blow" a strategic bridge to rising Allied demands has de- On the southern flank where the drive had been halted munications Zone, called upon the and seriously hold up a Yank ar- finitely been promised and the as early as Tuesday, fighting had stabilized and all thrusts men of his command—the men who mored column moving to help block starting date set, it was unoffici- were checked in the areas of Dickweiler-Osweiler and supply the materials ana munitions the German offensive. ally reported in the capital. for the armies—to redouble their The would-be saboteurs—three Soviet sources here said that this (Continued on Page 8) efforts and pledged that not an lieutenants and a sergeant—all could not be confirmed officially (Continued on Page 8) (Continued on Page ~ I but there is evidence the Allies are Where German Columns Strike counting on a new winter drive by the Soviets. Informed sources said the projected drive will disclose Two-Inch-High Banners Tell the whereabouts of Red Army for- ces which last summer were fight- ing in the Baltic. Ukraine and Home Front of Great Battle White Russian fronts.
By Carl Larsen in U.S. Lines." The Buffalo Even^ RUSSIAN GAINS IN SLOVAKIA Stars and Stripes U S Bureau mg News banner warned (in its NEW YORK, Dec. 22—With biggest type) "Nazis Gaining in MOSCOW, Dec. 22 (AP) —Ger- banner lines more than two inches Luxembourg; U.S. Loss Worst Since man troops in Slovakia were feel- high, newspaper accounts of the Baatan." The Chicago Suns ing the sting of the Red Army lash German counter-offensive for the streamer said "Yanks Hit Back but today after the Russians had cut past three days have startled two important escape routes for Nazis Hurl 600 Tanks, 150.000 Men Nazis trapped in the imperiled TJ.S. readers, hitting them right In Battle." Czechoslovak rail city of Losonoc between the eyes with such Other examples were: Chicago and had captured more than 30 strongly-worded headlines as Tribune, "New German Drive towns and villages on the ap- "Nazis Gained More in 3-Day Deepens Penetrations Into First proaches to the city. Drive Than Allies Had Won in Army Front"; St. Paul Pioneer Moscow reported hearing German 3 Months." Press, "Yanks Suffer Their radio reports that more than 100 - Though a few editors even today Worst Losses of War and Inflict 000 Russians had renewed the great approached the story from the Heaviest"; Indianapolis Star, "Nazi offensive to encircle Budapest. It angle of the New York World- Offensive Grows in Fury"; Okla- said hundreds of tanks and planes Telegram's streamer -Yank Rally homa City Daily Oklahoman, were thrown into an attempt to Slows Nazis," most adopted a "Nazis Swarm Through Gap in break through and that the Red realistically tough policy like the U.S. Lines"; St. Louis Globe Army had also resumed a great Detroit Free Press: "Nazi Drive Democrat, "Tanks Swarming pincers movement on both sides of Grows in Fury; 45-Mile Gap Torn Through Breach in U.S. Lines." the city. Page 2 THE STARS AND STRIPES Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944 An Editorial Br\G ParisHeraldResumes, Greeted by Officials The Order of The Day OUT H£Rfc The Stars and Stripes joins Gen. Eisenhower, Ambassador Caffery and the American for- N PAGE ONE is General Foxhole Briefs ces today in welcoming the New O Ike's Order of the Day. York Herald Tribune, which That order will be obeyed as After some of the squawks I resumed publication of its Eu- have read in'your column I thought ropean edition yesterday after a no order ever was obeyed be- I would try to get my two francs four-year lapse during the Ger- fore. in. The ones from individual man occupation of Paris. From the Normandy units clamoring for recognition are Gen. Eisenhower, in a mes- disgusting'. sage of greeting to the paper, beaches to the Roer and the All training given to any person said: "This seems an appro- Saar we fought and smashed in the armed forces is given for priate time for me to express the German Army. Today one purpose. That is to enable the to you my deep appreciation ot*| we fight an army of Ger- U.S. to put a successful combat your generosity in making your force into the field. All units are printing facilities available for mans. We'll smash that, too. a part of that force even if they use by The Stars and Stripes. Yesterday the Wehrmacht never see combat. Speaking for the American sol- included the impressed and A combat force with all units diers of this theater of war, I enslaved. The rag-tag, bob- that help it in any way before, thank you very much." during or after combat is like a Mr. Caffery said the reap- tail sweepings caught up by motor. If one part fails the motor pearance of the newspaper was the Nazi broom from every fails, or at least doesn't function "a milestone not only in jour- conquered state. Dressed in properly. nalism but in Franco-American feldgrau and propped by No game can be played right relations." with half a team. Combat is no Prussianism, Potsdam, Mu- game. However, team work is a nich and Krupps. great part of combat. Now an army of Germans Everyone helping in this war is 4hsh fDtvifas -launches its last drive to a member of the team regardless of his job or bran:h of service. The save the Fatherland. Bava- defense worker, farmer, miner and A rugged tanker of the Tenth rians, Brandenbergers, Nazis lief in democracy. Belief in awaited this chance for typist are also members of the Armored "Tiger" Division is pretty of Bremen and Brunswick, the essential integrity of the months. team. True, some jobs are better proud of the results of his efforts of Stuttgart and Stettin, of individual. The belief of The chance is here. Time or more pleasant than others. My to teach a Paris girl English in a Cologne and Chemnitz. Lincoln it} the soundness ot for every man to get on the helmet-water bucket-wash pan and very short time. Recently, he got the majority opinion of the ball as never before. To re- bath tub is off to every Joe and the following letter from her: Panzers, paratroopers and Jane in this thing. None of it is Friday on the 3th. Panzer grenadiers. Waffen common man. member all we learned in pleasant, but let's all pitch a little My Dear R : SS. Schwarze Korps. In- Freedom-loving American training. To brush off every harder.—T/Sgt. J. A. Hunt, Inf. / do not be in receipt of a flamed, impassioned aealots soldiers, together with their trick we've acquired in com- * * * letter of you again, but I take graduated from the Pimpf, Allies, smashed the German *bat. To use equipment as Nice Going the liberty of you writing, like the Hitler Jugend, the Labor Army. Freedom -loving it's never been used before. Our medical detachment of you had ask me. Corps and the party's ranks. American soldiers, together Without waste. With every two officers and 20 EMs sent How do you do? For me I drop of gas, every shell, in 20,000 francs to the French am well. Guarded, husbanded, hoard- with their Allies, will smash War Orphans Fund. That is Since our meeting do you ed for just this moment. For this army of Germans. every bullet aimed at the an average of 909 francs per forget me or to think of me a the moment of the Reich's This is the chance of Boche. Aimed to kill. man. Can any outfit in the few? Your next letter shall greatest peril. For the chances. The Nazis are Ten percent more from ETO top this? —Capt. JUL D. tell me. Ratner, Tk. Bn. Excuse me if I speak bad on counterblow. For the re- again in the open—out of .every man—ten percent * * * the letter. But do you give me conquest of Europe—and their bunkers, out of their more from every machine— Thinking While Fighting answer its, if yes answer me tomorrow the world. community digging, out of ten percent more from every quickly. This army of Germans their Siegfried Line. Out gun—add up to ten percent It is difficult to take a long- I keep carefully the keepsake comes armed to the teeth pull view while we are actually you have me therefore made where we can get at them, relnf orcementsto our engaged in this bitter struggle. present. with Nazi tenets and Fascist smash them, finish them off strength. Not in the U.S.A. Peace is built upon more than Have you baptize your "jip" zeal. In their eyes is the —once and for all. Not on the ocean. But here, revenge and military disarmament of name of "Nelly" as you say lust for world domination. Ike Eisenhower is giving where it's needed, where it of aggressor nations. Peace