Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 June 1944 — Page 1

VOLUME 55—NUMBER 88

By LOUIS F. KEEMLE United Press Foreign Editor

The “great naval battle” which the Japanese radio forecast for the Pacific has come off and in two engagements the enemy has suffered his greatest defeat of the war. The first part of the battle came on Sunday. when the Japanese sent their carrier-based planes against the U. 8. 5th fleet in the hope of interrupting our occupation of

s Sport Shop

3. ring of fortifications for the siege

‘ matter of hours. }

_ through the arc of hills hugging

, ave, 1st Lt. Robert E. Stockwell,

Eddie Ash... Comics ......

rs ~ THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1944

Saipan. They lost 353 planes in that attack, according to Adm, Nimitz’ revised figures, and some 300 more in other operations in the Saipan area. In the return engagement in which United States carrier planes made contact with the Japanese force, 14 important units were sunk or damaged. The fleet which the Japanese risked apparently consisted of perhaps onethird the total existing strength of their navy and was

FORECAST: Soetls cloudy tonight; tomorrow, partly cloudy and continued warm.

made up of battleships, carriers, fleet tankers, cruisers and destroyers. In view of its heavy losses in planes and in ships sunk or damaged, this particular fleet may be considered out of action as an offensive force for some time to come. Its ability to defend the Marianas further or even Palau,

« Closer to the Philippines, has been gravely impaired.

The official communique does not make clear how far

Entered ss Second-Olass Matter at Postoffice Indianapolis §, Ind. Issued daily excepts Sunday

Sea Defeat Proves Nips Unable To Protect Island Lifeline |

HOME

PRICE FOUR CENTS

sere

from the Marianas the latest action occurred, or how close to the Philippines. Probably the Japanese had hoped for a surface action within land-bomber range of their Philippine bases.

In trying to lure the United States fleet into such dangerous waters, they apparently overreached themselves and exposed their ships to the carrier-based at-

Encirclement of City Nearly Complete; Planes, Guns Bombard Port.

By VIRGIL PINKLEY United Press Staff Correspondent

ALLIED SUPREME HEADQUARTERS, London, June 22.—American forces have launched an all-out attack on Cherbourg by land and air with the hundreds of planes blasting the German fortifications in one of the greatest aerial displays since D-day while

troops overwhelmed that suburban’ §

defense outpost of Martinvast, | Wave upon wave of United States

Hght and medium bombers pounded

" and gunned German troops in the

inner defenses of Cherbourg in a pulverizing bid to blast open the |

army battering the buming city’s defenses. Encirclement of the beleaguered Normandy port by the U, 8. forces was virtually completed last night, and today the troops charged for-

ward through numerous outlying} villages on all sides and launched

the final attack. Wasteland of Rubble

Airmen returning from the sus-|

tained assault of the fortificationse lying along the city limits said the Nazi defensive area directly below Cherbourg had been blasted into a} wasteland of rubble and flame. The Americans drove two great wedges to the coastal area east and

west of Cherbourg, chopping the)

trapped Germans into three isolated groups, and the fall of the great French port itself appeared imminent, The headquarters announcement that the all-out, evidently the final, assault on the city had begun and ft might bring victory within a

Almost everywhere Lt. Gen. Omar | N. Bradley's ‘troops were massed around the city in strength at distances varying from two to four miles, and closer at some points, especially where mobile units were stabbing into the German fortifications, Capture Martinvast

In their closein, the Americans eaptured Martinvast, some two and a half miles below Cherbourg proper, on which the Nazis had hinged their defense line running

the city. They captured 8t. Pierre Eglise, eight miles east of Cherbourg, and advanced a mile beyond it. Also

{Continued on Page 2—Column 4)

Hoosier Heroes-—

6 INDIANAPOLIS MEN MISSING IN COMBAT

THE WAR DEPARTMENT today confirmed previous reports that wl Indianapolis men are missing in| action. They are 8. Sgt. John D. Burke Jr,. son of Mrs. William Burke, 4025 Washington blvd.; Sgt. Richard A. Schmutte, son of Mrs. Jane R. Schmutte, 3314 N. Illinois st.; 8.

8gt. Oral T. Sherman, son of Mrs. Irma A. Sherman, 247 N. Beville

{Continued on Page 2—Column 2) LOCAL TEMPERATURES

6am..... 1 10am... 73 Tam. 1 Ham... 7 Sam.... 92 12 (Noon)... 72 fam.... 3 1pm.... 72

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

18 Daniel Kidney 14 » 10 Ruth Millett.. 14 ives 23 Movies ....... 18 Crossword ... 23 Music ........ 18 } ++. 14|Obituaries .,. 8 Edson,. 14 Pegler ....... 14 on 17|Radio ....... 28 Neve 20 Ration Dates. 19

ing a terrific bombardment.

