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VOI^— 7fi NO.70---. ___WILMINGTON, N. C., SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 14. 1942 FINAL EDITION ESTABLISHED 1867.
Hitler Sends Troops Racing Across France
Alarmed b> the Allied offensive in. North Africa (2), Adolf Hitler scrapped his armistice with Vichy
Nov. 11 and sent.German troops hurrying southward across (1) unoccupied France toward Toulon and
Marseille, vital French ports on the Mediterranean coast. Meanwhile, he launched Axis paracliuitists
and air-borne infantry into French Tunisia (3b Italian marines were reported to have occupied Bizerte
(black cross), line of the principal ports of Tunisia. Hitler claimed he acted to defend France against Al
lied attack. He charged that United Nations forces intended to attack Corsica (broken arrow) and then
invade France. In themean time, U. S. forces streaked toward Libya from Algiers (black arrow) to cut
off Gen. Rommel's shattered army. Cicliy French forces at Casablanca (A) ceased fighting with U. S
forces and asked for an armistice. At the same time, the British Eighth Army continued to pursue Axis
remnants across theLibyan desert (B).
Americans Taking Offensive
In Solomons And New Guinea
- 4'_ _ Or -
Battered Nipponese Army
Fleeing Down Buna Trail
Toward Allies
GENERAL IVIacARTHUR’S
HEADQUARTERS, Australia, Nov.
i/Pi—A. battered Japanese army
on New Guinea was fleeing down
the Buna Trail today, running
{com pursuing Australian forces
and toward an American position,
strategically placed southeast of
Buna.
American patrols fanned out
through the jungle, seeking con
tact. out none reported sighting the
Japanese. One of them, headed by
Lieut. Frank Licher of Beloit,
Wis... was in the bush for thr<e
days, and said it had entered a
native village just too late to catch
the retreating enemy.
An American officer said: “The
toys are looking for a scrap,
j They’ve been here too long, and
:hey need one.”
Allied strategy apparently was
to put the Japanese in a nut
cracker, between the advancing
Australian and the waiting Ameri
can forces.
'The Melbourne Herald reported
'.hat the position of the Americans
c:osed the most accessible avenue
of escape to the Japanese. The
only other one would be. across the
jingled, trail-less Hamaba hills,
tne newspaper said, and it is not
known if any have succeeded in
crossing there).
The Japanese retreat from the
Civi-Gorari area on New Guinea
gave indications of developing into
3 rout, dispatches said.
(Attacking Australians, accord
ing to a Melbourne correspondent,
have broken through Japanese
covering forces, after inflicting
heavy casualties, taking prisoners,
and capturing new quantities of ar
tiliery and other equipment).
Remnants of the enemy were
passing down the road to Wairobi,
eleven miles from Gorari.
Searching for them, American
Patrols were operating in country
‘hat is “pretty rugged,” but cross
by fast-running streams of
f'.'esh water, an American sergeant
said. He added, “that’s what we
want.”
WEATHER
. FORECAST:
north Carolina — Much
colder today.
'EASTERN STANDARD TIME)
,. lB>' C. S. Weather Bureau)
neteorological data for the 24 hours
n§ 7:30 p. m., yesterday:
. Temperature:
5-' »• «: 7:30 a. m. 50; 1:30 D. m
■; 1.30 p. m. 61; maximum 70; minimum
mean 58; normal 57.
, , Humidity:
, - f a. m. 55; 7:30 a. m. 51; 1:30 p. m
“■ 7:30 P. m. 40.
T . Precipitation:
t „ „10r the 24 hours ending 7:3(
,‘j" 6-00 inches; total since the firsl
j 1 le month, 0.10 inches.
lt TIDES FOR TODAY;
U. ,he Tide Tables published bj
' Coast and Geodetic Survey):
V, : „ High Low
“mington -2:05a 9 17:
, 2:43p 9:57l
ifsonboro Indet _ __a 6:04:
, 12 :38p 0 -55l
0:6 s Inlet _ a 6:09l
W t 12:43p 7:001
Topsail Inlet_ .a 6:14:
We M „- 12:48p 1:05i
e ®:44a* sunset 5:09p; moonrisc
op: moonset 11 ;30p.
Cape Fear river stage at Fayette
’"e on Friday, at 6 a m., 9.72 feet.
