The Brownsville Herald from Brownsville, Texas • Page 1

Defense Meets 6 In Our Valley. I Paul Mallon Roving Reporter 2 Serial 5 TODAY The War Today. 2 From Piles 6 x-Word Puzzle 5 For Fifty Years a Service Institution of and For the Valley THE WEATHER: For the VaJlcj: Uctle.chRnec In, temperature Saturday nSght. Sigh Tide 7:17 ft. p.

Low Tide Sunday 1:22 FIFTIETH YEAR--No. 303 MAY 2, 1942 SIX PAGES TODAY ARMY FLIERS KILLED HERE TODAY: 2-MOTORED BOMBER CRASHES. BURNS JKMerf 7n -Safe Lake Airliner Crash Yanks In Mediterranean; FRISCO PLANE Mandalay Falls To Japs Battle Of Burma 'Major Disaster' Allies; RAF Nazis, And 'Rejects' German Truce For CAIRO--(AP)--The presence of'United States troops In the rastprn Mediterranean war thoatcr was announced today by Major General Itiisscll L. Maxwell, chief of the United States north African Mission, but he snirt they were entirely service personnel. Their Job at present.

General Maxwell told a press conference, was to support the combat troops of other Allied countries engaged In the actual Rudyard Kipling's storied city of Mandalay, blackened by fire and its ROldcn temples smashed by Japanese bombs, was reported today to have fallen to Japan's invasion hordes as the -nm-ma verged on another major disaster for the Allies, battle of Burma Imperial Tokyo headquarters said Japanese troops occupied i i willr. i-fin 11 city yesterday, climaxing ri March 9. 410-mile advance from Rangoon since Official Allied confirmation of the Tokyo claim was lacking, but i dispatches from the Burma fron 'yesterday indicated the city was seriously threatened and that the British were falling rapidly. British headquarters at New Delhi acknowledged that retreat- Ing British troops had blown up series of bridges below the city, Including two spans of the famous Ava bridge, 10 miles southwest, of MnndaJay. "On the Mnhdalay front-all British troops are being-' withdrawn By WAS Wcstbrook 1 Pegler's 365th' 'day oT the year.

We've got it figured this way: Two hundred days out of. the year he attacks union labor. One hundred days out the year he President Roosevelt. Sixty-four days in the year he attacks Mrs. Kooscvc-lt.

The 365th day he attacks somebody else. And yesterday it was Negroes. The thought occurred that gome day he might devote some of that beautifully cultivated spleen of his to the enemy. HAN INTO J. H.

SCHMIDT, who heads the Port Isabel Fish Company, and he says the shrimp run off the coast there now is the most remarkable in recent history of shrimping. And nil they've been able to do Of late Is to sit with folded hands-Too much wind and waves. They expect to get into action again soon. W. W.

STEVENS, WHO HAS Abandoned Sioux City, Iowa, in order to live here, drops In and wonders we're kin to C. M. Stllwcll, tin attorney In Sioux City. We don't know. We started licking up the family tree once.

but gave It up ns a poor idea. But we do know Mr, Stevens has pot some plans for nice developments In this section, and we're glncl to see him getting going. A LETTER COMES IN THE morning irmll from Miss Ruth' Hudson, secretary to School Bcri Brltc. She wants to know about a "Jackpot" rodeo at the river Sunday. "I saw one tarpon In the river last Sunday that "was six feet long." she says.

"I dream nbout him-- with my plug dangling from his mouth." Well, we saw a tnrpon in the river that was more thnn six feet long. And our plug WAS dangling Irom his mcuth. For all we know, it still Is. We'll take them a bit smaller. Miss Hudson siiys she'll be there casting with the best of them.

OUR FRIEND VAN WIGGINS of the Star gets publicity release from the GonztUes Pan American fiesta nnd is worked up because tt comes in franked envelope no postage necessary. Cheer up, van. We publicity release the other day and it came three cents postage due, We wired them collect and told them we, couldn't use It. WITHIN SIGHT OF IB FED Cause Not Known, But Light Rain Falling; United Airliner Hits Ridge SALT LAKE, CITY--(AP) --A sleeper transport ploughed into a storm-lashed ridge within sight of Salt Lake City's airport late last killing passengers and a crew of three. George Benton Gearhart, watchman at an inn on the highway about a mile below the site and first to reach the scene, said one man lived, for a few minutes.

