Newspapers / Shelby Daily Star (Shelby, … / March 12, 1945, edition 1 / Page 1
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WEATHER Cloudy and mild this afternoon and tonight, scattered showers to night beginning in mountains this afternoon. Tuesday, continued mild, clearing in north and west. Tslxe Schelbe Baily Him« “ State Theatre Today - The Invasion of Iwo Jima and "Belle of the Yukon” Randolph Scott - Gypsy Rose Lee CLEVELAND COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1894 TELEPHONES 1100 VOL. XLIII—61 ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS SHELBY, N. C. MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1945 TELEMAT PICTURES SINGLE COPIES—6c Red Army Command Begins Shifting Large Forces To Berlin Front ROKOSSOVSKY’S TASK IN NORTH ABOUT FINISHED Enemy Resistance Between Mouths Of Oder, Vistula Smashed BIG DRIVeTmPENDING MOSCOW, March 12.—(/P) —The Red army supreme command began to shift large forces to the Berlin front to day after smashing enemy re sistance between the mouths of the Oder and Vistula riv ers. Only a small chunk of ter ritory at the northern ex tremity of Pomerania and the Polish corridor remained to be pverrun by Marshal K. K. Rokossovsky’s armored van guards before he would be available for command of a vital sector of the front fac ing the German capital. It seemed obvious that he again mould take a place on Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov’s right flank, from which he wheeled across East Prussia in mid-January and then speared into Pomerania little more than a month later. The regrouping Russian strength was expected to mass the greatest concentration of men and guns for offensive operations since the Red banner was first carried over Ger man soil. Zhukov now mans more than a 139-mile stretch of the Oder from where It enter* the Baltic to its eastward bend above Kuerstenberg. On bis left flank Marshal Ivan S. Konev holds the Neiase river line from its confluence with the Oder to the Sudeten foothills, a dis tance of about 79 miles. Bringing up the bulk of Rokos See REDS Page S J. LEE ESKRIDGE RITES ARE HELD Well Known Farmer Died At Home Early Sunday James Lee Eskridge. 81. lifelong Cleveland resident died at his home at Metcalf's crossing Sunday at 2 am. after a period of ill health lasting 18 months. The funeral is being conducted this afternoon at 3 pm. from the Double Shoals Baptist church by Rev. John W. Suttle, assisted Dy Rev. W. A. Elam and Rev. D. F. Putnam. Burial will be in the Double Shoals cemetery. Mr. Eskridge was a respected farmer and large land owner of the Metcalf community. He was married 47 years ago to Miss Isabel Yelton who survives together with seven children Maurice F, Everett T., Worth 8., Clarence C., Delia and Mrs. Grady Whitener; a bro ther, John Eskridge of Shelby; and four sisters, Mrs. Janie Wright, Mrs. Dor Putnam. Mrs. Zulia Spur ling. and Mrs. Pink Shytle, all of Cleveland county, and six grand children. CHINESE REPORT JAP ATTEMPT TO LAND ON COAST i CHUNGKINK, March 12-f/P)‘— Chinese forces have frustrated a small scale Japanese attempt to land on the coast of Fukien prov ince about 40 miles south of Japa nese-held Foochow, killing 100 of the enemy and driving off the rest, Chinese field dispatches said to day. The landing attempt was cov ered by two Japanese warships and probably represented an ef fort ter expand the enemy’s protec tive area around Foochow as a safeguard against a possible Am erican landing, the dispatches de clared. Other unofficial Chinese reports said Chinese forces had broken into the city of Suichwan in Ki angsi province, former site of an important advanced base of the U. S. Air force. Severe fighting was said to be continuing inside the city. A HOW NINTH ARMY SPEARED TO THE RHINE—Tanks of the U. S. Second Armored (Hell on Wheels) Division of the Ninth Army left this pattern in German soil in their breakthrough to the Rhine. Scene is near Krefekl in Dusseldorf area within 4,000 yards of the Rhine. U. S. tanks have halted because of shelling from German tanks behind the burning building. Photo by George Silk, Life photographer with Wartime Still Picture Pool. * > ... —. -■» . . ~ ....—w ..... . -,*■*'* U. S. Bombers Blast Path Across Reich 650 American Planes Attack Nazi Targets On Baltic Coast In Support Of Russians LONDON, March 12.