'Continued en Page Two; Col. 3)
ROOSEVELT SIGNS
YOUTH DRAFT BILL
Orders A Study With View
Toward Resuming School
ing After War
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.— W —
President Roosevelt tonight signed
the ’teen-age draft bill, and in a
statement said he had ordered a
study with a view to enabling the
18- and 19-year-olds called to serv
ice to resume their schooling and
training after the war.
The President also promised to
announce ir the near future a plan
to utilize during the war the fa
cilities of certain colleges and uni
versities for the training of a lim
ited number of men for “highly
specialized duties” in the armed
forces.
“These men,” the President said
"will be selected solely on the
basis of their ability and without
regard to whether or not they are
now in college or whether they
could otherwise afford to go to
college.”
In signing the bill, final action
on which was taken only yes
terday by the Senate, the Presi
dent said:
“The time has now come when
the successful prosecution of the
war requires that we call to the
colors the men of 18 and 19. Many
have already volunteered. Others
have been eagerly awaiting the
call. All are ready and anxious
to serve.
JLJie civilian wicio w
men will be interrupted, as have
the careers of most of their se
niors.” Large numbers about to
enter the armed services will
come from schools and colleges.
The vocational and technical train
ing which the armed services now
offer to many will stand them in
good stead.
“I am causing a study to be
made by a committee of educa
tors, under the auspices of the
War and Navy departments, for
the taking of steps to enable the
young men whose education has
been interrupted to resume their
schooling and afford equal oppor
tunity for the training and educa
tion of other young men of ability
after their service in the armed
services has come to an end.
“Some useful action along this
line was improvised at the end
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 6)
30 Large Enemy Planes
And 30 Landing Craft
Destroyed On Island
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13——
Lashing out at the Japanese on
Guadalcanal in the Solomons, a
powerful United States sea * air
force has annihilated 30 enemy
planes, destroyed 30 large land
ing boats, silenced a number of
shore batteries and started large
fires on the island, a Navy com
munique revealed today.
The U. S. heavy cruiser San
Francisco, which took part in the
attack, was slightly damaged and
30 of her men killed when a flam
ing Japanese plane plummeted on
to her deck, the communique add
ed, while the U. S. Destroyer Bu
chanan was damaged by a shell
from an enemy shore battery
which killed five of her crew.
The two ships, with an unspeci
fied number of others, were en
gaged at the time in lending the
aid of their guns to the westward
drive of the Army and Marine
Corps troops on Guadalcanal.
Proceeding in the dark of night
to a point westward of the Ameri
can land positions, the potent sea
force opened a terrific bombard
ment at the crack of dawn Thurs
day (late Wednesday afternoon
here) and kept it up for hours.
They were still pouring shells
at the Japanese at 2:15 p.m., when
the bombardment was interrupted
by a Japanese air attack.
Fighter-escorted Japanese torpe-1
do bombers launched an assault
on the ships, but 28 intercepting
Navy Grumman Wildcats shot
down 16 bombers and five of the
Japanese Zero fighters, while the
ships’ anti-aircraft gunners brought
down nine more of the attacking
planes. Only one of the entire for
mation of 31 Japanese aircraft es
caped.
11 Wdk) UUlliXg L1XJ& JLX£XXL LI Id L unc
of the enemy planes, disabled and
burning, crashed on the busy decls
of the San Francisco. The Bucha
nan was hit by a five-inch shell
from a Japanese shore battery
during the long bombardment.
The Navy communique said
these were the only American ves
sels damaged during the Solomons
action, in which several Japanese
artillery batteries were knocked
out of commission, large fires
started, and' the 30 enemy landing
boats destroyed in a concentration
of 75 found at Tassafaronga, about
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 8)
Many Changes Slated
* For Schools In County
H. M. Roland, superintendent of
schools, announced late yesterday
afternoon that the new Sunset
Park school is now complete ex
cept for the installation of radi
ators and the motor for the fur
nace room.
“This will be welcome news to
over 500 pupils,” Mr. Roland said.
The students who live in the
Maffitt homes, units built for ship
yard workers and their families,
will refill the old Sunset Park
school, immediately upon the
transfer of the students now in
that school over to the new build
ing.
