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The Berkshire Eagle from Pittsfield, Massachusetts • 1

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Pittsfield, Massachusetts
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1
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I 1 -i t-r 'r i mi A 1 a tji; 1 1 1 1 i 1 4 A I LCT took tanks, which go ashore ever side 1 ramp to French coast Hospital plane quickly evacuated wounded from battlefront. LCM taitM tanka, vehicle motorised artillery, heavy to beachheads Transport planes flew paratroopers, supplies, troops. 1ST carried tanks, other landing craft, personnel. Gliders took airborne troops, light artillery and vehicles. T73 (Cntty IEdiliora' COMPARISON Allied Forces Far -r- Superior to German (Hayden) Page 10 Berkshire Evening Entered at second class matter.

Post Office, Pittsfield, Mss. 16 Pages Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Tuesday, June 6, 1944. I iOi VtT in .111 i Powerful Assailants of Euipe Get Firm Grip-on -Beachheads Sp ecially Trained and Equipped Troops Broke Through West Wall 111 I Thousands of Airborne Troops Flank West Wall-4000 Naval Ships in Armajla-LdHavre Is Objective 1 SUPREME HEADQUARTERS, Allied Expeditionary Force (AP)-AlIied forces landed in the Normandy area of northwest France today and have thrust several milps inland against unexpectedly slight German opposition 1 and with losses much smaller than had been anticipated. The grand assault scheduled for yesterday but post-, poned until ioday 'because of bad weather foundl the highly-vaunted German defenses much less formidable in every department than had been feared.

1 Several Miles Inland Prime Minister Church-' ill, making hia second appearance of the day Commons to report Ion the invasion, said this evening in announcing satisfactory development bi the invasion 1 1 WASHINGTON i (AP) This is the invasion prayer which President Roosevelt wrote while Allied troops were landing on the coast of France and which he will read to the nation-by radio at 10 PM (EWT) tonight: Aliev. Mr. EUayeUesirs -Giavasiom IPraycr Rev. Ralph H. Hayden, president of the Pittsfield Council of Churches, offered the following invasion day prayer this morning: The great hour of crisis for civilization has arrived and we are told that invasion began early this morning.

There can be -but one thought and action in such a moment as this and that is a deep sense of crisis a humble prayer to God that victory may be achieved and the pain and sorrow of war be ended. We ask Gods blessing upon our cause for we feel that it is united to His cause in its struggle to bring in 'righteousness, truth and justice and to end tyranny and -Price Three Cent The troop3 have penetrated in some cass several miles inland. Lodgements exist on a broad front. He said Allied forces were fighting; inside nine one-halj miles inland I and 30 miles southwest of Le Havre, i 1 Air, Sea Losses Light Airborne troops who led the assault before daylight on a history-making scale suffered extremely small! losses in the air, headquarters disclosed tonight, even! though the great plane fleets extended across 200 miles of sky and used navigation lights to keep formation. I 1 baval losses for the seaborne forces were described at headquarters as very, very small, al- though 4000 ships and several thousand smaller' craft participated in.

taking the American, Canadian British troops to-France. Coastal batteries were virtually silenced by the guns of the, British, American and Allied fleets, including battleships, and the beachheads were speedily consolidated. 1 The German radio said tfc scene of landings was a 100-mile stretch of coast from Cherbourg to Le Havre. Spend Luftwaffe The German were known ta have probably 1750 flhtera and 5iX) bombers mert ihe attavis. Why they did us them at the start wa not apparent, but Allied airmen warned that a violent reaction might I be expected aoon, noting that Herman Goertng in an order of th day had to.d hi air forces.

The Invasion must be beaten off even if th Luftwaffe perishes. An optimistic air pervaded over this headquarter over the smooth manner tn whtVh was launched th great cruxade to liberat Nazi-en. slaved Europe, a crusad la which Invasion Continued on Third Pag Index Fl Fir I Iftmaaa It Oar brkftkkraa ft 4 la IS flat 11 14 Mt 4 Itll g. I 14 MtknMk roctarl! I iba (sOait 14 taiwnrati tteacaa Hill hlldfi All ffimk Ciilv KdltfiritU (trail Volume 53 No. 24 Fifth Army Drives Nazis In Disorder Germans Offer Feeble Resistance to Advance in Italy ALLIED HEADQUARTERS.

Na-ple UP) Fifth Army force drove ateadily beyond liberated Rome today, tome units plunging as much as five miles out from the historic Tiber River against what a as officially termed only weak resistance." "The battle to destroy the enemy contlnues- without pause," said a communique. Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark's troops bav crossed or reached the Tiber all the way from Rome to the sea and enemy division still In the flat-lands below the city are in desperate straits.

(French troops have captured Tivoli, on the Avezzano highway 30 mile northeast of Rome, the British Broadcasting Company announced today in a broadcast heard by NBC.) In the coastal area alone well over 2000 prisoners apparently will be unable to scramble out of the Allied net because all Tiber bridges from Rome to the sea either have been blown up or captured. In still-jubilant, Rome, however, eleven crossings remained intact, and the Fifth Army poured forces In a constant stream to chase the German fleeing northward in disorder. Allied armored forces fanned out over wide area. Infantry also has crossed the river In force and was reported driving due west of Vatican City. The only resistance anywhere came from Isolated rearguards.