—(TP)—A mighty armada of more than 2,100 American warplanes slashed a wide path across northern Germany today with the main force of 650 bombers blasting military and naval installations on the Baltic coast in direct support of the Russian armies. The German radio declared the Pomeranian capital of Stettin and the Nazi u-boat and naval base at Swifemuende, 35 miles northeast of Stettin, were the targets. An RAF spokesman credited Al lied bombers based in Britain with laying waste to more than 450 miles of the Ruhr. Swinemuende is the naval base and outer harbor for Stettin and is only 15 miles from where the most advanced Russian troops were last reported. Red army troops meanwhile are hammering at the gates of Stettin. The remainder of the bomber fleet split up for attacks on rail way yards behind the desolated Ruhr valley, the Eighth air force announcement said. Knocking out Swinemuende would hamper the sea supply route to the Stettin front. The rail and river links between Stettin and Berlin already are badly battered. TOTAL FORCE The total force sent out on the 28th successive day of attacks on the Reich was better than 1,350 heavy bombers with an escort of 750 fighters. In addition to the Baltic at tacks other heavies battered half a dozen towns between Frankfurt on-Main and the Ruhr which turn out the bulk of the German war See U. S. BOMBERS Page 2 Fifth Army Push Toward Vergato Is Slowed Down ROME, March 12. The Fifth army push toward the Ameri can stronghold of Vergato south west of Bologna slowed today as Allied headquarters reported In creased German resistance along the Fifth’s entire front. Patrols probing enemy strength met their greatest opposition along the winter mountain line before Bologna. Vergato, on the PistqU-Bologna highway, has been outflanked, but its defenders continued to battle strongly. Any hope the Nazis would give up Vergato under threat of en circlement appeared blasted when American troops along the Reno river south of the town caught heavy mortar and machinegun fire from the stronghold early yester day. GERMANS ATTACK The Germans alia attacked Am erican positions northeast of Ver gato, near Salvaro. See FIFTH Page 2 Nimitz Believes Jap Fleets Ready For Action, But Weak oain rn/v..biowu, ivLtircn iz.— (jP)—The Japanese Imperial fleet, repairing battle damage suffered in recent actions, is ready for com bat again, U. S. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz disclosed here. But, Nimitz, emphasized af a press conference, “the Japanese fleet now is so Inferior in strength compared to the United States fleet that It must choose its time to come out.” He added significantly: Our po licy Is to keep our fleet more or less concentrated so that no mat ter what time they choose, we will have a very large reception committee waiting.” The 60-year-old commander-in chief of the Pacific fleet said soon “the Japanese will be unable to operate any slipping whatever to The Netherlands^East Indies or to their holdings In the South China sea.” V. S. SUBMARINES U. S. submarines are operating freely along the China coast and "our fleet is approaching the ex treme westward part of the Paci fic ocean,” he told. He stressed, however, "the Jap anese will retain their communi cations to thd Asiatic mainland until we establish our sea and air power in positions from which we can completely cut these commu nications.” t The Nipponese army is still “90 per cent intact,," and the Allies will “have to g_o all out to destroy or defeat Japan.” A SHEM K. BLACKLEY BLACKLEYHEAD OF UNITED FUND Named County Chairman By Victor Bryant Appointment of Shem K. Black ley, insurance executive and presi dent of the Shelby Rotary club, to the Cleveland County chair manship of the United War Fund was announced at Raleigh today by Victor S. Bryant, state chair man. Mr. Blackley thus succeeds J. Hopson Austell who headed the county organization last year and was campaign chairman two years ago, but who asked to be relieved of further responsibility in that See SHEM K. BLACKLEY Page 2 FALLSTON NEAR $2,500 MARK Everett Spurting, chairman of the Red gross War Fund appeal in Fallston Baptist church, today sent a check for $1,169 represent ing the subscription of that con gregation to this year’s campaign. It is a substantial increase over last year. Meanwhile, the Fallston Meth odists, whose chairman is C. C. Falls, have raised a similar a mount though final report has not been rendered. A Complete tabulaiton of con tributions by churches is being made up and will be published in The Star Tuesday. SUPREME COURT REFUSES RULING ON WARD CASE Will Not FUjI7 Until Cir cuit Court Reaches Its Decision URGE QUiciCDECISION WASHINGTON, March 12. —(/P)—The supreme court re fused today to rule on the va lidity of government seizure of 16 Montgomery Ward prop erties. As its reason for refusing, the court said that the review peti tion in the case was filed "prior to the judgment of the circuit court of appeals.” This means, that the high trib unal refused to rule in the case before the circuit court hears ar guments and reaches its decision. The justice department and Ward asked the high tribunal for a speedy final determination wheth er President Roosevelt had author ity under the War Labor disputes act—or the Constitution—to order the army to take possession of Ward facilities in seven cities. The U. S. district court in Chi cago ruled the seizure was illegal. The department filed an appeal in the seventh federal circuit court, but urged the Supreme court to assume jurisdiction immediately so that argument before the circuit court would be obviated. Ward later joined in requesting the Su preme court to take the