British fighter pilots are shown examining a German “robot bomber” which ‘was shot down in Southern England. Note the tail

in the foreground.

aphic Highlights of News Home and Abroad

(Story, Page Two.)

po a

This photo, made yesterday and flown te London, shows French civilians and Yanks working side _ by side to clear the streets of Montebourg in Normandy, after the city had been cleared of Nazis follow-

Acme Telephotos. Viee Adm. Mare A. Mitscher, above, was in immediate tactical command of the U. 8. carrier task force credited with a resounding victory over the Jap fleet near the Philippines. Adm. Raymond A. Spruance commanded the ficet units,

Bricker Reaches Chicago as ‘Stop Dewey’ Move Is Begun |

By LYLE C. United Press Staff Correspondent . June 22-—-Governor John W, Bricker arriving today for next week's Republican convention, said he did not anticipate being offered the vice presidential nomination in the event his bid for top

CHICAGO

place on the ticket falls.

Prior to the Ohio executive's arrival, confident claims that Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York will be drafted for the presidental | nomination were challenged by re-| “governors’ conference” [everett

ports of a to block a first ballot nomination.

terpreted immediately "as

tion procedure. Its development apparently de- | pends upon willingness of certain

Walter E. Edge of New Jersey, Ed-|

|ward Martin of Pennsylvania and (Continued on “Page 3—Column 2)

WILSON

chuseits. If they get together, they This proposed maneuver was in- {would hold all or most of their own “Stop | (delegations to favorite son candiDewey” strategy. Half a dozen gov- |dates and persuade some of the ernors were said to be contemplat- other hundreds of unpledged or uning a meeting to discuss nomina- instructed delegates here to join {them in forcing several ballots, The

n somewhat from such a ma- | governors to participate, including | \BBIf

Saltonstall of Massa-

Bricker candidacy would

Times photo. In the second try at showing her lambs at the Hoosier Junior Market Lamb Show and Sale at

‘But many long-time ob-

the Indianapolis union stock

yards, Miss Carolyn Widener, Crawfordsville, took first place in

How The Times Will Cover Take the” oth Sava Jor

Chicago G.O.P. Convention

Local and nationally known writers and political analysts will provide complete and expert coverage for Times readers when the Republican national convention meets in Chicago next week. Here are the men who will bring fast and accurate reporting and picture service on direct press and telephoto wires from the con-

vention hall:

WALTER LECKRONE, editor of The Times.

DANIEL M. KIDNEY, The Times Washington correspondent and widely known Indiana political writer.

EARL RICHERT, The Times political editor whose column appears regularly in this newspaper.

THOMAS L. STOKES, Pulitzer prize winner, who is already on

the scene covering preliminaries.

LUDWELL DENNY, LEE G. MILLER, E: > +EVANS, FRED

Newspaper Alliance, which is The Times Washinglon bureat, WESTBROOK PEGLER, also a Pulitzer prize winner and Times columnist.

regular

PETER EDSON, Washington columbist for the Times bf

three-pen class. Today market. (Story Page 9.) JUNE 22—

4 Years Change Hitler's Big Day Into Black Night

is the day of Hitler's proudest triumph, of this worst mistake, of his comeback, of his nemesis, and now the beginning of his end four fateful years coming full

T. LUCEY and circle on this anniversary.

Scripps-Howard the same armistice car at Complegne, where Germany sued for

2 cepts Hitler's terms. Je 8, 1901 Misaker “Hitler defies command

June 22, 1940 — Triumph! In

peace in 1018, defeated France ac-'

(Continued on Page 2—Column 6)

BIG JAP FLEET WHIPPED FLEES AS CARRIER PLANES KNOCK OUT 14 WARSHIP

Spruance’s Task Force Damages or Sinks Four Flattops and a Battleship.

By WILLIAM F. TYREE | United Press Staff Correspondent

PEARL HARBOR, June 22.—The United States fleet! defeated a powerful unit of the Japanese grand fleet off the! “| Philippines Monday, sinking or damaging 14 enemy warships, including four aircraft carriers and a battleship, to score one of America's greatest naval victories of the war. An extraordinary announcement at Adm. Chester W. | Nimitz’ headquarters at 4 a. m. (8:30 a. m. Indianapolis | time) today revealed that planes of the United States 5th’ fleet pounced on the Japanese warships as they emerged from the channel between Luzon and Formosa. In an air-sea battle reminiscent of Midway, the surface | units never coming to grips, the Americans trounced the

| formidable Japanese force and sent its survivors limping ‘back to the safety of the China sea.

