The Morning Herald from Hagerstown, Maryland • Page 20

MORNING HIRALD, HAGERSTOWN, MD. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7,1944 Invading Armies Go Inland After Successful Landings (Ooatfcmed from Page xoca of operations, "as air-borne and sea-borne troopa, have been driven back in very heavy fighting." (CBS quoted a Berlin broadcast aa Baying that "a strong formation" of Allied parachute troops had gained lodgments on both sides of the road from Carentan to Valognes, a highway junction point 11 miles southeast of Cherbourg. (A BBC correspondent was quoted by the Blue network as saying Allied forces had pushed 13 milea inland in the Caen area.) Swedish correspondents in Ber Jin reported that the German High in Liiai cveuii JitrrtVjr Command expected "new and willsoonbeginandwillcontinue.lt larger landings overnight and said is therefore a most serious time the invasion front stretched more that we are entering upon." than 200 miles frorr Calais to the By comparison, the great Allied channel islands. Several divisions plane fie ets which led the assault were said to be fighting in the big before dawn today extended across cases hand to 200 miles of sky and used naviga- A Uon "ShtB to maintain formation, i ispatch to the Headquarters tonight praised troop Daily Mail said Hitler was expected carriers of the Ninth Air Force for to speak soon "somewhere in the having conducted "very large west, as personal commander of scale" air-borne operations with anti-invasion operations. Ferried across tbe white-capped -no aa.j 'ICID UIO.V.A.

YViLU LUGU1 channel by a great armada of 4,000 as they headed for France," said an ships and thousands of lighter craft American fighter pilot Other air and screened from above by thundering fleet 11,000 Allied warplanes, American, British and Canadian troops hit the beaches along a front of roughly 100 miles between Cherbourg and Le Havre in the first cloudy hours of daylight and swept swiftly inland. uv wan, me Allied losses in the initial assault most photographed and publicised were much lighter than had been anticipated and there was an unmistakable air of optimism at the headquarters of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme Allied commander. It was disclosed that D-Day originally had been set for Monday, but that bad weather forced i.

day's postponement. (President Roosevelt announced that American naval losses consisted of two destroyers and one landing craft and said the invasion was "up to schedule." Total Allied air losses were one per cent, he said. Prime Minister MacKenzie King told the Canadian House of Com their Initial objective and were making good progress.) Bridgehead ia Held Tonight the International Information Bureau, German propaganda agency, reported the Allies held a bridgehead about 15 miles broad and "several kilometers" deep between Villers and Trouville. of defenses the world has ever known. Only a few enemy destroy- jrg and motor torpedo boats at- empted to interfere with the vast Allied fleet.

Preceding the actual invasion fleet across the channel was a huge armada of little swept lanes straight to -he designated landing points. The ength of sweep wires used to tear the moored German mines stretched nearly 70 miles in all. After the sweepers, in amazingly ordered fashion, came the whole flat-bottomed family of landing craft laden with fighting men, guns, tanks, shells, field rations, hypodermics, radio sets, bandages, irucks and the other bewildering saggage of combat. An Associated Press correspondent reported thi morale of American troops was amazingly high as the invasion fleet prepared to move across the channel. directly estuary Trouvllla is nine miles south across the Seine from Le Havre.

German reports from the Spanish frontier said Allied troops were in full possession of Honfieur, six miles southeast of Le Havre across the Seine estuary, and were fanning out south and east toward Pont L'Eveque, Beuzevllle and Pont Audemer, ranging from 10 to 15 miles inland. Prime Minister Churchill announced that Allied air-borne troops had captured several strategic bridges inside France before the enemy could destroy them and that "there Is even fighting proceeding in the town of Caen." Caen is miles inland near the base of the Cherbourg peninsula, -west and slightly south of Le Havre. "Air-borne troops are well established and the followups are pro- than we expected," Churchill 1 told a cheering House of Commons in his second report of the day. "Many dangers and difficulties which this time last night appeared extremely formidable are behind us. This operation is proceeding in a thor oughly satisfactory manner." The German-controlled Paris radio broadcast a flash from the battlefield" early tonight saying that raging north 'a vicious battle is of Rouen between powerW Allied paratroop and German anti-invasion Rouen is 41 miles from the east of Le Havre.