case at once. witrmmH WINS VICTORY OVER FLOOD PORTSMOUTH, O., March 12— (JP)—Portsmouth today had won Ite five-day “battle of the levee”— a 10,000,000 victory An estimated’ 9,000 residents be gan moving back to their homes and business places as the flood swollen Ohio river dropped to 60 foot stage, two feet below the top of a section of the flood wall on which citizens and state guards men had hurled nearly half a mil lion sandbars to plug up the flood defenses. City officials estimated that the fight that kept out the raging Ohio had saved as much as $10, 000,000 in damage to industrial, mercantile and residential prop erty. Mayor John M. Salladay pro claimed ah end to the emergency at 6 p.m. yesterday, thus permit ting return to normal activity in the downtown area which had been evacuated since Tuesday night. Crest of 64.9 feet was reached Friday. « Hitler Calls For ‘Fanatical’ Fighting LONDON, March 12. —UP)— Adolf Hitler, in a grim, phrase-juggling proclamation marking the 10th anniversary of Nazi military con scription, yesterday offered the German people no more than the forlorn hope the Allies will "get tired and yet be broken.” He renewed the Nazi plea of “fanatical resistance”, bolstering his appeal with the assertion that the Allies, "drunk by their orgy of victory/’ were intent on "extermi nation of the German nation.” The proclamation, broadcast from Berlin, said “the year 1916 will not be repeated,” implying that Ger many would fight on in guerrilla warfare if her armies were smash ed. Hitler declared that “even if fate h ' turned against us, there can be no douKt that these reverses can be overcome,ias so often before, with steadfastness and courage, with en durance and fanaticism.” Superforts Blast Singapore Area WASHINGTON, March 12. -{^Pi Super fortresses hit at Industrial targets in the Japanese-held Sing apore area today in a daylight raid. A medium-size^ force of B-29s struck at factories adjacent to the big naval base at the tip of the Malay peninsula. The approximately 40 big war planes carried out their mission from India bases of Brig. Gen. Ro ger M. Ramey’s 20th Bomber com mand. There was no immediate an nouncement as to results. Invasion Of Mindanao Confirmed; Yanks Near San Roque Airfield MANILA, March 21.—(/P)—Tank - equipped Yanks; swept over Wolfe airstrip Saturday afternoon one half mile! inland from their invasion beach on the southwest tip of; Mindanao island and at last reports were driving rapidly to ward important San Roque airfield a mile and a half north west of Zamboanga. I-—— First opposition was light. The Japanese offered Maj. Gen. Jens A. Doe’s jungle-seasoned 41st division troops of the Eighth army inter mittent machinegun and mortar fire but it did not slow the Ameri can advance. The fight may stiffen near Zam boanga, opined Associated Press’ correspondent Russell Brines. An eight day air bombardment by the 13th air force and a two day naval shelling by Vice Adm. Thomas C. Kinkaid’s Seventh fleet units preceded the 21st Philippine Island invasion landing. Zamboanga Harbor, reported AP’s Fred Hampson from a bomber’s eyevlew, was cluttered with wrecked Japanese ships and the town’s larger buildings were blasted or burned. The coastal towns of San Mateo, San Jose, Calarian and San Roque were capuirea. Wolfe Airfield, which is 200 miles from Japanese-held oil-rich Borneo Island, was one of the first military objectives of the attack. The San Roque Field, which haa a 4,000 foot bomber runway, may already be in U. S. hands. The convoy in making the 400 mile journey was unmolested by either Japanese plants or submar ines. In announcing the invasion. Gen. Douglas MacArthur said in his communique today that the operation strengthens the American blockade of the South China Sea and further severed Japan from her illgotten hold ings in the East Indies. The Americans actually were in Zamboanga City the moment they stepped ashore, for the city proper See INVASION Page 2 Incendiaries Rained On Nagoya Today Fires Left Raging Ten Hours In Heart Of Japs' Great est- M^llplane Producing Center r - - - 21ST BOMBER COMMAND HEADQUARTERS, Guam, March 12.—(/P)—Speeding over their targets at only 5,000 feet altitude, 300 giant B-29s poured 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs on Nagoya, Japan’s greatest warplane producing cen ter and third largest city, today. saia mey started raging fires which converted a five-square mile area into a hellish inferno and raged unchecked hours after ward. Radio Tokyo admitted the flames burned 10 hours, _but claim ed they were controlled 'by 10 a.m. The first Superfortresses struck Nagoya just after midnight, Tokyo time—barely 48 hours after their record 2,300-ton incendiary raid on a 15-square mile area of Central Tokyo. Fires from Saturday’s holo caust still were smouldering in the } Japanese capital. One B-29 was lost over the tar get in today’s raid despite the low level of the attack and the num ber participating. All other planes returned safely, 21st Bomber Com mand Headquarters announced. Some of the first pilots returning from Nagoya said the’raid did not appear as destructive as Satur day’s devastation of the heart of Tokyo. However, many saw only the See INCENDIARIES Page 2 WHAT’S DOING TUESDAY 7:00 p.m.