Mediterranean Algiers Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 17, 1943, Algiers, Algiers                                Pac 16ihe stars and stripes weekly saturday july 17, 1941 3 i 28 22 9 45 la 28 f 42 2 9 f 4 65 150 Allied air Power supports try in Sicily invasion by s-6fi George by. Hakim stars and stripes staff writer Ai i Jed Force Headquarters. July 16�?the Aerial might of the Northwest african air forces made itself Felt Over Sicily this past week As american and British air Power paved the Way for Allied troops pressing Inland up the coast of the Island. It was a week marked by slight enemy fighter activity which grew lighter As the week progressed. In the six Day period from july 10-15. Iso Axis planes were destroyed while 65 Allied ships failed to return to their bases. Following is a Day by Day fr1 score of plane losses for the period. Allies Axis july july la july 12 july 13 july 14 july 15 total the week s Aerial onslaught was marked by a series of devastating raids on the important ferry and rail terminus of Messina. This Stratous port Only two or three Miles i removed from the italian Mainland. Is the focal Point for All rail traffic to the rest of the Island. Any disruption of rail facilities at this Point would seriously hamper the movement of troops and supplies to the South. On monday a Large Force of i flying fortresses pounded the City and destroyed two vital Railroad Bridges. Another formation of i farts bombed the City a Industrial area scoring direct hits on a number of buildings and causing heavy explosions throughout the target area. Hold seven airfields on the night of july 13-14 Roaf wellingtons again visited Messina and on the following Day an Armada of More than Soo Saaf flying fortresses assorted by p-s6 lightnings hit the port and rail communications. In the last week 1,000.000 pounds of bombs have rained Down on the City. Yesterday Allied bombers again carried their attack to the italian Mainland and plastered the City of Naples. Rap and Roaf wellingtons began the Job during the night of july 14-15 and Saaf flying fortresses finished it the following Day. One of the highlights of the week was the tremendous effectiveness of the a-38 bomber Over Sicily. They maintained a veritable girl claims Fonda is child s Fathor los Angeles another Charlie Chaplin Type paternity suit has come up in the film capital. This one concerns screen actor Henry Fonda whom 25-year-old Barbara Thompson claims is the daddy of her three weeks old daughter. Fonda a Navy quartermaster third class returned from sea duty to put in a phone Call from Seattle describing the suit As ridiculous. Allied forces closer to two key Jap bases Washington the Iron ring of Allied encirclement Drew tighter this week around Munda the japanese air base on the Northern tip of new Georgia Island and Bubo the key Point in the japanese defense of Salamata new Guinea. Aerial bombardment of both Points was followed by penetration of Jungle fighters who were closing in for decisive action it was announced in a communique from Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur s Headquarters. Australian and american troops were moving closer to the two widely separated Points of the Southwest Pacific front while the Navy twice repulsed japanese attempts to relieve the hard pressed defenders of Munda. Allied air superiority main atoned a Clear Cut advantage Over the enemy air Force shooting Down 15 of 27 bombers and 30 of the 50 to 60 fighter planes the japs sent Over in one encounter. Prospects for Relief of the Munda Garrison were Remote. Last week s surface clash Between Jap and american naval units in Kula Gulf was the first big Jap attempt to offer Relief from the sea. The japs were decisively Defeated with the Navy department officially placing enemy losses at one Cruiser and three destroyers sunk two other destroyers probably sunk. More intercepted later in the week a second group of four japanese destroyers was intercepted by u. Al War Craft in approximately the same position As tile first Kula Gulf clash. Reports from Allied South Pacific Headquarters put Jap losses in this engagement at four and probably six cruisers and destroyers. The report which revealed american losses to be a a slight a was not official. Attention in the Pacific swung far northward into the aleutians a a late in the week when the Navy schedule Over the Island announced that Navy Catalina bombing and strafing towns roads and army medium bombers had and railways. They swept behind blasted a Jap Convoy attempting to enemy lines shooting up motor relieve the hungry Garrison at convoys and enemy troop concentrations. The allies now hold seven Axis airfields in Sicily the largest of which is Comiso in the Southeastern part of the Island. The other six Are Pachino Biscari Gela Farelly Gela Ponte Olivo Licata and the seaplane base at Syracuse. Invasion is proceeding faster than expected Kaska. One merchantman was sunk another left sinking two More damaged. This was the first known Effort by the japs to attempt to run the Kiska blockade. Naval units twice bombarded the Kiska Garrison and it was smashed Washington a the Conquest of Sicily has proceeded far More rapidly than the allies expected and the successful outcome is assured beyond a doubt acting Secretary of War Robert p. Patterson stated in a press conference this week. He warned however that hard fighting is in Progress against Axis forces in the Northern part of Sicily. Patterson said that heavy resistance had been expected at All Points but did not materialize. He paid tribute to the Northwest african and Middle Eastern air forces whose intensified bombardment of Sicily softened the enemy. He said that the naval bombardment supporting the Landing did heavy damage. Quot the first Surprise was the Lack of Aerial resistance due to damaged enemy airports a the Secretary stated. Quot resistance from the coastal defences was remarkably weak Leas than encountered from the French in North Africa. The casualties on the first few Days were russians launch own offensive in Orel sector nazis thrown Back As soviets take 50 localities Roosevelt continued from Page i Light. Twelve thousand prisoners Wen taken at the beaches but included few germans. Italian morale was lower than in North Africa. Civilians were generally Friendly and observing the rules set by military authorities decision to undertake the offensive was reached at the Casablanca conference Between president Roosevelt and prime minis Taim Ter Churchill he said at which russian army time it. Gen. George 8. Patton a a Strong offensive jr., was relieved of his command Toto writing the of the ii army coms and assigned initiative from the a troops just to the task of creating the United to e r germans states 7th army launched their vaunted summer a. A a a Quot a a a a a. Set Jas a West. Quot St stretching it it vol in Psi is Jas the african coast for training of 2nd East �l2 l a a troops in Landing and in airborne iwas i t and Parachute operations it was Renej Jar Hack touch stated by the acting Secretary. 