is built me? In their hearts are hate and upon ideals, co-operation and world In hope very soon you read the orders. Bradley, veteran counts, where it kills. Let's economic stability. We can be I end my letter. fear—hate of those wno of the Kasserine, the add that ten percent. totally ruthless toward the van- My kindest regards to yours frustrated their ambition; beaches, Mortain and St. Knock down rumors. Let's quished Germans, yet find our- two fellows and fond love to fear of the consequences of selves engaged in another war be- IiO—master of Rundstedt, keep our eyes open, our traps yourself from defeat in tins—their final killer of Rommel—Is leading fore many years if we do not NELLY. ; shut. Let's not muff this accept our world responsibilities. • • • effort. the troops. The greatest chance of chances. To finish If we settle back and ignore the Tis reported that a Japanese Against them fight men Allied team in history, with the foe. To end the war in mutual interests of our neighbor admiral was heard singing, "Is you with a simple faith and be- the finest equipment, has nations, allow international law- is or is you ain't my navy?" Europe. lessness to flourish as it did during the last 20 years, and if we set up barriers to the free flow of goods Private Breger SOMEWHERE T and ideas, we shall lose the Peace. The dictator nations set out to build a world order based on in- tolerance, tyranny and force. We EUROPE set our course in a different direc- tion. The practical course is the As Time Goes By oattalion got to Werth, Germany, one charted by Jefferson and Lin- Most GIs figure it's long enough before other units of the Third Ar- coln. If we follow their tradition, by months, but 1/Sgt. Steve P. Chi- mored Div., Pfc Phillip D. Dunn, ot our children may not have'to slog cos, of Gary, Ind., and Pfc Robert L Bridgeport, Conn., took shelter in through the mud of Europe in Engler, of Brooklyn, 83rd Div. a house their GI uniform—1964 style—T/4 signalmen, are sticklers for detail. Sipping some ersatz coffee, Dunn Thomas G. Wright, Engr. Their calculations show that by glanced through a window just as Christmas their time in the Army an infantryman cautiously peered * * * will amount to 114,998,400,000,000 around a corner of a building. Curb Service and 46,656,000,000,000 micro-seconds, "Who are you looking for?" Dunn respectively. shouted. If a mobile unit were set up to "The Germans, of course," the collect blood contributions from doughboy answered. the men in the supply, service and Daylight "Why, got some relatives here?" rear echelons, a great deal of ship- Dunn asked. ping space, handling and time The ceiling had closed In, would be saved.—T/4 I. Hershman, visibility was zero and the pilot |"| - . t olk at Home Send Med. Sup. of the Marauder figured he'd s rSirtn^ Th GI» swi« have to make a crash landing. of esSier Stork', Arrival: THE SI AUS AM> sIKU'ES Just then a searchlight opera- tor at a IX AF strip flicked on TV5 William H. Rielly, Long Island—boy. Printed M Uu Nee York Hermld Dec. 7; Lt Albert M. Ellis, Cornwall. Tribune plant. SI rot da Bern. Puis, his light for a daytime test. tor the 0-8. armed force* under awl The pilot saw the glow through N.Y.—Thomas Albert, Dec. 13; TVS John. pices ot the Information and Educa- T. Grega. Baltimore—boy, Dec. 13; Pvt. the clouds, followed the bearing Michael J. Fritzso, Bronx—boy, Dec. Mi tion CMrtdon. Special and Informa- Pfc Ray T. Warren, Staten Island—Gary tion Service* irons A r«l.: R.Y**e« and made a safe landing. «0-M. 41 «■ Robert, Dec. 13; Lt. Robert Beckett. * Gransprairie. Tex. boy. Dec. 10 Oootenu ,nin aj toe OA Arm; — and Nar; .•«-n«or» Entered at aeoaod What, ISo Band? pVT. p w. Boone. Many. La.—Keith etnas matter. Mar. U, 1943. at the * Wilson, Nov. 4; Sgt. Willis Page. Wor- port office. New Tort. K.Y- mder It's nip and tuck theso days to cester, Mass.-*oy, Dec. 13; Sgt. E. O. the net of Her. 1. 1#7«. see who gets there first. When a Nickolette, Lorain, O.—boy. Dec. 9; Sgt. L Me. MO John H. Hilbert. Weedsport, N.Y.—girl "Oops! Sorry, I thought it was some Nazis surrendering. platoon of an armored engineer Dec. 7. Sajurday, Dec. 23, 1944 — THE STARS AND STRIPES Page 3
THE MEN UP FRONT SAY:
... 7reafe'm- -0 e ,
fa By Joe Weston Warweek Staff Writer
To the sweating Uis oi a field foot spending a few extra days, or had brought out a dandelion many on tires which artillery outfit on the 3rd Army weeks, as a foxhole tenant, are rubber-making scheme. should have been re- front near Sarreguemines the tire pretty simple. But even with the folks back placed a long time ago shortage was no joke. When the Japs latched on to the home knocking out tires 24 hours so that the worn-out rub- They were jacking up a trailer Dutch East Indies and British a day it still was only possible to ber could be reclaimed load of ammunition on blocks and Malaya in the early part of 1942 supply immediate needs. Synthetic by retreading. removing the tires. The same tires it was a solar-plexus punch that tires still were wearing short pants. A 600x16 tire was re- would be shipped back to the rear hurt as much as Pearl Harbor. This was the situation on June cently trailed from First and put on the wheels of another Ninety-three percent of our na- 6, 1944, when Joe put both feet on Echelon maintenance— jacked-up load of ammo so that it tural rubber supply ended—as of Adolf's aching back. the 134th Infantry Re- could roll up to the lines. that day. Not only did Mary's Kubber Pinch On giment of the 35th Divi- sion, currently blasting "WeVe been doing this for a few two-way stretch girdle became as Before D-Day rolled around most weeks now," S/Sgt. Art Jackson, extinct as the Indianapolis Speed- Jerry out of his "Lebens- of the tires on the vehicles had raum" near Saarbrucken—through N.Y.C., said. "It's the only way way race, but the most mobile and already been half used up in UK. ing them in before they become we can keep from deadlining these tire-conscious nation in the world forward intermediate and rear Ord- But now the pinch was on. Trucks, nance depots of the 3rd Army's 69th worn through and useless would trailers. The Joe who is wasting found itself behind the biggest 8 trailers, jeeps, tank transporters, Ord. Gp. make it possible to save more tires his tires is sure beating the hell ball in its history. howitzers—they rolled to the fight- in the long run. out of us." The "ersatz" boys went to town. ing Imes-r-come hell come high Up Front and No Spares A couple of frustrated Edisons The reasons for the present cri- Rubber was made from oil. Your water. Rubber didn't matter. The Cpl. William Rutherford, a 134th came up with a few excellent im- tical tire situation which, if con- whiskey supply was cut and tires stuff must be kept moving. jeep driver, was getting set to haul provisations which will probably tinued, may result in Joe Dough- made from alcohol. The Russians "We had but one mission at that a trailer load of K-rations, mail never be found in any Ordnance time," said Maj. Gen, Henry B. and miscellaneous stuff to one of TM— but they Work and save Saylor, chief ordnance officer of the foxhole battalions. rubber. tin ETO, "and that was to keep Somebody mentioned tires. T/Sgt William Gebhardt, Altoona up with the advance. The advance, "Damn it!..." he exploded. "Do Pa., automotive supply sergeant of out-ran our rubber." you know what I got on this thing? the 3447 Ord. MAM Company said In the 3rd Army alone, accord- Four Kraut tires whi^h ain't worth that his men are using Signal ing, to Col. T. H. Nixon, 3rd Army driving. See the back? No spare!" Corps rubber tape and rubber Ordnance officer, truck transport "It is always like that?" he was cement for temporary tube patches. under Army Ordnance covered asked. "They won't last indefinitely," about 270.000 miles in one week dur- "No. Sometimes I get a couple Gebhardt said, "but a driver can ing the sweep through Fran:e. of patched-up American or French do a quick repair job and ne The net result of the terrific tire tires. But I never have a spare." doesn't have to run on a flat." drain of the past six months is that "What would you suggest doing A 1/Lt said, "We are using hot thousands of vehicles are now roll- about it?" patches in our outfit this way"; ing in France, Belgium and Ger- "I'd court-martial these itchy We cut the patch in quarters. Do pedal guys who start and stop their the same thing