The old Sunset Park school, a
six-room building, which has
housed over 500 pupils, will not be
able to hold all of the students
coming from the Maffitt homes,
Mr. Roland stated. “We hope,”
he said, “to find places for the
overflow through transportation
into Wilmington, in the Tileston,
the William Hooper, and Lake For
est schools.
Most of the schools in the coun
ty, Mr. Roland continued, now al
ready have an enrollment of over
40 students for each teacher.
The Chestnut Street school is
(Continued on Page Two; Col. <i)
FRENCH REPORTED BATTLING AXIS
TANKS AND SOLDIERS IN TUNISIA;
FDR GIVES LEND-LEASE TO AFRICA
PROMISES NATIONS
Roosevelt Tells Countries
Will Get Aid If Occu
pied By Allies
WEAPONS ARE COMING
Will Extend Arms, Food
And Clothing To Hasten
Defeat Of Axis
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.
— (A3) — In a far-reaching
move designed to add new
legions- of fighting men to
the armies battling the Ax
is, President Roosevelt today
ordered arms, food and cloth
ing sped to the people of
French North Africa and
promised the same aid to
any other territory occupied
by the United Nations.
“No one will go hungry or
without the other means of
livelihood in any territory oc
cupied by the United Nations,
if it is humanly within our
powers to make the neces
sary supplies available to
them,” he said in a state
ment.
“Weapons also will be sup
plied to the people of these
territories to hasten the de
feat of the Axis.”
Not Limited
The President’s statement was
not limited to French North Africa,
and thus it conjured up pictures of
great new armie§ of liberation
springing up as the United Nations
push their offensives into territory
in Europe and Asia now under the
heel of the Axis.
The President’s order, issued to
the Lend-Lease administration,
was interpreted to mean that the
United States would immediately
move to supply weapons to French
men in North Africa, as well as
to Arabs and other groups willing
to take up arms against Germany
and Italy.
It was recalled that recent news
dispatches from Allied headquar
ters in Algeria said that supplies
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 2)
-V
HOUSING CENTER
SLATED FOR AREA
Plan |To Coordinate All
Federal Building Agencies
Under One Head Outlined
Plans to coordinate all housing
activities in Wilmington through
the establishment of a War Hous
ing Center under t h e National
Housing Agency’s recently an
nounced Homes Use Service were
revealed yesterday by Robert
Creighton. NHA regional director,
at a special meeting of the local
War Housing Committee.
The NHA Homes Use Service
under which the government will
lease residential properties and
other structures suitable for con
version into multi-family dwellings
for rent to war workers, was
unanimously endorsed by both the
War Housing Committee and the
Wilmington Real Estate Board.
Under the supervision of a paid
manager, the War Housing Center
will promote the government - fi
nanced conversion program. It also
will absorb the activities of the
present Homes Registration Office,
and will be the agency to certify
workers as eligible tenants for
war housing.
In explaining the Homes Use
Service program to members of
the War Housing Committee,
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 3)
-V
4,000 Ton Freighter
Built In Record Time
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 13.—<iP>
—A 4,000-ton freighter floated in
San Ifrancisco bay today 80 hours!
after her keel was laid, smashing
all records for speedy ship con
struction.
She was the Samuel Very, float
ed in the graving dock of the Pa
cific Fridge Company at Almeda.
“We can do it again anytime all
the materials are available,” com
mented E. J. Fallon, general mana
ger of the shipbuilding division of
the company. “It’s all a question of
the availability of supplies and la-f
bor.”
——-4
French Fleet Reported En Route To Join Allies
Unconfirmed reports from Vichy say the French fleet set out from Toulon, on the southern coast
of France, to join forces with the United Nations after Adolf Hitler sent German troops hurrying
across unoccupied France toward the Mediterranean coast. This picture shows ships of the French fleet
in maneuvers.
Stalingrad Defenders
Beat Off Nazi Drives
W
MOSCOW, Saturday, Nov. 14.—
iff)— Russian defenders of Stalin
grad beat off new German drives
which in limited sectors developed
into fighting of great intensity yes
terday, the Russians announced to
day.
In the regions of Nalchik and
Tuapse the Germans attempted
thrusts into the deep Russian de
fenses, but were repulsed with
heavy losses, the midnight com
munique said.