According to Plan an earlier report, Churchill told Commons that the Allied as sault was "proceeding according to what a plan! hope to furnish tin enemy with a succession of surprises during the course of the fighting." Nazi coastal defenses had been silenced until they offered only sporadic fire and Allied air power completely dominated the battle area. Several of the toughest in vasion hurdles had been success ashore tonight. Fixed German guns along the coast were literally blown apart by invasion troops were "going into an in comparison with which Dante's hell was child's play." The enemy broadcasters said German reinforcements were being rushed to meet the onslaught and that counterattacks already had been struck. Churchill, though hie night report to Commons was extremely optimistic in the main, warned that the day's fightir.g "gives no indication whatever of what may be the course of the battle in the next days and weeks, because the enemy will now probably endeavor to concentrate on this area. "In that event, heavy fighting very small losses." "The sky was black with them men told of seeing ground hit the beaches and literally inland through the shattered jnemy defenses.

More than 640 Allied naval guns, from 4 to 16 inches, par- in the pulverizing bombardment of the Atlantic Wall, the the hours reading, arguing, playing cards or rolling dice. Eisenhower, after having personally inspected and wished luck to a unit of air-borne troops, ad- the Allied invasion forces in which he declared "We will accept nothing less than full victory." Then, from a housetop somewhere on the English coast, the commander watched the great spectacle unfold. Tha German controlled Vichy radio also said that a vicious fight developed last night north of Rouen, on the Seine 41 miles east of Le Havre, "between powerful Allied paratroop formations and German anti-invasion forces." A landing of United States air troops in a three-sqtuare-mye area near the coast was described by a lighter-bomber flight leader Lt Arthur Washburn of Plainville as "a beautiful job." "The American beachhead was going along very successfully," ha said, "but the British and Canadians were getting the hell beat out of them for a while. In the after noon their position eased off." The German radio, in a dawn broadcast, said the Allies had made "further landings at the mouth of the Orne under cover of navai artillery" and that heavy fighting was raging on the coast Barometer Falling London, June 6 ba rometer was falling tonight and the weather outlook was unsettled for the Dover Straits, vital water link between England and the Al lied invasion forces in France. (NBC in New York reported the secret German radio station tbe Atlantic broadcast that the wind over the channel had grown stronger and no new landings were expected tonight.) Storm predictions previously had caused a full 24-hour postponement of the invasion, launched this fully cleared, but an Allied spokes- morning despite wind-whipped seas man warned that "many more re- an( forbidding flying conditions main." Huge Allied reinforcements Supreme Headquarters, Allied Ex of men and armor were pouring peditionary Force, revealed after the landings were made.

The temperature dropped to 50 degrees at 10:30 p. m. and the sea lO.COO-ton aerial barrage in the was smooth although a haze re jht hours preceding the landings, duced the visibility which in the eight hours preceding the landings, and then a formidable fleet of American-British including battleships with 16-inch rifles- stood close inshore and destroyed enemy bunkerg and gun positions with point-blank fire. Despite a command by Reichs- marshal Hermann Goering that the "invasion must be beaten off even If the Luftwaffe perishes," only 50 German planes appeared in the early hours of the attack. Allied fighters ranged 75 miles inland without meeting opposition.

The German radio reported bitter fighting at a half-dozen points in Normandy and claimed to have identified two U. S. air-borne divisions in the Cherbourg peninsula Mid two British air-borne divisions in Seine area near Lo Havre. First report that the invasion waa underway oarly today, the speculated that the Nor- amult merely was diver ia nature and the afternoon afforded glimpses of th French coast. High tides: At Dover: Wednesday 1:25 p.

Thursday 1:43 a. m. and 2:02 p. a. m.

