Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 August 1943 — Page 1

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The Indianapolis Times

FORECAST: Local thunderstorms and continued warmer this afternoon and tonight; cooler tomorrow forenoon.

FINAL HOME

VOLUME 54—NUMBER 123

“I'he Battlefield Looks Peaceful—But Men Are Dying

By HUGH

BAILLIE

United Press Staff Correspondent

WITH BRITISH 8TH ARMY, BEFORE, CATANIA,

July 30 (Delayed).—You see

opposite hillside, so near and ¥

Catania over there on the et so far, shimmering in the

heat haze, a whitish town terracing down to the lower

bastion of Mt. Etna.

In between you and the town lies the Catania plain,

a brown landscape dotted with green trees.

there on that plain are the Br

The German line runs through a long ridge which

looks wooded and pleasant.

on the brown plain somewhere but you can’t see them.

However, their batteries crack-crack of artillery come

the abrupt yell of shells arching overhead. There are

Entered as Second-Class Matler at Postoffice Ingianapolis Ind.

MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 1943

curses. You see smoke drifting where the shells hit. like a smudge from grass fires. The bridge you stroll over is an occasional target for German guns. There are shell holes around here and there. The farm houses in the vicinity are smashed as if by earthquakes. That is the look of the battlefield—peaceful and rural

Then sometimes many shots in rapid succession. It looks

And down itish and German armies.

The British are down there

are behind you. The sharp 8 intermittently, followed by

Issued daily except Sunday

PRICE FOUR CENTS

except for the smashed houses.

You get used to the noise.

The banging behind you and the screaming shells overhead

seem impersonal.

The armies are invisible. But there is plenty of the stink of battle.

One sharp

bend in the road nearby is called, most “appropriately,

Dead Horse corner and you breeze. (Continued o

know why when there is a

There was sharp fighting here recently and the

n Page Tv) a ————————

mam mn wees so ALLIED ARMIES SMASH FORWARD

The crumbled heap is all that is left of the army glider which crashed at Lambert field, St. Louis, yesterday killing Mayor William Dee Becker, Maj. William Robertson, aviation pioneer, and eight others.

2 FROM HERE DIE IN GLIDER

Wings of the Huge Ship Collapsed Causing Death Plunge.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 2 (U. P)— Army investigators sought to determine today what caused the wings of a huge new cargo glider to collapse, sending the craft earthward in a dive that killed 10 persons, including the mayor of St. Louis and others prominent in the aircraft industry. Among those killed were Capt. ¢ Milton C. Klugh, of 8444 N. Meri- |

i

dian st, Indianapolis, a member of |

A

Mayor W. D. Becker

Acme Telephoto.

Maj. William Robertson

the first troop carrier command at! Stout field and Pfe. J. M. Davis, at- | tached to the Stout field command | at Indianapolis. | Capt. Klugh, who had been stationed at Stouf field only a few months, was regarded as one of the best glider pilots in the army air corps. His original home was in! New York City and he entered the army Dec. 11, 1940, serving at Camp Devon, Mass. before joining the glider unit of the air corps. The new type glider, making its | second flight, crashed before 10,000 | horrified spectators at Lambert-St.| J Louis municipal airport yesterday | during a public demonstration. The eraft was similar to the one which | recently was towed across the Atlantic to England in the first such flight. Lt. Col. G. R. Johnson, army air forces press relations officer. said the army would ground all similar gliders manufactured by the Robertson Aircraft Corp. on the possibility that structural flaws caused the crash. The number of such gliders in army service and the {Uohtinne on Jape Two)

TRAIN KILLS 9 MEN ON SECTION CREW

NOKOMIS. Ill, Aug. 2 (U. P).— Nine men of a section crew working on a railroad right of way one mile east of here were killed today when 8 fast west bound Big Four passienger train ran into them. Four of the crew escaped. The station agent here said the men did not appear to hear the warning whistle of the oncoming train.

LOCAL TEMPERATURES

8 a m 71 10 am. a mo... 2 lam a.m ... 7 12 (noon)... am . 74 1pm

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

4 Inside Indpls. 9 6/In the Service 18 9 | Millett .. .++« 17{ Movies . 17 Obituaries . Editorials Edson ¥ Fashions Mrs. Ferguson 13;Ration Dates . nancial .... 7 Mrs. Roosevelt 9 10 Side Glances . 10 eckles . 16 Simms 10 Gardens 3 Bociety .. +112, 18 Health Column 3! 8ports Hold Ev'thing 9 8tate Diestha Fomenakig. 13| War

Hoosier Heroes

Lt. Scott Is Killed in B-24 Crash|

Killed SECOND LT. WILLIAM J. SCOTT, husband of Mrs. Phyllis H. Scott, 2836 E. New York st,

was killed Friday night when a B-24 Liberator bomber crashed

in mountains near Tucson, Ariz, | | a United Press dispatch reported

yesterday.