While the fighting was intense
ports emphasized that the German
drives were on a greatly reduced
scale. The communique, spoke of
engagements, involving hundreds,
in comparison to the tens of thou
sands participating in the combat
in recent weeks.
Cold was becoming more in
tense. Behind the consolidated
Russian positions the Volga was
clogged with ice.
In a factory area of Stalingrad
150 Germans were killed in one
futile rush today, the communique
stated. A group of 12 men re
pulsed three assaults by a com
pany of Germans.
Southeast of Nalchik on the ap
proaches to the Georgian military
highway across the high moun
tains, the Russians were grasping
Cor the initiative after taking two
villages. The retreating Germans
were hampered by roads turned
into quagmires by heavy rain. A
front line dispatch said they were
forced to burn many stalled ve
hicles
(The Germans said that Russian
attacks in the Western Caucasus
were repulsed, that a German tank
unit cut off in the Nachik area
fought its way back to the. main
army with prisoners, a n d that
Russian counter-attacks south of
Stalingrad were beaten back.)
Northeast of Tuapse in the
Black Sea region, small groups of
Germans tried to develop attacks,
which the Russians said were beat
en off.
The Black Sea air fleet struck
spectacularly behind German lines
at an airdrome near the ruined
Maikop oil field destroying 13 Ger
man planes and damaging ten oth
ers. Bombers attacked the field
for 50 minutes and then the Storm
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 1)
HOSPITAL WORK
CONTRACT MADE
Fowler-Jones Construction
Company To Expand
Existing Facilities
The board of managers of the
James Walker Memorial hospital
awarded the construction contract
for the building of a new hospital
addition, to the Fowler-Jones Con
struction company of Winston-Sa
lem, according to W. A. Camp
bell. attorney for the hospital in
the contract awarding.
The plumbing and heating con
tract was awarded to the firm of
J. R. Bagwell of Durham.
Both contract awards are sub
ject to the approval of the Rich
mond regional office of the Fed
eral Works Agency.
Mr. Campbell stated last night
that the cost of the total project,
including all estimated necessary
furnishings and equipment was
$530,000.00.'
Fifteen bids were submitted on
the project, which is designed to
increase ward, operating room,
clinic, and resttaqrant facilities of
the hospital.
The War Production Board has
not yet awarded a priority rating
for the proposed expansion, but
the application for rating has been
made.
PLANE CRASH
: NEW BERN, Nov. 13 — It
i was reported late tonight that
an Army plane crashed four
miles southwest of here and
burned. According to unofficial
reports, five men were killed
and another seriously injured.
Residents of the area said
that the plane circled around the
section several times, apparent
ly out of gasoline and in search
of the local airport.
Further information was not
available, pending official con
firmation from Army authori
ties.
NAZIS WATCHING
FLEET OF FRANCE
German Luftwaffe Keep
ing Sharp Eye On Big
French Naval Unit
LONDON. Nov. 13—I/P)—The
main French flet, object of a
vital tug-of-war between the Al
lied ations and the Axis, still
rode at anchor in Toulon harbor
today, wreathed in mystery and
watched intently from the skies
by the German Luftwaffe lest it
make a break into the Mediter
ranean.
The Germans went ahead with
their swift occupation of southern
France but they stayed pointedly
away from the immediate area of
Toulon. There was not doubt
among naval men, however, that
Nazi bombers would attack the in
stant it became apparent the pow
erful flotilla of 62 ships meant to
join the Allied side.
r lgniing r reiiun ncctu-^uan-cio
here said it had no information
whether the fleet had picked its
side, but pointed out that is com
manding officer, Admiral De La
Bord,’ was believed to be loyal
to Chief of State Petain, who or
dered the ships to remain in port.
The mystery was tied in an
other knot tonight when the Vichy
radio broadcast that Gen. Auguste
Nogues, erswhile Vichy com
mander in Morocco, had placed
himsf/f under orders of Admiral
Darlan, who has asked the fleet
to come over to the Allies, and
that both regarded themselves as
fulfilling the mandate of the Mar
shal.
This may have been, in part,
to put pressure on De La Bord
to order his ships out of Axis
reach and assure him that such
a decision would keep the faith
with Petain.
If it were a matter for the crews,
themselves, to decide, the fleet al
ready would have steamed out
to fight the Axis at the behest of
Darlan, erstwhile commander-in
chief.