—Regular meeting of Lions club. 7:00 p.m. Rotary club direc tors meet at Hotel Charles. 7:30 p.m.—C. A. P. members meet at armory. 7:30 p.m.—Shelby chapter 110, order of the Eastern Star meets at Masonic Temple. ASSEMBLY ON HOMESTRETCH i Mrs. Roosevelt To Speak; Hope To End Session This Week RALEIGH, March 12. —iJFi— Members of the North Carolina General Assembly returned to j Raleigh for their 59th legislative! day today prepared to hear an ad dress by Mrs. Franklin D. Roose- I velt and to get a head start on calendar work by holding two ses sions. Although a majority of predic- i tions now place adjournment as; late as the middle of next week, a good many legislators still hoped i that today may begin the last week i of the 1945 session. Bills were still ! pouring into the hoppers, as the tenth week ended however, and house and senate calendars will be long. Both houses are expected to hold night sessions in an effort to bring their work to a close. One major problem remains out of nearly a score already settled, and concerns control of the sale: of synthetic wine in North Caro lina. Finance committee action of See ASSEMBLY Page 2 WHERE B-293 STRIKE AT TOKYO—Map locates approximate area in | heart of Tokyo where more than 300 Superfortresses laid waste to 15 I square miles in a raid described unofficially by some officers as the most [devastating air blow ever dealt any city. 1 ADDITIONAL FORCES MAKING WAY ACROSS Security Dimout On Newt Evidently Put On Re mogen Area BRIDGE BOMBARDED PARIS. March 12.—(£>)— German broadcasts said that four first army divisions of more than 40,000 troops had widened the Rhine bridgehead today to more than twelve and a half miles. Slowly but steadily, streams of American arms flooded across the Rhine—much of it by the shell-raked Ludendorff bridge at Remagen and some by assault boat—in a race against German artillery still trying night and day to break the span which put the allies onto one of the main roads to the Ruhr. It became increasingly apparent in the paucity of details on cross Rhine operations that the Allied command had clapped on a secu rity dimout. This in itself under scored the importance of the posi tion. Tank and foot troops won a few hundred more yards of high ground inland from the three-mile wide bridgehead jutting into inner Ger many within 274 miles of Berlin. This squeezed the Germans back from any possible direct observation of fire on the Lu dendorff bridge. Lt. General Courtney H. Hodges crossed the bridge by jeep yesterday and one German shell landed with in 50 feet of the First army commander. He snent an hour east of the Rhine. German heavy and medium guns still were firing methodically in an attempt to score a knockout hit. Berlin broadcasts said two tank and two infantry divisions were deployed east of the Rhine be tween Honef, 44 miles southeast of the Ruhr capital of Duesseldorf, and Hoenningen. BRITISH DRIVE The enemy likewise said a large scale British offensive to cross the lower Rhine was imminent. In creased artillery and reconnais sance were noted in the 40 miles of smoke screened country between Emmerich and Nijmegen. It was not likely that at this stage of the operation Hodges still See ADDITIONAL Page J Enemy Still Entrenched On Tip Of Iwo ABOARD VICE ADM. RICH ARD K. TURNER’S EXPEDI TIONARY FORCE FLAGSHIP OFF IWO JIMA. March 12—— Battle weary Marines brought up tanks, flamethrowers and demoli tion units today lor what may be the final assault on a long high butte in the northeastern tip of Iwo Jima where the major force of the surviving Japanese are still entrenched. The many caves which spot the cliffs could conceal several thou sand if that many survived the long battle. After 22 days of the most bitter fighting in Marine history, the Japanese have been driven into a rugged area which roughly is a bout one mile deep and takes in two miles of coastline. A small pocket also remains to be cleaned up on the northeast sector but for all practical purposes the entire east coast is now held by Ameri cans. NAVAL SUPPORT With the support of heavy ar tillery and naval gunfhe, Marines Sunday pushed slowly to the vi cinity of the high butte where possibly the largest remaining force of Japanese is holed up for the final stand. That the Japanese still have heavy weapons was shown the night before when shells or rock ets landed all the way from the central airfield to beyond Surbi bachi crater. Some of the heavy guns are be lipved to have been knocked out after they were spotted by an ar tillery observation post Many snipers are still working behind Marine lines.
Shelby Daily Star (Shelby, N.C.)
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March 12, 1945, edition 1
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