Wednesday a 7:43 p. m. and 8:02 a. m. Thurs day, Eastern War Time).

At Calais: Wednesday 1:43 p. Thursday a. m. and 2:23 p. (7:43 a.

m. Wednesday and 8:04 p. m. and a. m.

Thur day. Eastern War Time). Churchill Reports London, June 6 Min ister Churchill said tonight tha Allied troops have penetrated i some cases several miles inlan from the coast of France, and tha "this operation is proceeding in thoroughly satisfactory manner with losses far less than antic pated. In his second statement of thi Churchill said he had bee Where Allies Began Long-Awaited Thrust POrne FRANCE lap shows the northern coast of France, with arrows uio urea between Le Havre and Cherbourg here Allied invasion forces established beachheads. Early reports indicated Caen waa one of the Allied objectives.

Islands of Guernsey and Jersey, long held by the Nazis, were also attacked. Loading Ships For Channel Dash NAZI FORCES ARE FLEEING IN DISORDER (Continued from Page 1) xs Dt LCT's are loaded with half tracks and other armored vehicles by American troops Just before heading from the British coast for the shores of France to start the Allied invasion of Europe. Signal Corps Radio). (AP Wire photo via at centers -where the latest information was received, and reported that "the passage of the sea has been made with far less loss than we apprehended." He said it appeared that tactical surprise had been achieved over the Germans ae the Allies established lodgments "on a broad front" "The resistance of batteries has aeen greatly weakened by the bombing of the air force, and the superior bombardment of our ships greatly reduced their fire to dimensions which did not affect the problem," he said, adding that "airborne troops are well established and the followups all are proceeding with very much, less loss than we expected." After visiting supreme headquarters of Gen. Dwight D.

Eisenhower with King George VI, the Prime Minister described those airborne landings as "an outstanding feat on a scale far larger than anything there has been so far in the world. These landings took place with extremely little loss and great accuracy." "Many dangers and difficulties which appeared at this time last night extremely formidable are behind us," Churchill said. ROOSEVELT LEADS NATION IN PRAYER come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph." Mr. Roosevelt sent the prayer to the House by messenger. Members who had just joined the chaplain, the Rev.

Dr. James Shera Montgomery, in the opening invocation again stood in silent devotion. Then Minority Leader Martin of Massachusetts reminded the House that "many heart-breaking days lie ahead." The same solemn spirit pervaded the Senate. "It seems that all we need, or ought to do or can do," said Majority Leader Barkley, "is pray fervently and devoutly for the success of our troops and those of our Allies in whatever direction they may be moving." After a moment silent prayer, Senators and crowded galleries joined the Rev. Frederick Brown Harris, chaplain, in reciting the 23rd Psalm.

MUELLER TELLS OF PRESS CONFERENCE Correspondent Describes Eisenhower on Eve of Invasion Gripsholm Arrives; Soldiers Returned (Continued from Page 1) Roosevelt replied to win the war and win it 100 per cenL Dispatches from the Allied headquarters had been relayed to Mr. Roosevelt as they arrived, and he told his news conference that as of 12 noon (EWT) American naval losses were two destroyers and one LST (landing ship, tanks). He said air losses were relatively light, about one per cent, adding that he supposed that covered both aircraft and airborne troops. Copies of Mr. Roosevelt's prayer were dispatched to Congress, where it was read on the floor, and the White House put it out for advance publication so that Americans might be familiar with it and pray in concert with the President in the broadcast from the White House at 10 p.

m. (EWT). The President's tone of solemn dedication set the pitch for calm acceptance of the events of "D- Day" in Congress and elsewhere in Washington. He called the nation to a "continuance of prayer" during the "long travail" that began for millions of American and Allied troops and citizens with the landings in France. Asking Divine blessing for the invading forces, he prayed: "They will need Thy blessing.

Their road will be long and hard. The enemy is strong. He may burl back our forces. Success may not Jersey City, N. June 6 Tbe sixth diplomatic exchange of irpatriates between the United llates and Axis countries was completed today when the Swedish liner Gripsholm arrived here with 131 passengers, 51 of them ill or wounded American soldiers who were prisoners of war in Germany.