with the heating jeeps like a jitterbug jackrabbit." element. And we have four patches Two wire drivers from the 134th instead of one. It's a quick repair Infantry Regt. Service Co., agreed job but it will hold for a while." with Rutherford about careless jeep Capt. Leonard C. Fuller, Mem- and light-vehicle drivers. It was phis, Tenn., CO of the outfit, told generally agreed that even under about using Jerry rubber as a combat conditions and, certainly patch. in the rear areas, drivers could "You slap it on to the tube," he check their rubber for correct air explained, "pour gas in the circular pressure and pick out rocks and cup which usually holds the heating stray pieces of large metal from element, light the gas—and presto! the treads. She's vulcanized." "We avoid zooming over ditches 'Damn Fool Drivers and rock piles at high speeds even out here," one of them said, "but At the 838th Ordnance's forward without spares—and we usually depot a critical situation existed don't have any—there isn't a lot on 600 x 16 and 750 x 20 tires. There we can do if the tires go flat." was no stock on hand, which Tire Repair Tips seemed general at all the depots, Pvt. Joe Collins, Baton Rouge, and only about 10 percent of the La., of a QM outfit, was driving back-orders could be filled at any one of these 6><6s missing two tires one time. S/Sgt. Charles Candler, Thomp- from the duals. He said he had been driving like that for about son, Ga., is using off-size bastard two weeks. tires to keep f ■> peeps and 6 x 6s "The tires were nearly shot," he rolling. He also , pointed out an said, "and I thought it would be 825x20 half-track tire which he better to turn them in before they had to use on a one-ton trailer in became unrepairable." place of a 750x20 "But driving on two less tires "My big beef," said Candler, raises hell with the rubber I got. "are these drivers who act like they Ain't nothing much I can do tho.' are in the front lines all the time. "UP FRONT, NO SPARE," reads sign on trailer (bottom), which means a bad flat is the end of No replacements." I know that a guy don't have a the trail. The 6x6 (top) is kicking along with tires missing from rear duals. Shortages like Collins seemed to think, however, great deal of time to fool around these hamper supply lines to front. that watching the tires and turn- rr^Hn^ed on Page 6) Page 4 WARWEEK—THE STARS AND STRIPES Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944
Luftwaffe Returns to The Western Front The Wehrraacht Gets Priority Over Reich Factories as German Planes Take To Sky By Simon Bourgin Warweek Staff Writer
rriHE Nazi high command put its chips on the table last week when It ■■• put its planes back in the air over the Western Front. Many American soldiers had come to regard the Luftwaffe as a joke. Their experience with the German air force had been limited to the few • Eighth Air Force and U.S. Official Photo and sporadic appearances of the planes bearing the black cross over the DEATH OF FW190 (shown at right, in three stages) by Eighth AAF fighter plane, is typical of early landing operations in Normandy. Since then they had asked, what happens to Luftwaffe craft when they tangle with Allied stuff, like P47 Thunderbolts (left) "Where the hell is the Luftwaffe?" with the same half-serious, half- and P38 Lightnings (center). kidding attitude that people ask, "What ever happened to vaudeville?" Even the weary German soldiers, hours than even the defense of its or fighter escorts—are the targets fields, so they improved airfields' most vital war production. of attacks. With this air force throughout France and the Low despite regular needlings by pro- decided t0 use tne single.engme pagandist Paul Goebbels, had lost ers, which is almost all they Despite endless bombings by the it's a case of. "That's all there is, Countries. Now they are flying faith in the Luttwaite They had fight * 8th Air Force and the RAF, which there isn't much more," and the rule mostly from remote, hastily-im- nave> t0 try t0 protect thelr fa been bombed and strafed all the tories almost put them out of the air- is to conserve gas, planes and pilots. provised grass strips, with primitive plane business last summer, the The Luftwaffe lost 97 fighters in servicing facilities, and few of the way across France without support The Luftwaffe today is thought from the seldom-seen Focke Wulfs ^ i eral Nazis have collected a very big the first day of the counter-offen- fine defenses against low-level be comprised main y of sev and Messerschmidtswhich blazed -iine, single-engine part of their former air strength. sive. The stakes are very high attack, built with such pains in thousand first the way for the 1940 speedy con- rs. Replacements each month Building feverishly in below-the- iwhen the Nazi leaders play their France, Belgium and Holland. quests in Europe. _ fighte ground factories, they have staged hand like that. amount tQ arQUnd a thm of thMe The new Luftwaffe boasts, in a. comeback—so that today more addition to the single-engine But to the pilots and crewmen of actiVe fighters, but probably seldom Few Bombers the 8th and 9th Air Forces, this ap- up for the planes lost in the fighter planes are available for fighters, several varieties of jet- make The Nazi air force has very few pearance of hundreds of German attempts to stop our bombers. As support of the Jerries than prob- propulsion planes. These planes, planes along the Western Front sup- bombings increased, the fight- ably ever before. If the 8th Air bombers.' It lost a big part of the ME163, which look like a Buck tne Force and the RAF let up on their them when it tangled with the porting the German counter-attack ers were aimost oniy for the Rogers job, and the ME262, oil attacks, long enough to allow RAF in the Battle of Britain, and which is more orthodox in design, against the American First Army, deiense of vital synthetic oil plants, this was no surprise. They had refineries and aircraft factories the Luftwaffe fuel to train pilots even more to Russian flak and have been said to. be capable of never been the authors of the pre- i bie flak was better and fly more missions, the fighters, on the eastern front. speeds up to 500 miles an hour on Most of tne avai a Luftwaffe might become potent in Then, in order to build fighters to ure p st mortems °n the Ger" regrouped around these plants, and straight-away flying. ma™?*n ai-_r 2force" . fighting quality as well as in defend its factories, it practically such secondary targets as railyards numerical strength. stopped building bombers. The Fast But Not Best were in many cases left -ndef ended. Luftwaffe Defends The gasoline supply in the Reich few still flying indulge in the Despite their high speeds, Allied Railyards are not unimportant, but annoying but militarily-futile airmen say that these planes are The ground forces seldom saw the Luftwaffe was willing to sacrif- today is shorter than cigarettes in business of launching robot planes far from being superior to ours German planes, but these boys had. ice the important to save the COM Z. At some pre-flight schools The Luftwaffe was m the air against . hout fuel the Nazi they are wheeling planes onto the against England, and occasionally when it comes to offensive fight- essential wit runways by hand. Others have cut make high-level tactical raids ing. They point out that these them whenever they attacked in- legions carVt mov6) and without dustnal targets within the Reich— Luftwaffe down on training, according to against Allied installations. planes, even when throttled back, fuel and fighters tne reports, and some have closed defending the vital oil, munitions can>t f]y. Until it splurged on the First require large turning radii and and aircraft factories, which took entirely. They are scraping the Army front, the only competition their fuel supply is limited. When priority over the lives of Hitler's Quick Switch barrel for men to fly the Luftwaffe's the Luftwaffe gave 9th Air Force the fuel runs low, the deadly P47s 60ldiers. The abrupt switch from defensive fighters, and anybody who can fly fighters was an occasional attack and P38s make hay with their The Germans were forced to fighting to offensive sorties in close is likely to become a volunteer for in bad weather when poor visibility greater fire power as the German choose between supporting their support of their attacking ground the defense of the Reich. grounded our fighters or made plane begins to glide for home. armies in the field or attempting troops shows that the Luftwaffe Along with its new flock of Interception difficult. Few jets have been used so far, to defend their industries against is still a potent force and the Ger- fighters, the Luftwaffe has a new Another fly in the ointment in either because few are being made our bombers—our air superiority man high command has come to S.O.P, on operations. Missions are Germany is the fact that so few or because they are being saved. made it clear to them they couldn't consider the First Army threat to seldom flown in bad weather, of the airfields in the Reich are The long training required for hope to do both with their dwindl- the Cologne Plain a far more im- when there's a chance of failure, first class. The Nazis never in- their pilots, and the long runways Ing air power. The Reich bigwigs portant item in Germany's dark and Allied bombers—not fighters, tended to fight from their own (Continued on Page 6)