Lt. William Scott

Also among the nine crew members killed was 2d Lt. Robert A.

Kirk of Richmond Heights, Mo.,

whose wife is a niece of Mrs. C. C.

| Mathews, 110 Berkley rd. Mrs. | Kirk formerly resided in Indian- | apolis and recently visited in the | home of Mrs. Mathews.

Lt. Scott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Will J. Scott of New York, was a junior at Indiana university when he entered the army as an aviation cadet in the Spring of 1941. He formerly had lived in Ft,

(Continued on Page Two)

RUMOR KISKA LANDING LONDON, Aug. 2 (U.P) —An un-|

confirmed report that American forces had landed on Kiska, Japanese-held island in the Aleutians, was broadcast by the axis tontronied Vichy radio. The navy 8|¢ at in Washington had “no

last

epartme

NEW CIGARET DRIVE GETS FLYING START

PRELATE BACK Plead for Post-War nich, SADDENED BY VATICAN VISIT

Sorrows Over ‘Cross Borne By Pope’; Hopes Italy Will Accept Peace.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2 (U, P)— Archbishop Francis J. Spellman expressed the hope today that Italy will find it possible to accept the]

peace offers made to her through the joint message of President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill. and the proposals of, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. “Italy's surrender would bring | U. 8S. nearer the peace for which the Rgamepeck world yearns.” Spellman said. “It |, opram.” would spare the lives of American,| British and Canadian soldiers, as | well as Italian lives and Italian | cities. “It would spare the lives of many | soldiers and civilians of all na-| tions. It would also provide an) opportunity and a challenge to |

Senator Harold H. Burton (R. (D. Ga.) « + ¢ “America must

0.) left and Rep. Robert | unite on a post-war |

United Program for Peace

united nations to show how they! After War, Asked by Solons

intend to keep faith with the world, | Congress and the American people must forget political differences with their words and with them- and unite behind a united nations post-war peace program for the best selves.” interests of all the world, U. S. Senator Harold H. Burton (R. 0.) and Ends War Tour | Rew, Robert Ramspeck (D. Ga.) agreed in a joint interview here today. They were in Indianapolis to speak tonight on America's role in postArchbishop Spellman returned | war planning at a public mass meeting at the wor ld war memorial audilast night from a tour of the war |torium, sponsored by the Indiana zones and visiting the Vatican. | Committee for Victory. The archbishop said that his visit | to Pope Pius XII “was for me the happiest and saddest experience of | my life.” He said he was happy to receive his blessing, but “saddened | in the vision of the weight of the “Not only will Republican a | cross he carries.” |get together on a post-war peace He said his journey took twice the plan but they will unite with the time intended. He was unable to Democratic leadership in a non- | visit India and China as he had Partisan program to prevent reoc- | | desired. His tour took him to curance of war in the future,” Sen- | Europe, Asia, Africa and South ator Burton said. America. Archbishop Spellman explained that most Democratic leaders are cally in Harlem today after a wild,

RIOTING CONTINUES INN. YS HARLEM

Six Killed, 198 injvred in Street Fighting.

WU. P)==|

The legislators will speak Iuetier in 11 other Indiana cities on {same subject during the ne B | days.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2

Fund Already Bi Big Enough For 159,000 Smokes.

The Times Overseas Cigaret Fund | drive for August is on its way— land a merry start it has. There's already $397.54 in the treasury and that is speeding 159.- | 016 cigarets to fighting men on the seas and overseas, You see, the reason so many go

across for such little money is that | leading cigaret firms provide them for only § cents a package. | The donors’ list for the opening lof this month's campaign is headed by Noblesville Aerie 450, Fraternal Order of Eagles. The lodge sent] (Continued on Page Two) |

|

a sky filled with enemy fighter pl

that Xaeien NN times as a HOW ready to = ong with Re- jawless night during which six per- | private citizen an as military publicans on a joint peace program ; . vicar to the Catholics in the armed of some kind. Suns» Sil Negroes, Were Elid go forces of the Of ue United States.