All others, including -one infant, apparently -were instantly killed. Near Destination Scars on the ground indicated the United Airlines plane, struck on the edge of a shallow gully near the summit of the ridge, approximately four and one-half miles from the ''airport, destination of the cast-bound San Francisco transport. from the position north was scattered over communique' "Indiscriminate Bombini" were thrown, clear. Others lay ii The British officially accused I the debris. Bodies in the wreckagi Japanese, warplancs.

charred by and indiscriminate bombing" in fire that flared up as the big line) Have You Lost A 300-Foot Barge Recently? One Drifts Aimlessly Into Port Isabel "Found-- Three hundred' foot 'brand new barge, value about $150,000. Will owner please come and get it." This could very well be a classified ad today, and the Coast Guard at Port Isabel wishes the owner would tow it away before squatters move in and set up light housekeeping in the huge hulk, Some government department is short a barge, but the ownership of the big scow still is a mystery after three weeks of riding at moor. 515,000 Reward Lost And make maters still more complicated. Port Isabel fishermen arc out $15,000 reward for not towing it into port. Three weeks ago the big ponr toon-type barge was sighted 20 miles out in the Gulf drifting aimlessly about.

W. Pate, owner of a pleasure fishing was first to sight it. Other fishermen- had seen it, and rumors quickly spread through Port Isabel. First stories to go through the fishing community were that it was an invasion barge, and that somewhere along the coast the Germans were attempting a wholesale landing. Rumors Spread- Next it was told about that the barge was loaded with explosives and that it was set to explode when it had drifted, into the ship channel.

That caused fishermen to give i a wide berth. More than one recited his prayers and hoped it wouldn't'explode while his shrimp boat cruised about. Finally -someone reported it to the Coast Guard. They sent an investigation party, boarded the floating vessel and towed it to port. He Goes Salvage Had one of the fishermen brought it in, he would have been entitled to $15,000 salvage.

Meanwhile the 'Coast Guard is trying 1 to find out just whore it belongs. The boat is new, measures 300 by 50 feet and was apparently intended for hauling sand and mud from the dredging operation. It's still the mystery ship of the 'Gulf. Sugar Rationing Job Will Cost County $3000 Daily Closing the schools in Cameron county for registration, of individual consumer registration will cost the taxpayers $3,000 a day, and for that reason all urged to register the first two days. County School Supt.

John Barren said today. Monday, -Tuesday, Wednesday awl Thursday; of next week have days for at elementary schools, Mr. Barrdn said, but the hope the school officials that the job can', completed two their. nortmvard sweep through- Burma, settin? towns afire and inflicting a terrible toll of civilian casualties. Even more critical than, the loss of Mandalay, which had already been cut off as a link on the Burma road, was the situation confronting the American W.

StllweH's Chinese army on the Lashio front, 150 miles northeast of Mandalay. In that sector, tank-led Japanese columns in great force were reported to have pushed wit-hin 45 miles of the Chinese frontier, and it now seemed evident that Japan was (Continued on Page Two' SOLON RAPS COMMISSIONS smashed against the rocky slope, One body, entirely nude, lay the bottom oT the gully, untouched "by fire. Geai-hart said -he -watched plane circle and glide along ridge, apparently headed for i airport. visibility. Airlines officials sf was good.

Gcarhart SE Too Many Civilians As Officers? A I Rep, Charles I. Fadclls CD-Pa), chairman of a house subcommittee on army matters, declared today there was a growing practice of giving army and navy "quickie" commissions to unqualified civilians and said he would Insist l-hat congress stop such action in the future. At Faddis' request, the full house military committee has written into the pending army pay bill an amendment requiring that future commissions be granted only to graduates of oTflcers' training I schools, national guards and R.O.T.C. officers, or those who have completed military courses at approved schools, "There 'are entirely too many of these commissions being issued," he complained. "It may be true that In certain cases a man from civil- Ian life is needed for a' commissioned post, but there is no reason to commission a thousand of them.

"What do you suppose a who hns been drafted, as private thinks when lie sees his neighbor, who has had no more experience a light rain was. falling, but the clouds were high and he could see the plane's wing lights. "I watched the plane fly along the mountain and saw It hit. I could tell it hit the side of the mountain because the lights in the plane seemed to bounce. "About two or three seconds after the plane hit, there was a huge flash and the plane began to burn." One Man Alive Gearhart estimated it took him.