J Ninth Air Force Photo U.S. Official Ptocta THIS WAS part of the Luftwaffe, as found by Ninth AF men in France. BELOW UES smoking FW190 factory; above are the Fortresses. Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944 WAR WEEK —THE STARS AND STRIPES — ! +*■ _____ 0 /
'AUNowat Stake/ By SLAUGHTER IN DRIVE France Herron NaziTroopsTold; KAISER STAKES ALU Warweek Staff Writer First Strikes Back Hitler's Rundstedt Prom "The New York Herald," June 6, 1918 From "The Stars and Stripes," Dec 19, 1S44 In Ludendorff's Footsteps? Thj Germans, hit a snag when Marshal Foch struck hard Paris railway. Thirteen days later the British opened an JJOLLOW-EYED von Rundstedt, once given the boot by with a punch that threw the enemy back to the Aisne attack around Bapaume, while the French struck south of Hitler because of "inefficiency," turned loose his and the Vesle, leaving 30,000 prisoners and C00 guns behind. the Oise and gained valuable ground near Soissons. legions a week ago in the Luxembourg-Belgium sector in a This counterstroke by Foch—in mid-July—was the first The Germans were falling back. sky-high bid to crash the Allied forward line and stretch Allied victory of 1918, but it took the initiative away from On Sept. 2, the British cracked the Drocourt-Queant Line what appeared to be Germany's last mile into a long, bitter Ludendorff. which forced Germany to make more withdrawals, abandon-"'" fight. The Allies followed up with a drive launched south of ing gains which had been made in the Lys offensive in His surprise phantomlike dash through the shadowy Albert on Aug. 8, with the objective of freeing the Amiens- Flanders. This freed the Hazebrouck railway system, Ardennes—the very same path over Which the Wehrmacht captured 130,000 enemy prisoners and 1.800 enemy guns struck in 1940—brought down a veil of censorship in Axis in seven weeks' time. and Allied presses alike, and brought down some feverish Before Ludendorff could catch his breath the Americans speculation as to the plight of Hitler's weakening fortress. hit hard at Saint Mihiel on Sept. 12, where they smashed Some viewed Rundstedt's counter-drive with a wide eye a German salient, took 16,000 prisoners and 450 guns. This and a cocked ear and whispered: "This is Ludendorff's 1918 freed the Paris-Avricourt railway, and was quickly unravel- scrap all over again.'' Out came the history books and the ling all of Ludendorff's spring offensive gains. Work'. War I summaries. Bar-room strategists t.nd genuine The Allied drives gained momentum. field quarterbacks delved into maps and figures to see if this Many German Deserters might possibly be a repeat of the last time when Wilhelm's The October offensives smashed the enemy back to the Germany made a final fling to win all before collapsing Dutch frontier, lost the Flemish coast for them, and lost like a deflated lung. the cities of Lille, Roubaix and Tourcoing. "'Vhile in the Battle of the Selle 20,000 more German prisoners were Ludendorff's Arrival at Front taken and 450 guns captured. The First Battle of the Somme In 1916 tore great gaps Many of the Germans were deserting. Others, still proud, in the German ranks and weakened the Army considerably. claimed that their country was so well organized that if*"" Falkenhayn, German high chief who had fought more for would never be defeated. Still other enemy soldiers lurked a draw than actual victory, was replaced by ambitious in front-line towns and refused to return to their units. Ludendorff, who was a Prussian nut on efficiency and Final preparations by the Allies called for a bombing military tradition. fleet to hit the Ruhr, while Foch mounted a large-scale When Ludendorff arrived at the front as Falkenhayn's attack east of the Meuse. This attack was to be carried successor he took one look at the remnants of the Kaiser's out cn Nov. 14, but was never begun. once husky Army and said: "The future looks dark. The In the early hours of Nov. 7, a message came through Army has been fought to a standstill and is utterly worn from Germany stating that her envoys would like to pass out." through the lines and sue for an armistice. But Ludendorff was a gambler—with a little of the It was soon learned after the war that all was not rosy bluffer's blood in him. in the German camp during the final few months. He got chummy with Admiral von Holtzendorff, chief Ludendorff on August 12, had told Col. von Haefton, of tti Naval staff, who guaranteed that if he could get i iwesentative of the High Command, that "there is his TJ-boats into unrestricted warfare by Feb. L 1917. no more hope for the offensive, the generals have lost their "Britain will sue for peace by Aug. 1." foothold." Then Ludendorff prepared his famous rear line of Field Marshal the Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria defense, the Hindenburg Line or Siegfried-Stellung. Next, wrote a letter on August 15 which said, "I no longer believe he.instituted an new system of defense in depth, which that we can hold out over the winter; it is even possible'" saved Germany from getting knocked out in 1917. that a catastrophe will occur even earlier..." Then, due to Ludendorff's tactical genius and a few Allied And Hindenburg himself wrote a letter to the Kaiser blunders, the German Army survived several offensives, on Oct. 3, in which he said that Germany's cause svas lost, and that "it is imperative to stop fighting in order to inch ding the Aisne, Arras, Messines, Ypres and Cambral. spare the German people and its Allies further useless Better than mere survival (jermany even gained superiority sacrifices. Every day lost costs thousands of brave soldiers' of numbers on the Western Front after the Armistice of lives..." Brest-Litovsk when they moved men from the Eastern to German Army Believed War Lost the Western Front. Now was his chance, thought Luden- That was how things stood in 1918—even before hostili- dorff; now he would rout the Allied Armies. There was ties ceased. The High Command prodded the Army to still a smell of victory in the air. keep fighting, and the Army insisted that the war was already lost. Launching of New Offensives This time—1944—there has been some evidence that The Germans launched their great Somme offensive on dissension again has sprung up between the High Command March 21, 1918. Next came the Lys drive in April and and the Army. When Von Brauchitsch loused up the Russian campaign, he was canned. General Werner von the Aisne in May. They struck out again on the Metz Fritsch, who mapped the downfall of Poland, was later offensive on June 9, and all proved to be terrific blows announced as "dead" by the Nazis—and Von Fritsch was to the Allies. Ludendorff was going great guns. admittedly on the Nazi black book. The Paris-Chalons railway—main east-and-west artery- Then Rundstedt was fired, but he came back again Other Army leaders were erased by Himmler, who said was cut at Chateau-Thierry; the Amiens-Paris railway was it was Army men who tried to bomb Hitler last July brought under artillery fire, and the nothern system about Other than those few incidents, the news from Germany Hazei irouck was dislocated. This left the Allied Armies has been stifled. No one knows just what Army leaders under a heavy strain—their supply lines were practically are thinking about today—just as they did not know in 1C18 what Ludendorff and Hindenburg were thinking shattered. Spewing forth from their pillboxes and the strong arm But this is where the Germans erred. Ludendorff— of the Siegfried Line, the Germans of 1944 hurled a "infallible" Ludendorff—had undertaken the Aisne offensive challenge at the American doughboy. They rose out of to defeat the French reserves, which had been coming to 1918 YANKS (top) bore into French mud and avJuit eir Dragon's "eeth, cloaked by murky weather, and counter-attacking Germans, who charge through smoke stirred up the biggest fight since D-Day. the aid of the British. With these French reserves out screen. Drive was stopped, and thousands of Huns The counter-offensive is on. of the way, it was his plan to transfer his Aisne strength surrendered. Rundstedt (botton right) maps out cam- The experts hold the history books and the summaries. to the north for a savage assault on the British in Flanders. paign while boss Hitler looks on. Hitler's "intuition" They watch Rundstedt's dash across the Ardennes with But this plan ran afoul. was junked when latest counter-offensive was launched. interest. And they wonder. Page 6 WAR WEEK — THE STARS AND STRIPES Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944