The liner docked at 3:40 p. m. (EWT) after a nine-day voyage from Belfast which Navy officials was without incident. She left here May 2, carrying 700 German prisoners and civilians who were exchanged at, Barcelona. In addition to the American soldiers, she also brought, back 37 Canadian soldiers and 43 civilians.

Pronunciation Guide (By The Asuocinted Freiia) Sehn Shair-boor' Kahn 1 (nasal) Ler Hahvr' Sehn Varst Lah (nas'l) Seine (river) Cherbourg Caen Le Havre Calais St. a a La Hougue Rouen ARMY PILOT KILLED Upper Marlboro, June 6 Army pilot was killed anc another escaped uninjured when their Thunderbolt (P-47) fighter planes crashed near here within an hour today. Officers at Camp Springs, Md. withheld the name of the deac pilot whose plane dived into a plowed field. The second plane which made a crash landing was damaged, but the pilot walker away apparently unhnrmed, said Sergt, Elon Turner of the Prince Georges county police.

New York, June 6 At Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's preinva- sion press conference, Allied correspondents sat in a tiny tent some 15 feet square and "listened to the most amazing delivery of dynamic facts I have ever heard," NBC Correspondent Merrill Mueller said today in a broadcast from Eisenhower's headquarters. Details of what the supreme corn- armies struck in northern France. The Mediterranean Air Force's destruction of rail lines in northern Italy and southeastern France has so curtailed the mobility of Nazi reserves that the German Command must decide quickly and irrevocably whether to risk any more precious manpower south of the Genoa-Florence limits lino.

Enemy divisions still in the flatlands below the city -were in desperate straits. Westward from Rome to the sea all the Tiber's bridges have been blown up or have been captured by the Allies, and in the coastal area alone, well over 2,000 Nazis apparently will be unable to extricate themselves. Only isolated rear guards offered any serious resistance. In the mountains east of Rome Nazi rearguards threw strong opposition against the British Eighth Army in an attempt to cover the northward withdrawal of the German main body in that sector. The enemy still resisted In the hills north of the Via Caeilina.

From the air the retreating enemy was battered marcilessly. Tactical aircraft concentrated attacks yesterday on his communications leading to the battle area; medium bombers hit road bridges in west-central Italy, north of Rome; fighter-bombers lashed at rail bridges, trucks, motor transport and ammunition dumps, and other aircraft concentrated on strategic targets over a wide area. ALLIED AIRCRAFT RULES IN INVASION (Continued from Page 1) although it was estimated that tne German air force had 1,750 fighters and about 500 bombers in the west to meet the Allied thrust. Airmen Brave Weather The other, offered by the Berlin radio, waa that "the German fighte army was extraoridnarily handicapped by tbe extremely bad conditions of visibility on the Channel." This report heard by CBS said "some short and violent air clashes took, place in which a number of Allied planes were shot down." The Allied airmen, however, braved this weather, described by the supreme headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force as "very Despite the large scale airborne sorties and their extremely vulner able operations, Allied losses were reported small. Beyond the shore defenses addi tional hundreds of planes charge against the enejmy's communica tions.

There was anti-aircraft fire in the clouds and the Germans even used small arms in a desperat; many of which swept low tfi ge under the thick rolling layer clouds. The British bomber command threw more than 1,300 aircraf against the-enemy's coastal bat teries in the darkness the assault, and from 11:30 p. Monday night until dawn they sen well over 5,000 tons of bombs cas cading on the invasion coast. Thi was the greatest weight of bomb ever dropped by the British in on night There were well over 1,000 gian Lancasters and Halifaxes engage mander said cannot be told, Mueller said, but as to ths actual invasion plan itself, "I have been in on all of the general's amphibious assaults, but none was as involved or as mammoth as this one." Eisenhower "wanted all the credit for this campaign to go to the common soldiers of the Allied Army," and had nothing but praise for the work of his staffs and his commanders. The general showed no nervousness, Mueller added, but in reply to a question said quietly, "I'm so goldurn nervous.