'MORE HELP NEEDED | TO FILL WAR JOBS

yet on the details of the planning, jured, and approximately 300 arbut they will be before the end of rested. the war,” Rep. Ramspeck predicted. | Ignoring continued pleas of

Both legislators stressed the ; Ineed for early conferences between Mayor F. H. LaGuardia and Negro |

Renewing his plea to women to | united nations governments on some leaders, throngs continued: to gather | yeoneq by Bulgarian troops, whol

register in war jobs, John A. Reis, |definite policies to be followed im- in the streets where brickbats and citizens manpower committee chair- mediately after the war. | bottles were thrown last night. man, said today that the demand| “All nations of the world must] sporadic outbreaks of violence made for workers is expected to increase (be given a clear picture of what the i; evident from the temper of adel still further in August. Mr. Reis said that youths now the war in order to get their con- get off heavy rioting again, employed will return to classes in | sence and their co-operation,” said | high schools and colleges and that Rep. Ramspeck. “Without the con-| the peak of the need for workers | fidence of all peoples of the world, | ALICANTE, Spain, Aug. 2 (U. would be reached in September. a united nations peace program p) _The bodies of 20 victims of| The CMC reported that 4500 would fail.” a dynamite explosion that wrecked persons had registered in the seven | The representative pointed out a sporting goods shop, had been re weeks’ campaign. (Continued on Page Two) "covered today.

20 DIE IN BLAST

anes over the Rumanian oil fields

in a spectacular battle so close to the earth that a wing of Brig. Gen. Uzal G. Ents airplane once dipped “into the middle of a tree.” Returning pilots described the raid Sunday on the Ploesti fields as

lone of the most sensational of the war, with aircraft of both sides

‘diving in all directions and bombs | exploding so violently that a ground | blast destroyed one Liberator. | Advices from the Balkans ‘said | today that great fires still were ‘roaring through the oil fields, 24 hours after the long planned precision bombardment by nearly 200 American Liberators. Details of the devastation wrought in the first mass attack confirmed earlier reports that the finely tuned raid by the 9th United States air force dealt a staggering blow to the major source of oil for the German war machine. A communique revealed that 20 Liberators were shot down over the target area and others failed to return from the 2400-mile flight. But the attack was hailed as a success with the results far outweighing the cost. Returning pilots said that the people in nearby fields and city streets waved and appeared to ‘shout encouragement to the bombers flying at housetop level and that ‘they saw little evidence of panic. “One bomber flew so low that its direct hit on a boiler house caused

Sgt. Robert T. Stoddard of Kansas City, Mo., the top turret gunner of the bomber Lorraine, said that “we were looking down gun barrels all afternoon. It was the first time I ever was fired on by a haystack.” The haystack was used to conceal an anti-aircraft gun. (The Italian radio broadcast a Berlin report that 60 American airmen parachuted down on the Ploesti area and became prisoners.) At least 51 intercepting German fighters, inciuding Focke-Wulf 190's and Messerschmitt 1089's and 110's, were shot down by the unescorted Liberators, according to the communique, and other reports indicated that the bag might reach 53. The raid was the fourth by the allies on the Ploesti fields, the Russians having bombed them twice in 1941 and the 8th U. 8. air force haying followed through with a raid from Palestinian bases a little more than a year age. This “time, the allied high eommand decided to attempt to destroy | the Ploesti refineries and other in-

This is a panorama view of oil wells, refineries and storage tanks

many's war machine.

such a violent explosion that it destroyed the Liberator,” a plot re-

HEE

staliations with one massive blow. of practice and -

Fis rings

Invasio (rete

Italy's Unrest Spreads As Guerrillas Push 30 Miles.

BULLETIN BERN, Aug, 2 (U. P.).~Reports reaching the Swiss frontier said today that an Italian short wave

| radio station had warned Italian | merchant ships to avoid all acts

of sabotage and be on guard against German submarines and airplanes. LONDON, Aug. 2 (U. P.). ~The allied command called

upon the people of Crete today to aid Italian soldiers re-| sisting the Germans and to await the signal for a general uprising when invasion forces land for the attack upon the | European fortress from the

southeast.