It was this pro-ally tendency be
low decks on the French ships
which was believed to have influ
enced Hitler to handle the situ
ation cautiously.
According to the best informa
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 6)
Stalin Declares African Drives
Have Turned War In Allied Favor
By HENRY C. CASIDV
Copyrighted, 1942, By The
Associated Press
MOSCOW, Saturday, Nov. 14.—
Joseph Stalin asserted today that
the American and British cam
paign in Africa had turned the
military and political position in
Europe radically in favor of the
Allies, opening the way for the
early collapse of the German and
Italian Axis.
The Soviet leader praised Amer
ican and British leaders as ‘‘first
rate organizers” of the African
campaign and expressed confi
dence that it soon would relieve
German pressure on the eastern
front.
. Ke pledged that the Russian
army would carry out its part of
the war task with honor.
The statements were made in
the second exclusive autographed
letter by the Russian leader to
this correspondent.
Stalin in the first letter to me
on October 3 said a second front
was of paramount importance and
declared that All ed aid 10 Russia
had been of little effect compared
to the Soviet contribution to pros
ecution of the war and called on|
the Allies to fulfill their obliga
tions fully and promptly.
I sent a letter to the Kremlin
Thursday evening asking the So
viet view of the new situation
since the American landings in
French North Africa and the Brit
ish victory in Egypt.
Stalin’s reply reflecting the So
viet appreciation of the campaign
was handed to me Friday at mid
night by Nikolai Palgunov, chiei
of the press department of the
foreign commissariat.
The text of Stalin’s, letter in its
(Continued on Paje Two; Col. 3)
■4
TOBRUK OCCUPIED
Montgomery Says Enemy
Completely Smashed;
Rommel Pounded
FRONTIER IS CROSSED
British Troops Reported
To Have Passed Alge
rian-Tunisian Border
LONDON, Saturday, Nov.
14.—(/P) — French Tunisian
garrisons were reported
fighting German tanks and
parachutists in Tunis early
today as dispatches said Al
lied troops had swept across
that Protectorate’s western
frontier amid appeals by
Vice-Admiral Jean Darlan for
all Frenchmen to lay down
their arms and join the Al
lies.
Far to the east in Libya
the British Eighth Army
rolled on after occuping To
bruk without opposition, and
Marshal Rommel’s fleeing
remnants were being pounded
by Allied airmen already op
erating from captured Liby
an air fields.
A dispatch trom Aiueu
headquarters in North Afri
ca told of the French Tunis
ian uprising aganst the Ger
mans who were said to be
trying desperately to control
the capital of Tunis. Nazi
parachute troops were said to
be in control of an airport
outside the capital.
Information Conflicting
This information conflicted
slightly with an aerlier RAF re
port that said six Italian trans
port planes carrying Nazi troops
north across the Mediterranean
had been shot down. The RAF had
deduced that the Germans were
leaving their infiltrated Tunisian
positions, but it was also possible
that the destroyed planes were
flying from Tripoli or some other
point in Libya rather than from
Tunisia.
A Reuters dispatch from Tan
gier said that British troops had
crossed the Algerian-Tunislan
frontier in the speedy effort to
close all North Africa to the Axis.
Allied headquarters opinion was
said to be reserved on the pros
pect of the Tunisian Frenchmen
(Cintinued on Page Two; Col. 4)
HOPE IS RENEWED
FOR MISSING ACE
One Of Captain Ricken
backer’s Flying Comrades
Found In Pacific
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12. — (JP)—
Surface ships and long-range planes
combed a wide South Pacific area
today with renewed hope that they
might find Captain Eddie Ricken
backer, famous world-war flier,
missing since he reported rapidly
dwindling fuel supplies on October
21.
One of his comrades, Captain
William T. Cherry, Jr., of Abiline,
Texas, has been found on a life
raft, and the War Department said
hopefully, it is “believed possible
that other survivors maye be on life .
rafts in the same general vicinity.”
Cherry, the department reported,
although weakened by about three
weeks exposure to sun and sea, is
“in good condition.” He was the pi
lot of the Rickenbaeker plane.
An intensive search was begun
immediately upon receipt of word
that Cherry had been picked up.
Planes were sent to the area. Army
aircraft and surface vessels en
(Continued on Page Six; Col. li
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