SoktMt Mail . . . IT DOES GET THROUGH
Rugged St. Nick Overcomes Hell, High Water—And Frontline Woes To Reach Joe's Foxhole Chimney
By- igor Cassini Warweek Staff Writer
JN a couple of days it'll be St. ervisor of postal operations in this dier in a foxhole on a Normandy Armored Division holler: "We month. The wife writes air mail. * Nick's turn to grumble about an theater. Most of these are already beachhead, and D-plus-5 when the troops that have been overseas Since only 30 percent of air mail aching back, because the old guy's in the hands of GIs. Train and first outgoing letter was dispatched for some time always did think can, during winter, go by air, the got quite a load to tote around the truck loads are moving up every from a postal regulating section that we had wonderful mail ser- rest travels by ship. The Army re- foxhole circuit this Christmas. day. operating on Utah Beach, the vices. But today one of our boys commends V-Mail. Half a dozen of his pet Rein- For the first time entire ship's Postal Division headed by Col. received a Christmas package from But Sgt. Howard Marx, ot the deers are already laid up with round cargoes were made up of nothing E. E. Schroeder has handled over his mother. The package had been 70th Tank Bn„ protests violently in heels, having delivered millions of but soldiers' Christmas mail. One 150-million pieces pf mail per opened and some very fine toilet a letter written on toilet paper. packages and letters from Esch- recent arrival at a continental month. Ninety-five percent have articles had been taken out . . ." "Why doesn't someone get on the weiler to Belfort. And still they port carried 1,875,000 parcels in gone through and without too Such things happen, though at ball?" he wants to know. "Here at come. The hite-whiskered guy and 125,000 sacks. Transportation much delay. a minimum rate. But there are the front we have no V-Mail. My the APO are working overtime to answers for each one of these com- outfit has tried through the normal beat the Dec. 25th deadline. plaints. There's the problem of a labyrinthal mail channels to get V- unit that moves from the U.K. to Mail, but no soap." High-tailing the mail from Akron Yes, it's true, admits Col. Edgar to Aachen and points east and the Continent. New York is im- mediately advised. But mail sent E. Schroeder, who heads the Army west is a devil of a responsibility Postal Service. Every possible effort and a rugged detail for the sweat- to the original APO in England must be trans-shipped. And that is being made to keep APOs sup- ing mail clerk who is doing the plied with forms. There are plenty best he can. His mail is part of the takes time. When the mail finally gets to its destination on the Con- on hand in depots. The problem load, too. So, if a package turns is one of transportation. V-Mail up with a little mould on it or a tinent, the unit has moved again. The Army postman has to start all forms have only a low priority in broken string or a faded address movement as compared to other sup- ■»uon't ream your company mail over again to catch up with the elusive Joe. But he doesn't give ply items. "C'est la guerre," say orderly and the APO too violently. the French. TS, says we. Most of the stuff gets through in up until he has him located. good shape—and in fast time. As for mail coming from (and APO Sad Sacks going to) England, it seems silly More Important that it should take longer than it Now, parcels. It happens that a does from the U.S. But the Army few, very few, fail to reach the sol- About Christmas time tha whole diers. If there is any complaint, mail problem becomes more impor- Corps officers estimate that if all Of course there are beefs. Some cannot devote enough transport Victory and Liberty ships had been Joe hasn't received a letter in planes to carry the maH from Bri- the postal boys are quick to check tant than usual to the soldier— on it. According to statistics, sloppy and to the APO. More packages devoted entirely to the purpose of weeks. Two Signal Corps ser- tain to the Continent and vice versa carrying Christmas parcels and geants complain: "One of our bud- as much as it would like to. Fif- wrapping and badly .scrawled or im- are sent to and from home. More proper addresses are numbers 1 and letters are written. The need for mail it would have taken nearly dies in Luxembourg hasn't heard 300 of them to do the job. from his wife in England for four 2 among the reasons why parcels news of home and the gaily- don't reach their destination. These packaged gifts are more urgent 95 Percent Got Through weeks. We'dliketoknowwho'ssitting on the mailbags in the U.K." sad sacks of the APOs are known around the holidays. The number of letters being as Nixies. Thirty-million parcels were sent handled every month by the APO "When I received my parcel it Same thing applies to U.S.-bound from the U.S. to soldiers in Europe, people is even more astronomical. was soaked by rain and everything packages. If you send the wife some says Brig. Gen. R. B. Lovett, adju- Since D-plus-4, when the first in it was spoiled," Sgt. Daniel C. perfume from Guerlain, a German tant general for ETOUSA and sup- mail was delivered to a U.S. sol- Hughes . . . and boys from the 2nd helmet or a piece of pottery from Hitler's Deutschland, be sure it's army of repair workers is ready well wrapped, properly addressed to begin clearing away the debris and that you have marked on the LUFTWAFFE as soon as our planes head for TIRES outside of the parcel, "Gift certi- home. ficate enclosed." Otherwise, they'll The reappearance of the Luftr open it in New York and it's liable and good servicing needed—the waffe in support of the Wehrmacht with tires while under fire. But to custom duty—and delay. Luftwaffe is short on both—may be and Von Rundstedt's plea to give anywhere beyond ten miles of the The Army knows why. It's not other reasons. To date the jet has everything in "one last effort" has front lines is a rear area and a just a tale that men in combat have caused Allied airmen to believe GI can use common-sense main- teen percent of all outgoing sol- taken aft* objective sooner because been less valuable in battle than tenance. If jeep drivers particu- diers' mail is now addressed to they knew that once the position as a reconnaissance ship, flying at that the Luftwaffe may be making larly would rotate their tires, drive its curtain call on the Western civilians in Britain. It's not a few- was occupied the service companies high speeds over our lines, virtually around 40mph and generally treat minute affair either for a convoy would arrive—and with them the Front. ' Knowing the extent to the tires like they owned them we invulnerable to flak, to get photo- which the Nazi air force is to cross the narrow and nasty mail. To quote an officer from the graphs of our installations. It's wouldn't have so much trouble." Channel. 