49 Planes Are Lost The Americans lost 49 planes, today's communique said, ‘without mentioning loss of or damage to the ships of Adm. Raymond A. Spruance’s 5th fleet. The Japanese force comprised four or more battleships, five or six carriers, five fleet tankers and attached cruisers and destroyers. The preliminary official accounting of the Ap carrier, believed to be of the Syokaku class, 1300 to 353 the number of Japanese planes shot down in the received three 1000-pound bomb hits. ‘attack on the American fleet off the Marianas Sunday. One carrier of the Hayataka class was sunk. A recapitulation showed 368 enemy planes were shot One carrier of the same class was badly damaged and down during the Sunday-Monday period. left burning furiously. It disclosed for the first time that in the Sunday engageOne light carrier of the Zuiho or Taiho class received ment two U. S. aircraft carriers and one battleship received at least one bomb hit. | superficial damage, and 21 planes were lost in combat. The One battleship of the Kongo class was damaged. fighting ability of the warships was not impaired by the One cruiser was damaged. slight damage to them. Three destroyers were damaged and one of them be- Fought in Twilight {lieved sunk. The communique said nothing of U. S. naval damage in Ithe Monday battle off the Philippines, and it was indicated Three tankers were sunk and the other two badly dam- that no information is available vet,

aged and left ablaze. | The heaviest blows in the air-sea hattle off the Philip-

MARIANAS IS.

This map shows where Adm. Spruance’s 5th U. S. fleet defeated the grand Jap fleet, knocking out 14 majoc units,

Five Tankers Sunk, Damaged

wolf Fifteen to 20 defending Japanese planes were shot down. pines were struck in the last daylight hours of Monday.

Nimit? thus summed up the resiilts of the battle off | After darkness closed in, the Japanese broke off the engage-

§ (the Philippines and beyond the newly acquired American ment and fled westward toward the channel between For-

invasion foothold in the Marianas islands a day after the mosa and Luzon, from which they Srerped. Japanese Domei news agency reported that a Tokyo naval Nimitz disclosed that the U. S. victory was so decisive

spokesman soon would have a big naval victory to announce. that units still are ranging the battle area three days later In the same communique Nimitz revised upward from; cooreh of Ameri ican airmen who may have survived from the lost planes. - Many of the crewmen landed in the water {at night, and an undetermined number already have been rescued. The fleet units were commanded by Adm. Spruance, while the carrier task force was under the immediate tactical command of Vice Adm. M. H. Mitscher.

Start Saipan Drive Rembert James, representing the combined press aboard a joint expeditionary force flagship off the embattled Marianas jsland of Saipan, revealed that U. S. marines and army troops, attacking under cover of a bombardment from the American fleet, launched a major attack shortly after dawn yesterday designed to wipe out the remaining Japanese defenders of Saipan. Already in possession of more than a third of the island, including two airfields, the Americans pushed ahead along a four-mile front extending entirely across the island from the outskirts of Garapan in the west to Magicienne bay in the east.

Adm. Spruante was believed to have ordered his battleships, aircraft carriers and other vessels into immediate action in an attempt to join battle with the enemy concen-

(Continued on Page 2—Column 2).

Hoosier Vagabond

‘Don’t Be Impatient If We Move Slowly’

By ERNIE PYLE Times War Correspondent

SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE (By Wireless).—Folks newly arrived from America say that you people at home are grave and eager about this, our greatest operation of the war so far. LN But they say also that you are giving the landings themselves an importance out of proportion to what must follow before the war can end. They say you feel that now that we are on the soil of France we will just sweep rapidly ahead and the Germans will soon crumble. It is natural for you to feel that, and nobody is blaming you. But I thought maybe in this column I could help your understanding of things if we sort of charted this European campaign. This is no attempt to predict—it is just an effort to clarify. On the German side in western Europe we face an opponent who has been building his defenses and his forces for four years. A great army of men was here waiting for us, well prepared and well equipped. On the English side of the channel we and the British spent more than two years building up to equality in men and arms with this opponent. Finally we reached that equality, and I am sure considerably more than equality. Then—on June 6—came the invasion we had waited for so long. TBS big how has Seyun, So let's divide the | remainder of this

Sea Victory Spurs Drive On Japs’ Inner Zone: Stimso

WASHINGTON, June 22 w. Po). on Japan