25 Miles at one Point. In the sicilian Battle now the "kassis4 �22 Axis forces number around 300,000, to directions the soviet com said Patterson and of these about my a Fin no nip pm Floc North of Orel the drive was South 50,000 Are germans. Ward and from the zone East of Orel it was Westward thus assuming a pincer movement. To the North the red troops pierced a strongly fortified enemy defense zone with a network of fortifications which have been held and unworthy of Italy a ancient traditions of Freedom and culture a traditions which the Peoples of America and great Britain owe so much. Quot your soldiers have fought not in the interests of Italy but for Nael Germany they have fought courageously but they have been betrayed and abandoned by the germans on the russian front and on every Battlefield in Africa from Al Alamein to Cape Bon. Quot today Germany a Hopes for world Conquest have been blasted on All fronts. The skies Over Italy Are dominated by the vast air armadas of the United states and great Britain. Italy s sea coasts Are threatened by the greatest accumulation of British and Allied sea Power Ever concentrated in the Mediterranean. Quot the forces now opposed to you Are pledged to destroy the Power of nazi Germany Power which has ruthlessly been used to inflict slavery destruction and death on All those who refuse to recognize the germans As the master race. The sole Hope for Italy s survival lies in honorable capitulation to the overwhelming Power of the military forces of the United nations. Quot if you continue to tolerate the fascist regime which serves the evil Power of the nazis you must suffer the consequences of your own Choice. We take no satisfaction in invading italian soil and bringing the tragic devastation of War Home to the italian people. But we Are determined to destroy the false leaders and their doctrines which have brought Italy to her present position. Quot every moment that you resist the combined forces of the United a a nations every drop of blood that from the air during three Success-1 you sacrifice can serve Only one. M fill operations during the week. I purpose to give the fascist and who apparently had other ideas. I strengthened by the germans nazi leaders a Little More time to Una the Winter before last. Tbs escape from the inevitable Conse j Force of the russian attack crush Quence of their own crimes. Jed Many resistance centers and Quot All your interests and All your key Points. More than 50 localities traditions have been betrayed by were occupied in tills sector Tbs nazi Germany and your own false communique stated and corrupt leaders it is Only by reports optimistic disavowing both that a recons to Tu-1 _ rented ble tithe Toto of Orel Otho strongly fortified de family lenses were pierced by the rus european nations. Sians and some 60 localities Wert Quot the time has now come for you taken. More than 2,000 German the italian people to consult your officers and men have been made own self respect and your own in prisoners As the russians struck Teress and your own desire for a Back and the Booty included 40 restoration of National dignity be tanks 298 cannons 187 mortar purity and peace. The time Hasps machine guns and 26 different come for you to decide whether ammunition dumps. The destruct italians shall die for Mussolini and Tion of 109 tanks 294 planes and Hitler or five far Italy and for 147 guns was announced and Ger civilize Fotion Quot i Man dead were set at 12,000. All along the line of the Yursic salient the russians reported a Mermal Ivo Rable fighting. This has been Dack to Normal i be of the Moscow report Pomti nmn revealed i throughout the past week which saw the germans throw at the and steel or action has mroch army the Fuu night of to Lear tar the lilt boasted a Tiger Quot Tanka Manu Fao Llu Rev thu we in production by the Hirw. However try germans and counted upon Toffli of i Iii bring certain Victory have proved with its a Quli to an attempt to sorry Day dream of the Nari uncover any violations of the anti j leaders. The russian Artel a strike Law that May have occurred j Lery hag them repeatedly during the outlaw strike. Land total destruction of tank claimed by the russians since the m a 110-Day German offensive a Maxon resigns launched comes to More than 7, goo Washington a another opa indicating the Hopes that the executive has resigned. This time germans had for their summer of it is Lou Maxon flashy Detroit and Tensive there comes a report from ver Tising executive who was German officer prisoners on the brought in As Public relations do order of the Day which Hitler in Rector by opa head Prentiss sued at the beginning of it. Brown. At one time Maxon was Quot the offensive in the Orel mentioned As the possible general kursk and Belgorod sectors should manager of the opa. I become a decisive blow the Climax Quot the professors and lawyers and of the War and the last Battle Beth to rests just Haven to done the Job fore German Victory a said Adolf in the administration of Price con Hitler. Tool and rationing a said Maxon the russian reply was 19 Day am it Sacra 94 packing of dub r <0 i of Stonewall fighting in the Orel Region and near kursk. Only a i slight wedge was driven by the nazis at Belgorod and then again the russians stopped them. Last reports were that the russian were counter attacking and gradually moving upon the offensive in that Region also. Anti strike Law Washington president Roosevelt revealed yesterday that under the new anti strike Law the government will return the Coal mines to their owners soon after Normal production of the mines has been restored. Meanwhile la is known that John l. Lewis president of the United mine worker Union has no intentions of abandoning the stipulation in the ump strike that provides for the automatic termination of the agreement if the government discontinues control of the Coal mines. Subscriptions taken if you want to Send stars and stripes Home you can take your subscription to any stars and stripes office listed in the Masthead on Page 4 or you can Send too francs for a year s subscription to stars and stripes Rue Georges Marcie Casablanca address ail inquiries concerning subscriptions to the above office