28th Division, somewhere in Ger- strapped for planes, pilots, and At the 158th Ordnance Mobile the first aerial reconnaissance the fuel, the persistent attacks in sup- Most soldiers don't understand many, "Mail from home means a German command has had since Tire Repair Unit, 1/Lt Waiter Wil- why their mail gets snafued. Why hell of a lot to the boys. They port of German ground forces, in liams, of Washington, D.C. said: one letter comes from home in a dream of letter's from their loved the beginning of the battle, lor the face of bad weather and heavy "It is to this and five similar week while another one takes a ones." Europe, when its other recon losses, can only be interpreted as units that tires go for repair if they planes were all shot out of the air. a phase in the desperate and final are too badly knocked out to be effort of the Nazi command to Oil Also Problem ^ given minor repairs at forward halt the onward surge of the Ordnance units. While the jet may be the great Allied armies now fighting on "With a personnel of 18 men ana fighter of the future, the Focke German soil. one officer we go along with Corps Wulfs and Messerschmidts are When the remaining planes of or lower HQ as near as possible to taking the brunt of the 8th and the once-mighty Luftwaffe are collection points. We work a 24- RAF attacks on the oil and air- destroyed, the men of the Wehr- hour shift and put out about 80 craft factories. Oil is the great macht may realize that the pro- completely rebuilt tires and 100 problem of the Luftwaffe today, mises, the secret-weapon rumors, rebuilt tubes every shift." and the best defense of the oil and the reasons for fighting are That is the story of your ticket plants is not jet fighters or even gone. home! conventional fighters, but flak. As Gen. Say lor aptly put it: These oil plants are circled by "It is the GI, the Joe in the more flak batteries than probably Read drivers seat, who will make the any other war installations in the "THE COMBAT MAN SPEAKS" war longer or shorter. world. In many instances the "His way home is on rubber tires Germans have tried to screen the Army Talks, Saturday, 30 Dec. 44 —and he should know the truth targets with smoke and always an of the situation." Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944 THE STARS AND STRIPES Page T This Was America Yesterday: Hollett Stars Lesnevich Trains Postwar GaPg Figure For Furlough Fife Once Over As Redwings BUFFALO, N.Y., Dec. 22.— Gus Lesnevich, light heavy- Lightly weight champion on furlough ■ By Andy Rooney To Have More Curves Rip Rangers from overseas duty with the Coast Guard, is training for his EW YORK, Dec. 22—Already By Joe Fleming DETROIT, Dec. 22.—The Detroit first professional appearance in N there is an unemployment Redwings defeated the New York three years against Phil Mus- problem. Post-war planning has Stan and Stripei DJB. Bureau Rangers, 11-3, here last night. The cato in loc.l ring, Dec. 27. completely neglected the returning lyEW YORK, Dec. 22.—Somebody has finally made up his mind a Rangers haven't won in Detroit The title's not at stake. professional baseball umpire pro- about the postwar woman. According to those making a study since Christmas night in '42. Lesnevich fought last in blem. Sgt. Art Passarella, only of the American figure (for the purposes of dress designing), the Flash Hollett, Redwing defense- March, '42, decisioning Jimmy American League caller-outer to postwar gals are going to have lush curves and broader shoulders—the man, turned the hat trick as his Bivins. serve In the armed forces, doffed result of heavy war jobs. In short, they say the after-victory dolls mates rolled up the biggest victory his Army ODs when discharged will look more like Venus de Milo than like diet-cautious Hollywood margin of the current National Monday, but when he reached for stars. Hockey League campaign. his old blue serge suit there was Some persons say Americans don't know there's a war on. But Mud Bruneteau scored twice in Browns Voted someone in it. -they certainly know the doughs on the Western Front are engaged the first period, Hollett once and Will Harridge, president of the in the fiercest battle in American history. Most newspapers Don Grosso once. Two goals by league, admits Passarella's sudden virtually devoted the first three pages or so to the German Hollett paced a five-goal second Top Comeback return from his sergeant's post at offensive. For example, the New York Herald Tribune front page period. Steve Wochy also got two. Fort Sheridan, had seven stories on the assault. NEW YORK, Dec. 22.—The year- PW camp, as Leafs' Winger Hurt end polls conducted by the Asso- created a dilem- B29 Gun Control System Gets Preview TORONTO, Dec. 22.—Jack Mc- ciated Press and released day by ma. "We took on A NOTHER top secret was aired when, for the first time, the central Lean, Toronto Maple Leafs right day have become a virtual rout two new umpires winger, will b: oui, of action for at gunnery control system of the Superfortress was exhibited at a for the St. Louis Browns. They've —Jim Boyne | least a month as the result of a from the Amer- convention in New York. Elec- just been voted 1944's No. 1 come- twisted ankle suffered in a recent back, after having been selected ican Association tronic and mechanical units enable game against Detroit. sportsdom's No. 1 surprise, both and Nick "Red" a single gunner to fire from all of which honors resulted from Jones of the parts of the B29 where gun empla- National Hockey League their winning the American League Southern Asso- cements are located. Brig Gen w L T Pts. pennant, the first one in history ciation — when Frederick M. Hopkins Jr., AAF Montreal 13 4 2 28 for the Browns. Art left two sea- win Harridge resources division chief, tried out Detroit „. 11 5 3 25 Sam Snead's successful return sons ago," Harridge said. "Both the turret, while his technique was Toronto 10 6 2 22 to big money golf was voted the did well, so the league now has 13 observed by Maj. Gen. Oliver P. Boston „ 8 11 1 17 second best comeback and Charley capable arbiters, and needs only 12." Echols, assistant chief of air staff; New York . 3 11 4 10 Grimm's managing job with the UFF DONELLI, former Du- WPB Chief Julius A. Krug; General Chicago 3 11 2 8 Chicago Cubs ranked third. B quesne player who coached the Electric's Bit. Prentice; J. Earl Cleveland Rams this year, said in Schaefer, Boeing Aircraft vice- effect the other day he didn't think president; and Maj. Gen. Kenneth 'Red' Pollard Hurt MexicoTutorSheds the Chicago Bears were the kind of R. Wolfe, tactical commander of boys he wanted his little Rams to B29s who flew over Japan with In Gulf stream Spill Light on Sun Bowl play with. "The Bears always have the first group. been on the everything goes side, HALLANDALE, Fla., Dec. 22.— but their roughhouse tactics have OUT all was not rosy on the pro- MEXICO CITY, Dec. 22.—Coach Jockey John "Red" Pollard, former duction front. The Senate George Hoban of Mexico Univer- stepped up since George Halas rider of Seabiscuit, was rushed to War Investigating Committee made sity today announced 35 players joined the Navy," Donelli charged, Hollywood Hospital in serious con- some nasty remarks about the have embarked for El Paso and pointing a verbal finger at Bears' dition today after a spill in the WD's use of manpower. It charged the Sun Bowl game against South- coach Hunk Anderson. first race at Gulfstream Park. the department with "ruthlessly" western of Texas. Donelli's complaint about the The 36-year-old rider was aboard Bear's Pier 6 tactics is the outcome stripping industry of "irreplaceable The Mexican firststringers ave- Good Ante when the horse of the Chicago-Cleveland game dur- trained personnel" and failing to rage only 165 pounds with the line stumbled on the clubhouse turn. ing which five Ram players were use manpower to the best ad- averaging 169, "When we make a Barber, aboard Count Natural, and casualties. Three were carried off vantage after induction. substitution," Hoban declared, "the Chaffin, on Yarn Spinner, were weight of the team drops sharply." the field in the first five minutes In another quarter, however, thrown but neither was hurt. of play, and three of the five were the spirit was better. Jeff Brig. Gen. Fred Hopkins sits in B29 Good Ante, however, rolled over Coach Restriets Vols rushed to a Chicago hospital. He Davis, self-styled hobo king, was turret, demonstrating operation of Pollard and kicked him in the suggested Commissioner Elmer Lay- PASADENA, Calif., Dec. 22.