25 minutes to reach the scene. He found one man alive and tried to talk to him. "I think the man knew I was there but he couldn't talk. He opened his eyes. He was groaning and waving his I found some blankets near the wreckage and covered him up.

I looked around to see if anyone else was alive." Finding none. Gcarhsrt returned to the inn and called officers. A wind-driven sleet storm which bore out an earliei- published fore- the was dls- and has no more ability, come around in an officer's uniform the next day?" cast was in progress on mountainside but the fire clearly' visible from a long tancc. one could offer an explanation 07 the crash but the civil aeronautics board, at Washington ordered four investigators to the scene. SfflpPBO BUCK WINDS Record Run Continues, Weather Hurts Held to docks lor ten clays while one of the biggest runs of shrimp in years milled about in Gulf waters, 40 of Port Isabel's 100 shrimp boats this morning attempted to put to sea.

but most of them returned. Whipped by winds, the Gulf rolled waves too big for most of the smaller boats, but about a dozen of the larger craft were still' out at noon today. Meanwhile Port Isabel took on "boom town" appearance, as nearly a million pounds shrimp -had been brought in until bad weather brought a pause in operations. Boatmen being paid seven cents a pound, a record pi-ice and much of the catch consisted of Jumbo shrimp, so large that only 12 to -14 of them were required to make a- pound. days-- '-be pended for more than that period.

"If the citizens cooperate, schools may bo able toireopen before May 7," Mr. Barren said, Some Salvage Value The time spent in the registration will not be completely lost by the- schools, the superintendent added, because permanent of persons filing will be, kept for trie scholastic census, and additional scholastics are expected bo be discovered, resulting- in more money' Irom the state. Ail -district school- superintendents, who arc the administrators the registration, meet at Harlingen at 8 o'clock tonight to receive final instructions. Consumers were told not to worry about their excess sugar stocks, since. there is no penalty involved and stamps will be torn Allied Navy Due to 'Overwhelm' Axis Admiral Harold- Axis Fugitive Nabbed in S.

A. FAMILY MEN MAY BE DRAFTED FOR FACTORIES WASHINGTON (IP)-- Family men would be exempt from combat branches of the army but could be drafted into war lactories to replace single workers in uniform under a new proposal today by an Influential member of the senate military affairs committee. John Bugas, agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation here, said today that Lieut. Peter Krug, Nazi flier who fled from a Canadian concentration camp and crossed into the United States -at Detroit, was captured Friday night in San Antonio, Tex. Krug, the FBI agent said, registered at a small San Antonio hotel whose owner became suspicious and called police.

The fugitive Nazi made no attempt to 'resist, Bugas said, when two FBI and two San Antonio detectives burst into his room. B. Stark, commander of U. S. naval forces in European, waters, pressed confidence today in Kiy first press conference that naval despite losses, would vise steadily until it overwhelms the Axis.

"This year will be a tight year," said the former commander of the U. S. there will come-a time when we will be in a position to strike and carry through, no matter what the losses." Philippine Heroes Are Given Medals WASHINGTON (if) Distinguished Service Crosses have been awarded to 100 American and Filipino soldiers and- one naval officer for gallantry' in the battle of the Philippines, the War.Depart- ment announced-last, nlsht. Two Games, Two Ties Between Army Teams McALLEN--There were two baseball games in McAllen last night, but no one won. Both games ended in ties.

Harlingen Army Gunnery School played the 504th Squadron of Moore Field, the score ending 3 "to 3. And the 506th Squadron of Moore Field scored 13 runs in another game--but: so did the Moore Field Quartermaster team, and that gamer too, ended: tie--13 to-13. Former Missionary Cited For Bravery ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Aus. tralia (fP) Lieut. Commander Corybon McAlmont Wassell, a former mission doctor in China who was cited for bravery in Java by President Roosevelt in Us fireside chat Tuesday night, received the Navy Cross today from a high United States naval.

officer. out of the rationing books for the excess amounts. Each person is permitted to have 'two pounds on hand. 960 Trade Users Mr. Barren also announced that 960 certificates had been issued to commercial and industrial users in the county.

A total of 381 wholesalers and retailers and 333 industrial and Institutional users filed 'application. The figures by communities, show first the number of wholesalers and retailers; the number of industrial and institutional users; and third the number of certificates issued, follow: Brownsville, 149. 117, 370; El Jardin, 3, 3, Harlingen, 89, 97, 270; La Feria, 17, 19. 45; Los Fresnos, 9. 10, 16; Port Isabel, 7, 11, 46; Rio Hondo.