Spreading unrest and guerrilla fighting in the Balkans, thrusts by Slovene raiders as far as 30 miles inside Italy, clashes between German and Italian troops in Italy and on Crete and the exodus of 3,000,000 persons from Italian cities to escape attacks

the coming allied aerial were reported in indirect dispatches. At Cairo, however, the

Middle Bast command used a shower of | hands,”

IN DRIVE TO CRUSH AALS IN MICILY

“Stand By For

n Day, Is Told

San Stefano Falls 10,000 Peo Are Taken.

| ALLIED HEADQUAR-« TERS, North Africa, Aug. 2 '(U. P.).—Allied armies have launched an offensive to crush axis resistance in north« ‘eastern Sicily, smashing for ward on the entire Messina bridgehead front of more than 60 miles despite strong

enemy opposition. An official announcement said that “allied forces in Sicily have started an offensive,” with the American Tth army capturing 10,« 000 more prisoners—half of them Germans—and driving 12 miles into the enemy’s northérn flank. The north coastal town of San Stefano and the town of Mistretta, six miles south of San Stefano, fell to the Americans, as did Castel di Lucio, Castel di Tusa, and Matta Pettino, Today's communique reported steady progress on all sectors despite strong counter-attacks which were repulsed.

Mainland Blasted

\ “Assoro, Nissoria, Nicosia, Mis. tretta and San Stefano are in our the communique said in

leafiets and radio broadcasts t0| describing the new all out offensive

warn the Cretans not to im

Germans. “Husband | message said. | strength yet.

your resources,”

Do not make a gen-

“Of course, they're not all agreed licemen and 155 civilians were in- eral rising until we land. Await the

| signal. You will get full instructions.”

Bulgarians in Greece

Greek refugee sources said that

| most of northern Greece now is gar-

are also in Macedonia. mans were said to have ordered expansion of the Bulgarian occupation | area as a part of extensive prepara-

withdrawal of Italian occupation troops from the Balkans. Some re-| ports said the withdrawal already | ‘had been ordered by Rome. The Algiers newspaper Dernieres Nouvelles reported from Istanbul | that Germany, through Ambassador (Continued on Page Two)

U.S. Bombers Nip Tree Tops to Fire, Key Rumanian Oil Fields

CAIRO, Aug. 2 (U. P.).—American Liberator bombers flew through

in a section of the great Ploestil

fields, the destruction of which, observers point out, would knock out from one-third to one-half of Ger-

lin & remote section of the Libyan began & daily routine study of it!tight formations at roof-top aitidesert, duplicating the Ploesti target from the air until each man knew | tude, the Liberators day after day

ae on a life size scale, preceeded it as well as his home town or | dropped dummy bombs on the py the axis leading to central neighborhood. Then tactical prac- Jeeudo- reRtigries and in the final y Continued i test completely the mock

de | | Rep. Ramspeck agreed, explaining Negroes continued rioting sporadi- | Italian troops who are resisting the naval forces blasted the Italian

the “Do not reveal your |

(which was launched as air and

{mainland again in an effort to force |eapitulation of the Badoglio gove ernment. The network of roads in enemy (hands was greatly reduced by the new advances and the remaining roads are being pounded by day and night by allied airplanes. Allied announcements reported |that: 1. The famous British 8th army

The Ger- | veterans of El Alamein and Mareth

|in Africa had crushed a strong {axis counter-attack on the southern side of the Mt. Etna line, and that

united nations intend to do after crowds that a slight spark might tions for an emergency in event of (canadian troops were pushing fore’

|ward in heavy fighting to the south {of the American columns. (Radio Algiers reported that the 8th army had started a new large offensive, and the British radio said the “big push” was on.)

Naples Bombed

2. Allied planes had renewed block buster raids on Naples and southern Italy as the result of the new Italian government's failure to heed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's warn« ing that shattering air bombard= ment could be expected unless Italy withdrew from the war and stopped aiding the Germans. 3. Half the 10,000 prisoners captured by the Americans in the Mistretta sector were Germans. This was the biggest haul of Germans taken in a single engagement durs ing the whole Sicilian campaign about one-third of a full division. 4, Steady progress has been made by the allies on all sectors of the semi-circular line around Mount Etna. Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, commander of the British 8th army, told his troops that “we will now drive the Germans out of Sicily,” and praised the Americans for seis ing “mare than half of the island in recoruaiiy

Axis Losses Heavy

Axis losses on all fronts were re= ported heavy. The heaviest fight ing was said to have taken place in the Assoro and Nissoria areas of central Sicily. There Canadians faced the toughest German motors ized elements in a difficult mountainous region where the axis was contesting bitterly for every foot of | Sune. The new American advance gave lhe 7th army possession of the last important north-south road held

\ dee