— determined to co-operate with the fire control system. head. den do something about the Bears' John Barnhill, coach of the Ten- dirty play. Chicago's record bears the ban on non-essential travel and said that hoboes this year would Talun 'Rematched' nessee football team, which meets out in part Donelli's charge, for it skip their annual mulligan stew, which attracts hoboes from all RENO, Nev.,Dec. 22.—Wladyslow Southern California in the Rose broke its own National League »ver the nation. Talun, Polish wrestler, was mar- Bowl New Year's Day, has canceled record for the number of penalties * Railroads, Planes Sold Out of Tickets ried here today to Edith Thomas, all sightseeing and movie studio and yards imposed. of Buffalo, N.Y., a woman wrestler, trips for his athletes. Meanwhile, HORT SHOTS—An order has they're getting in shape to meet VET it eemed that Davis had no influence over the non-hobo shortly after he obtained a divorce S been placed for 53,000 baseball citizens-. Railroad and plane travel this weekend is expected from Stefanie Talun. the very tough Trojans. uniforms and two million baseballs to be slightly heavier than last year's 20 percent increase over the by the Army and Navy for spring Christmas normal. Railroad accommodations from New York, on all delivery to the Armed forces . . . through trains south and west, are sold out already and all plane Connie, 82, Looks Back Gene Tunney has stopped trying to bookings are filled up. hire Baltimore's huge Municipal Christmas transportation for Pvt. Alphonse Single was furnished LOS ANGELES, Cahf., Dec. 22. then and he gave Ehmke the Stadium for a pro football team by the Army. AWOL from Camp Myles Standish 18 months, — Connie Mack will celebrate his starting assignment ahead of and has bought part of the New Single was seised by MPs in the apartment of his sister, Mrs. 82nd birthday here quietly tomor- Lefty Grove, George Earnshaw, York franchise in the All-America Malvina Strollo, of Brockton, Mass. Mrs. StroUo, accused of har- row. "My health has been pretty Rube Walberg and Eddie Rom- Football Conference . . . Armv Full- boring a deserter, said she felt relieve because her brother hadn't good all my life," Connie said mel. back Felix Blanchard's father played left the house since he went over the hill in July, 1943. today, "and right now I'm happy It seemed the old fellow had football under Clark Shaugnessy at Tulane 25 years ago under the PERSONALITIES: Mrs. Jessie Simpson Steward, 25-year-old beauty to report it's real good." finally lost his mind that day. name of Belleau, because the elder ■*■ contest winner who lost her legs in a train accident in 1937, Many thrills have flashed be- Ehmke, 35, had pitched only 55 Blanchard's parents objected to his gave birth t a boy in Teaneck, N.J. Merle Oberon, who used to insist fore Connie's eyes in 60 years of innings all season and had practi- cally nothing on the balL "I se- playing. that her friends refer to her as Lady Korda, has apparently tired of professional baseball, including cretly instructed Ehmke two weeks both title and husband. She announced that she would start divorce 44 years as the Philadelphia A's before the series and had him out proceedings against Sir Alexander Korda, British film producer. Dr. pilot, and the. most vivid in his Air Force Band to Play scouting the Cubs." Connie reveal- Charles F. Kettering, General Motors VP, was elected president of the memory, he says, was the job turn- ed, "and he scouted them so American Association for toe Advancement of Science. William S. ed in by Howard Ehmke in the At GI Game Tomorrow Linderman, 81, Pittsburgh banker and head of the Buhl foundation, opening game of the 1929 World well he struck out 13 for a World an organization to provide adequate housing at moderate rentals for Series against the Chicago Cubs. Series record and beat Charley A 40-piece Air Force band will Connie was a kid of 66 years Root, 3-1." furnish music and WACs will be white-collar workers, is dead. cheerleaders when two Ninth By Oourtesj ot United Features By Al Capp AAF football teams meet tomor- Li'l 4bner row at 2:45 PM ir> Pershing Stadium, Paris. w BUT- AT LAST/7^- THE ALL THIS HAfS BEEN 'BUT- I HAD TOrr~ The Air Defenders, on the basis HORRIBLE AT-HORRIBLE." THE PROFESSOR. HAD TO CO\ RARER IS DESTROYED 'V- ALL MY LIFE - I'VE BEEN BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAD] NO ONE WILL EVER of a strong defensive record, are KNOW IT EXISTED .V- A PEACE-LOVING WRI"TTET1 OM THAT RAPERTTl considered favorites over the BUSINESS NV*.N - AND —AT© THE UTTLE OLD LAOY-| MO ONE WILL EVER KNOW WHAT I DIO Headquarters' team. TTOCAV - I'VE W-WlPED SHE. HAD TO CO THIS DAY/'*- NO ONE OUT TWO HUMAN BEINGS rr- Help Wanted —AND GIVEN Write your question or problem to Help Wanted. The Stars and Stripes. Paris, France. APO 8S<.
PERSONAL ' fiPL. WARNER RATZEL: Meet your V« brother-in-law, Sg. Orlff Q. Dallas, at Town Major Bdg., Luxemoourg City. Dec. 25. Page 8 THE STARS AND STRIPES Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944 Nazis 38 Mi. From France; WPB Leader A GI Dan Boone Retake Town? U.S. Anchor in JSorth Holds Asks Greater Never Lost It, Yanks Retort (Continued from Page 1) Labor Effort Berdorf, two communities south and southwest of Echter- WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (ANS). By William Boni nach in Luxembourg. —Drastic increases in munition Associated Press Correspondent In the center, however, large-scale German thrusts con- production schedules were in- MALMEDY, Belgium, Dec. 22.—i dicated today when WPB Chief American infantry, who from four tinued in the Wiltz-Bastogne area near the Luxembourg- Julius A. Krug called for renewed AM until this afternoon were Belgian border. The Duchy town of Wiltz, 12 miles west of efforts from war workers and fighting tanks, heard on the radio Viandon, has been encircled, but — dissipated hopes of an easily-won that the First Army had retaken enemy forces kept on going west _ , . Malmedy. They think that's a Belgmm nd m victory. after brisk fighting at the town. I * Luxembourg, the "Eisenhower nas been doing hell of a note—because they've 1 Armored columns ploughed on men of the democracies were res- never lost it, so how could they ponding. They had slowed Von everything he could to break through Luxembourg to cut the through the west wall. If he had have had to retake it? major roads north and southeast Rundstedt's'momentum in the bloodiest fighting of the war. done so promptly, munitions we The GermansJaunched an attack of Bastogne, while part of the tank had under procurement would UP reports from London quoted before dawn, found the going force by-passed Bastogne and con- have been sufficient, but ne a. German military spokesman as heavier than they expected, rolled tinued rolling westward. Bastogne, couldn't," Krug said. "Now m acknowledging that the first off and swung into line again. 40 miles due south of Liege, is four order to safeguard against what impetus of the gigantic attack had Making the most of the ground miles inside the Belgian frontier will come as well as what has been spent. Allied forces, the fog, they wheeled their tanks up from Luxembourg. happened, the Allies must get Major impact of this thrust was spokesman was quoted as saying, for direct fire and finally forced ready to fight the kind of war we an anti-tank platoon to pull back the cutting of the Liege-Bastogne- were moving against the enemy for have been fighting for two montns an even bigger battle. to high ground. Arlon highway, which runs from for another year or longer, if neces- Antwerp to Verdun and points sary." he added For eight hours troops under Nazis Say St. VUh Taken Capt. Joseph Reaser, of Gettysburg, south. He said that although munitions It was the drive outflanking Bas- Yesterday's German communique, fought, although cut off. Germans striking a note of triumph lor the needed to meet the attack are togne which reached Laroche, out already in France, the German infiltrated at a few points and what strength the farthest elements first time in months, said that all three tanks managed to break enemy attempts to bring the counter-offensive emphasizes the into Belgium still had or what mo- need for concentrated heat on the through to overrun each of their mentum they had left was not dis- attack to a complete standstill three TDs, as well as some 57mm. were smashed. It claimed the Nazi production program. closed The freeze of civilian produc- anti-tank guns. The holding action in the north capture of St. Vith and its Amer- But AT gunners, under Lt. Roy ican