IS. 9, 12; San Benito, 73 58, 180; Santa Rosa, 10. 6, 12; Stuart Place, 4, 1, Wilson 1, Mr. BtUTon said the schools' part in the commercial registration had now been completed and all records have been turned over to Roscoe Pryor of Harlingen, the chairman of the county rationing board. LEE WORKS IS McAllen Schools To Close For Rations McALLEN-- All public schools in McAllen except the senior high School will recess Monday and Tuesday while residents.

register for their sugar-rationing books. those' unable' to reach tho schools.on the "scheduled, days, registration will be continued after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Buying Spree Boosts Tomatoes to 6 Cents McALLEN---Tomato prices ranged from two to six cents a''pound after a flurry Edlnburg Thursday, it was reported from two shippers here. One here Brownsville Scholars Named Here Lee Works, 'with a scholastic average cf 96.66, will, be the senior valedictorian at Brownsville i School this year.

Maurice Pipkin, principal, said today. Jack Sutter is. the. 'average-, of 92.81.- Tliree other honor students included two sisters. They are Gloria Recio, with a scholastic average of 92.68, Blanca and Berta Recio, 90.96.

Hint to Merchants CINCINNATI. (ff 1 A business office -here has placed old-fashion- cd. slatcs and chalk, pencils on the desks of its ported tomatoes at 3 to 4 cents a The purpose; To save paper in pound. and memoranda. LION DISTRICT MEETJPENS Heavy Turnout Due In McAllen McALLEN-- Registering; their entire membership.

for- the 1942 annual district here -Sunday, six' Valley Lions "clubs--Mission, Eucouch- Elsa, Juan, Edluburg- and Mercedes. The McAllen hosts for the affair, rewarded each club with a $25 war bond for its support. Convention officials were in a whirl with last minute details for the session which is expected to attract hundreds of South Texas L'ons to the Valley for the three-day conclave. Open Officially Monday Although the convention docs not officially open until Monday morning Its activity program will start Sunday for the Lions and wives. Many of the delegates were expected tonight.

Sunday will include a Lions golf tournament at 1 p.m. at the McAllen Country club, a bull fight in Reynosa at.5:15 p.m. and a reception at the Casa de Faitr.as hotel at 8 p.m. "All Valley Lions Pan American Night" at 8 p.m. Monday at Utzman park at Hidalgo will be one of the.

outstanding- entertainment features of the district gathering. Orville Cox, convention chairman, outlined final plans for the convention at this week's luncheon Session. McAllen Liens will wear yellow suits to be easily distinguishable from the visitors. McAllen Uons despite the rusn of convention details 1 did not forget its weekly war bond- sale and registered a SHOO total for Friday. Meyer Lemon Growers Fail to Organize Eyewitness Say Plane Fell About 75 Feet Suddenly Spins to Ground On Take-Off; 2 Explosions Fellow Crash And Plane Burst Into Flames A twin-motored Army bomber crashed in lames the Brownsville airport at 11 m.

this morningr, kill! the four members of its crew. The ship burst into flames immediately after th crash, and all occupants were badly burned. these were withheld until nearest of kin have been noti The crash occurred as the ship took off from the north-northwest to south-east runway. Eye witnesses said the ship had gained an altitude of about 75 feet when the left wing was seen to suddenly; drop off, throwing the ship into the beginning of a spin. The plane struck on the down wing and burst into flames.

Two separate blasts followed almost, Immediately; when left and right wing gas tanks exploded. Bodies of the four victims, one known to be a second lieutenant, were taken, to the Hinkley mortuary where attempts at identification were being made this afternoon. The Army board of Crash In Brief lie until the War Department had notified the next of kin. All emergency equipment in fire fighting and medical aid was rushed to the scene, but the heat of the fire was so intense that no could approach within 500-feet of the burning wreckage. -Considerable time elapsed before the metal fuselage of the ship cooled sufficiently to permit- recovery of the bodies.

One member of the crew was thrown clear of the ship by the mpact, but was instantly enveloped by flames that spread 100 feet all directions from the ship. He died almost instantly. Pinned Under Motors One of the crew, the last to be had been pinned under one of the motors. All four bodies charred beyond recognition. units from Port Brown were rushed to the scene and the airport placed under military con- i-ol pending an investigation.