I boil over." At a parachutists' base just before their take-off to open the assault, Eisenhower went down line after line. 'Where are you General Ike would ask one of the boys. 'What did you do in civilian life?" 'How old are 'Are you a good shot with a 'What do you 'Who is the toughest roan in the "And so it went down the line. And invariably off in another corner of the field the men would start shouting for just and over he would go, repeating the questions all over again; verbally sparring with them; giving the impression that this general was just one of the guys who thought they were the best soldiers in the world," Then the men started trooping off to their planes, Mueller continued, i "General Ike yelled 'Good luck' and saluted them time after time. This outfit had been assigned the toughest mission of all.

They knew it and the general knew it, and both are part of a wininng team." Mueller is scheduled to lecture in Hagerstown next fall on the program of the Washington County Teachers' Association. NO TIME TO STRIKE, OFFICIALS ASSERT Washington, June 6 retary of tht Navy Forrestal and Undersecretary of War Patterson atterted tonight that with "our boya fighting Into this is not timt for or quarrela over Tha two offielaii In a joint atatement: "Our behavior on tha home front at this critical hour will determine whether we can look those boya squarely In the eya when they come back home." Chlefi of two big branehet of organized labor pledged their forcei to uninterrupted production In support of the invasion. UEERING CABLES SENT MISS ELLIS i iirl. Responsible for False Flash, Receives Messages New York, June 6 Joan Elis, the-girl who startfcd mililong- with her false flash report of AI- ied landings In Prance two days advance of tie actual event, vas cheered today by cabled ex- ressions of encouragement telling er "You didn't miss it much." A cablegrame fron the Miami Daily News addressed to the British girl at the Associated Press' London office, said Cheer up. All is forgiven.

You didn't miss It much." The message was telephoned to her home where she was reported till resting. Newspaper editors across the na- ion rallied with expressions of good wishes for the girl whose care- ess teletype practice flash, "Eisenhower's headquarters announces Allied landings in France," was not far from the actual flash some 60 hours later reading "Eisenhower's headquarters announces Allies and in France." Typical comments from editors: South Bend (Ind.) Tribune: 'Please cable Joan Ellis our ex- DREAM OF RUSSIAN PEOPIE REALIZED Soviet Notion Cheered by the Newt of Invasion Moscow, June 6 three- year-long dream of land trout came true for the Ruislan people today whea they heard by radio that the Allies had invaded France. At the game time the Army was understood to be massing for Its expected blow from the east following up the assault from the west. News of the Invasion -was welcomed with a heart warming full import of the action being realized gradually here as successive broadcasts brought the people word of the developments from London. There was no public shouting and cheering, but Russian citizens and officials alike were discussing events with lively enthusiasm.

Foreign diplomats expected the reaction to the news to grow as operations developed and the Russians saw concrete results. Loud speakeranhad Been switched on in the streets and squares of the capital for the announcements. (The German commentator Von Hammer from Berlin that with the attack from the west, a big Russian offensive would open" soon along the lower Dnestr "where a strong Soviet offensive army has taken 4 action stations and pense that Indiana thinks you Congra tula- knew it all the time, tions." Mayfteld (Ky.) Messenger: "Tell the British girl who flashed the invasion Saturday that we all love her and that she scooped the world." Fredericksburg (Va.) Free Lance Star: Joan Ellis should be thanked for putting us on alert." Paris (Ky.) Daily Enterprise: "Tell Joan Ellis, London, no one here interested in flash. All forgiven. Good luck.

Carry on." Portland (Ore.) Oregonlan: "To Joan Ellis, to err is human." Hartford (Conn.) Courant: "Today is another day. It's eyes front and good luck." Frederick (Md.) News: "Tell Joan we think she was on her toes and no one will hold anything against her." The New Orleans States commented editorially: "Joan, so far as the New Orleans States is concerned, there is nothing to forgive. Perhaps you were wishfully thinking, as we all were. Perhaps you were impatient for P-Day, as we all were. "You got quick action, anyway." fire is gaining in intensity." Other German commentators said multiple assaults could be expected.