garrison. tion, except for vitally needed signified that for the first time items, probably will be prolonged, N. King, of Lexington, though American forces nad been able to German successes in Belgium, their main weapons were lost, the Berlin communique added, Samuel W. Anderson, WPB vice meet the full weight of the offen- chairman, said. kept the Germans away. From sive by its fifth day. have compelled Americans to with- batteries on the eastern side of the Wearing a Daniel Boone fur In this one last straining tnrust draw formations from sectors town, Capt. Richard Trouts, of Cin- out of the borders of Germany, Von where U.S. forces had been at- cap under his* helmet, Pvt. Bill Vegso, of Campbell, Ohio, cinnati, called for available sup- Rundstedt's offensive had rolled tacking. The communique specified Spy Measures porting fire westward with everything the Ger- that American forces were obliged shoulders a light machine gun before moving up on the When it appeared that there mans apparently had, from Panther to evacuate bridgeheads at Dil- was every possibility the Germans Third Army front. tanks to bicycles. Meanwhile, the lingen and Ensdorf (suburb of Are Tightened would crash into Malmedy itself, weather yesterday continued per- Saarlautern) in order to release Capt. Charles Pritchard, of Nelson- troops. \ forming for the Nazi high com- (Continued from Page 1) ville, Ohio, mustered headquarters mand, as mist and snow continued Early SHAEP reports yesterday spoke good English. One was born Riot Spreads clerks, communication men and to hamstring Allied air activity. revealed spearheads of the German in Brooklyn. Lt. George Rogers, of others and sent them to front offensive cut the vital Liege-Basto- South Portland, Me., said they had Third Order Since D-Day line positions. Just then armored gne-Arlon highway at Webomont, identification papers. But the To Macedonia infantry arrived. In the third Order of the Day he 32 miles from the enemy's jump-off MPs were suspicious because "they All this time men of Reaser's has issued since the invasion, Gen. point. This road, one of the longest didn't beef when we stopped them." ATHENS, Dec. 22 (UP).—While company and King's platoon were Eisenhower gave official assurance in Western Europe, runs from Ant- Armed with three loaded machine busy, . AT gunners, without their that Von Rundstedt's gamble was werp through Liege and to Verdun guns and five grenades, the Ger- the British captured Piraeus and doomed to fail big guns, knocked out one tank and points south in Prance. mans had infiltrated during the seemed on the point of regaining with a bazooka while the combined Calling on every Allied soldier breakthrough. After demolishing Tanks Trapped at Stavelot control of the Greek capital, reports weight of the supporting fire put "to rise to new heights of courage, the bridge, they planned to return out of commission four others, as of resolution and of effort" to On the offensive's northern from the country said that civil to their own lines with the help of well as some TDs with U.S. destroy the enemy, the Supreme flank, U.S. forcer were hacking Wehrmacnt uniforms stowed in the war was spreading in northwest enemy tanks bottled up in the markings. Commander said the Nazis' greatest jeep. They will be shot as spies. and northern Greece. Of five tanks knocked out, four gamble may become their worst vicinity of Stavelot. Tank des- The MPs have been commended troyers smashed several desperate The Greek government feared were U.S. Shermans defeat for their work. They are S/Sgt. that the Bulgarians and Albanians In the snows and fog of eastern German attempts to smash Leon Hansen. Sgt. Walter Stagger through with captured U.S. Sher- in these areas planned a coup to and Pfcs Donald McHenry. Alex split Macedonia from Greece. man tanks to rescue the 'trapped Molnar, Lars Johnson and Albert B29s Hammer armor. The official Hellenic New Agency Germans' Gamble Dial claimed that Greeks in Fiorina and In the center, the westward bulge Castoria in Greek Macedonia were was growing. Nazi flying wedges under "open persecution." Japan Again Is Our Chance-Ike were disclosed to have driven ten German Supply Depot miles beyond Stavelot to a point NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (ANS).— Hit by Allied Planes Retreat From Faenza Saipan-based B29s. in the sixth (Continued from Page 1) 18 miles south of Liege. It."ppeared that Liege, important base in straight day of attacks on Japan's ounce of supplies would fall into Thunderbolt-escorted RAF Lan- Attempted by Nazis eastern Belgium, was a prime caster yesterday struck for the industrial centers, today blasted enemy hands. objective of the drive. second day at Trier, main supply aircraft factories on Honshu Island, ROME, Dec. 22 ,AP).—Nazi com- .the W.D. announced in Wash- Many company commanders added Stars and Stripes front reports depot behind Rundstedt's attacking mands in Italy battled stubbornly ington. their own appeals to those of the quoted an American staff officer forces, after night atta;I:s by RAF yesterday to extricate troops, tanks as saying that the enemy's attack (Tokyo radio claimed chat 100 higher officers. Typical was the heavies on Cologne and Bonn. and guns from the bulge northeast Superforts had taken part in an has been blunted and slowed down. Eighth Air Force heavy bombers of Faenza where they are pinned informal speech a company com- The Eupen, Spa and Verviers assault on Nagoya, site of the Mi- again were grounded by bad weather on the west banks of. the Lamone tsubishi aircraft works. Some mander gave his outfit in Prance sector of the front remains firm, yesterday. River by Canadian troops of the planes were reported over Osaka yesterday afternoon: the staff officer was reported as Eightn Army. saying. and Shizuoka). "You all have a pretty good idea What, No Alibi? The Canadians captured Bagna In the Philippines, American pin- how many Amencan troops and The front reports said confusion CLEVELAND, O., Dec. 22 (ANS). Cavallo, ten miles northeast of cers snapped shut on the Japanese how much equipment and supplies still exists in the Bastogne area —John Yuricka Jr. admitted crash- Faenza, and have broken the on northwest Leyte. U S. planes, we have on the Continent. If every where 55 enemy tanks were des- ing into a parked automobile when enemy's northern flank in the flying for the first time from an one of us can do one-tenth more, troyed in 24 hours. Bicycle units police traced him through his li- salient. Other Eighth Army units airfield on Mindoro. blasted posi- we can give 10 percent more men last reported in Normandy were cense plate—it had transferred it- maintained steady pressure on the tions on Luzon, 75 miles from the and materials to the front lines. reported in action. self to the other car. southern flank. Mindoro coast. This is the battle in which the war probably will be won—by our side. Tervy And The Pirates By Jourtesy M News Syndicate By Milton Canifl Let's make sure it is the one."
Gen. Plank's message said: 'AS THE COLONEL'S SECRETAEV ' IF I CAN JDSTREMEMBER" _. AND YOU RE JUST USING T WE ARE IN LUCK! YOU KNOW THE DETAIL'S OF HOW THE MEN AT THE "We of Advance Section have re- ME TO CORROBORATE IT... \-ALU WE KNEW r AMERICAN OPERATION 5/.. JUNGLE FIELD TALKED sponsibilities in supply and evacua- S6T. JANE ALLEN SURELY T£EEV SO I MIGHT AS WELL AVOID \ WAS THE NUMBER OF THE AMERICAN AND THE POLICE OAKl) WILL RECORD VOUE ABOUT MILITARY OPEEATiONS.' tion of the gallant armies we are TOETUEE BY TELLING THE I 51 ! THE WOMAN WAC. YOUR ATTEMPT'S ARE LOOKING RECITAL OF THOSE DETAILS Mj| honored to support. To date you TRUTH;'OPERATION SI' !OBVIOUSLY WILL 'TO CONVINCE ME THAT FOE ME .'TIME . HAVE A TASTE OF WHAT Ml I SUPPOSE VOU ALEEAPV KNOW WAS THE CONVERSATIONAL J TELL US THE have done exceedingly well. No- VOU AEE BEALLV WILLOW IS WHAT I AWAITS VOU IF VOU HESITATE L ALL ABOUT THIS 'OPERATION DESIGNATION OF THE "\ REMAINDER !, 1 thing in our possession has been gEUNDA, CIVILIAN, WERE NEED NOW OH I 51', AS VOU CALL IT— PROJECT/ IN THE BOOK rr lost to the enemy. INTERESTING/ BUT IS NUMBER SIX.-THE SUM "We will renew and redouble our OF THE TWO DIGITS ' efforts, and when this phase of the war shall have been concluded, we If will proudly say not one ounce of I wax I our supplies or equipment has fallen into enemy hands, and that the armies have been completely sup- ported."