Army ofiicers declined to state Jic ship's home port or military unit. Public relations officials at the Harlmgen and Moore Field bases said they had no bombers of that type in the air at the time, Was Circling- Field Just prior to the crash another (Continued on Page Two) U. S. CASUALTY LIST NOW 5486 avy Reports Losses First 4 Months WASHINGTON--(fP)-- The Navy WESLACO No definite action announced today the loss of 5.4SG was taken towards forming a Val- i cac a nd missing in the first four baiwu ia-au ley-wide marketing organization at months of worldwide the -Meyer, lemon meeting held arc here Thursday night, V. Gish, I The casualty recapitulation.

WHAT HAPPENED: Twin motored Army bomber crashes in takeoff, bursts into flames, explodes. Ship total loss. CAUSE: Unknown. Investigation ordered. THE' 'DEAD: Four dead.

Names unavailable at press time. Believed to be all army fliers. TIME: About 11 o'clock this morning. SCENE: Brownsville Municipal Airport, east side. Sidelights Of Tragedy TERRIFIC explosion, flames spurting 50 yards in all directions, smoke visible over a mile Tills marked the first major tragedy at Brownsville's 14-year- old Municipal airport.

Almost first crash of any kind here, and the first fatel accident, it shocked ail-port employes proud of their field's record. Used to smoothness of operation, ships lauding on time and taking off on the dot, the sight of a flaming ship, of sirens screaming, of fire engines and ambulances dashing' across the huge field, was tragic sight. Following are a few details, glean. ed from eyewitnesses: "IT WAS TERRIBLE," said an inou ium employe of an independent airline, naval war- -One plane had already taken off, and the second wasn't far behind the secretary, said. No further meetings first of the war, included have been called for the immediate an( ccast Guard personnel as parts future of the Navy and covered the period from Dec.

April 15 inclusive. It 960 Sugar Cards For Cameron Merchants HARLINGEN--Roscoe Pryor, rationing administrator of Cameron County, said'Friday that a total of 960 applications were filled out for sugar by the- firms of Cameron county. Further details given next be Strikes, Profits Hit NEW ORLEANS--m-- The government' isn't-going to stand for exorbitant profits or strikes-in war industries, Senator Tom Connally of Texas told the Press Association convention last night, 'killed in CT lose. gave this summary: Dead 2,991 Missinp 2,495 Wounded 907 Total 6,303 Officials said most of the casualties resulted from, direct action with it. The doomed plane barely got off the ground when its left wing seemed to dip.

It was so far across the field no one really saw what happened. Almost immediately saw flames spurted in ail directions, thea flames spurt in all then we heard the tremendous 'whoosh' of the explosion. The first ship circled the "field about -three times, then landed." TERRILL TAYLOR, El- Brownsville's Dollar Day Slated To Be Biggest In Monday Series It's Dollar Day in Brownsville Monday. This city's. program for Monday, May.

't, is expected to attract shoppers from a wide area, as- Iccal "merchants have lined up one hundred per cent behind the and are' bar- satas-that -are surprise, espe- cially in these War times-when many prices -arc higher. Lists of the articles that can be bought bargain prices will be available in the Sunday paper, and Brownsville people plan to put forth every effort to welcome to-visitors and shippers on that days for this 'event. This is one of a sciies of similar events planned. local-merchants. resulted irom.

jm.j.«^^*w, the enemy but included some lost school, a resident on the Boca-Chica in accidents at sea, in the air, or on jroad, was- one of Hie first on the war duty. Natural deaths were not included. The total may be increased somewhat by late-arriving reports from distant war zones. The four-month total was half again as large as the casualty figure for the entire World War. when some 3,500 officers and men were plane was a.

total wreck. X. saw a machine gun, Hurled far. from the plane. Clothes from one flier, and all were unrecognizable.

I saw the shoulder bars and wrist watch, belonging: to one who was a second lieutenant. Firemen did a splendid job oC putting out the fire." "WHEN THE SHIP crashed, I was p'aralyzcd. I couldn't move. My eyes were glued on the flames and smoke. And I kept watching-for- someone to run away from the crash.

No one-did, and I knew'all had died," said another airport employe, who asked that his uamo not be used. He was still suffering from-shock. MISS LUCY RTJTH CELAYA, who works at the city airport office, said: "I'm so used to hearing planes take off that I didn't evert look up when the bomber took to. siir. Irf fact.

I didn't rcaliza (Continued oa.