(Tonight's broadcast Russian communique, recorded by the Soviet monitor in London, said the Red Army had repulsed continuing Nazi attacks north and northwest of lasi in Romania and that Russian bombers had carried out a mass raid Monday night on lasi itself. (Ninety fires were started, the bulletin stated, and the fires were accompanied by big explosions, machine-gun and cannon fire. Several trains were burned. All Soviet planes returned to their bases. (There were no changes on other sectors of the front, the communi- que added.) Eighteen Fatally Injured in Crash San Diego, June 6 Eighteen Navy men were killed and 12 injured today when a Navy Liberator bomber crashed into structures at the Camp Kearny auxiliary air station on Kearny mesa.

The llth District in announcing the accident, said seven men were seriously injured five others wer.e. for minor injuries. Of the twelve men aboard the plane, two escaped with serious injuries and a third with minor injuries. The other dead and injured were station personnel working in the area. in the thundering night prelud to invasion.

In the purple dawn the American Ninth Air Force's first fighters became air-borne and they were in the air continuously afterward throughout the day, bombing, strafing and patrolling ahead of tha ground troops. The first ten waves of fighter bombers to go into action reported no serious opposition from enemy fighters anywhere over the Channel or beachheads. Then more than 1,000 American Liberators and Flying Fortressps took up where the RAF heavies left off. unloading possibly another 3,000 tons of explosives on gun emplacements and other defensive works. "There were so many Allied air craft in the air that you almost- had to put your hand out to turn" said Lt.

Col. Frank Perego, of Canandaigua, New York. More than 350'Marauders made repeated dashes across the Channel and blasted a wide strip of coastline in tbe zone of operations, encountering icing conditions that forced many to fly below the normal medium altitude, bombing at a level so low that concussions rocked the planes. Twin-engined Lightnings patrolled the skies continuously, guarding the fleet of naval craft and landing boats from an aerial attack whhh did not materialize Doughty Thunderbolts fiew a protective umbrella for troops moving moving into the continent. Other P-47 fighter-bombers at tacked railroad and highway bridges, road bottlenecks and coastal batteries in the invasion zone.

Some descended to tree-top level and strafed German troops moving by trucks to defense of.ttto beaches. NAZI PLANE DOWNED London, June 6 (ff) A Swiss radio broadcast said today a German 3-engine plane had been shot down over Swlteeriand by Swiss fighters, HITLER MAY London, June 6 Tho Daily Mail reported today in a dispatch from Stockholm that Adolf Hitler was expected to make a speech soon from "somewhere in the west" as "persona! commander of anti-invasion Son of Eisenhower Receives Diploma West Point, N. June 6 Solemn graduation ceremonies at the U. S. Military Academy here today were interrupted by a tremendous burst of applause from D-Day conscious crowds as Cadet John Eisenhower, son of the invasion chief, received his diploma from Maj.

Gen. Francis B. Wilby, academy superintendent. Eisenhower, commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry, has been assigned to Ft Banning, for transition training. Also among the graduates was Cadet Henry Beukema, future son- in-law of Lt.

General Omar Bradley, commander of U. S. invasion ground forces. Brehon B. Soraervell, speaker at the services, made no direct reference to the invasion.

He told cadets of the responsibilities of being graduated at "this momentous time." The Classified Section body's market place. every- INVASION FLASHES (Continued from Page last night. There was no immediate Indication of their targets, but it was probable that the invasion path of the Allied landing forces'was getting a night-time going-over. London, Wednesday, June 7 German news agency Transocean said early today the Allies had made "further landings at the mouth of the Orne under cover of naval artillery." The agency said "heavy fighting" was raging on the coast of northern France. Hera if an old friend of thii familiar red and black Rumford label.

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