In tha mountains east of Rome German rearguards threw strong opposition against the British Eighth Army in an effort to cover the northward withdrawal of the main worry troops in that sector. The Allied air forces gave the German columns no rest. In the area immediately nprth of Rome yesterday more than 375 of their vehicles were destroyed or damaged by fighter-bombers. Heavy bombers meanwhile pounded northern Italy rad lines, particularly in tha Po valley. Four enem lane wer destroyed and the Lies lost 13.

i- Bombers Sink 2 Jap Ships, Hit 2 More ALL! EJ) HEADQUARTERS, Southwest Pacific (UP) Allied bombers sank two Japanese vessels, Including a destroyer, and probably another warship off northwestern Dutch New Guinea, In the drive to prevent the -enemy from re-organ- lzing Its Geelvink Bay defenses, it was disclosed today. Two other Japanese vessels, possibly merchantmen, were damaged and two troop-fllled barges were destroyed as the heavy bombers awept over the Dutch New Guinea coast from east of Biak Island to Ilalmahera in the Moluccas. (UP) American ps drove deeper Into th Japanese defenses lns.de th city of Myitkylna, In northern Burma today, capturing one enemy strong-point on the northern edge and destroying four other positions In th south and southwest sections. CHUNGKING and Chines troops Forecast TM I. Waibf Birtaa reports: Flttfii4 Thiadenhaerra sod, shew-ere tht sftcrsMS.

Partly steady ao4 lightly eeetrr teafgbt and temerrew. letrmi smslfhl 44. fclfhest temerrew lb Light aubderti winds Ftstern Hew Trk Cwlrr. la west and awatll pertlens early tenUbt end In let tenlfht. Wednesday, ten aadembtn elendiness, mack ceeler, The lee el weather repeH will he fennd rf heeend fecUon i T- Assault Teams Armed to The Teeth WASHINGTON (UP) Specially trained, picked assault teams of th U- S.

Army mad the Initial attack on fortress Europe, knocking out pillboxes and other fortifications of the vaunted Atlantic Will, the War Department said today.) Putting to us tactics perfected in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, the assault units hit the beach under cover of heavy naval and artillery fire. These units, actually were given special training to spearhead the massive assault. These men were equipped with special engineer weapons. The War Department in reporting that these men were the first to land In western Europe told how such an assault operation is carried out. The preparation was provided by artillery, by naval guns, by air bombardment and by water-proof tanks firing hull-down In th water.

The purpose of this is not only to knock out pillboxes but to tear up the enemys field of fire by providing shell craters as cover for attacking units. Assault by Sections Each assault section is composed of 30 men one officer, and 29 GI Joes. This Is the capacity of the assault boats and it also the most convenient size unit for attacking a sing! pillbox. As the landing craft comes into the beach, under cover of heavy naval and artillery fire, the assault sections dash through the surf and begin the fight first clearing a lane through land mines. It Is the job of the first men ashore to.

locate the mines, and mark iafe lanes with special tracing strips. As part of this operation, the barbed wire Itself must be cut, and American soldiers an efficient weapon for this purpose. It Is the bangalore torpedo, which comes In long sections capable of being made into any length necessary, depending upon the depth of the barbed wire. One member of the assault team, under cover of small arms, fixes the bangalore, sets the fuse, and ducks for The torpedo explodes with a terrific blast, blowing a -wide swath through the wire. Special Troop Continued on Third Page iV.

xl i -'t GF.N. BERNARD L. MONTGOM-. EKY directs assault en continent. rled to the back row of correspondents, Montgomery satd he was pleased to be meeting Rommel again on the field of Montgomery said psychology of warfare was based on knowing what tho other fellow would do -and he anticipated daring gambles front Rommel a In the past.

Invasion High Lights Artificial Fog. Used LONDON (AP) Artificial fog was used probably for the first time to blanket the first Allied forces landing on the shores of France. Although It made It difficult to get a clear picture of the great assault It provided perfect camouflage protection for the Invaders. Dummy Parachutists LONDON (AP) German radio broadcasts In tha early hours of the Invasion complained bitterly of the Allied method of dropping dummy parachutists. The dummies, Nail broadcasters said, not only were confusing but also were loaded with explosives.

Para Casualties LONDON (UP) Casualties among Allied airborne troop descending on Prance have been light. Supreme Ueadquarten, Allied Expeditionary Forces, announced today. De Gaulle in London LONDON JkP Gen. Charles de Gaulle has arrived in Britain and already has conferred with Prime Minister Churchill, it was disclosed today shortly after announcement of the Allied Invasion of Prance. Light Aclm.

King Cautious WASHINGTON (UP) Admiral Ernest J. King, commander of the United State fleet, said after a conference with President Roosevelt today that the invasion of Europe 1 doing all right so far. Continues LONDON (UP) More than 1000 American heavy bombers attacked enemy target in Franco this morning. Nazi Ship. Sunk LONDON (UP) DNB, German news agency, admitted tn a broadcast today that a German vessel had been sunk during violent fighting In tho Seine estuary.

Bombing OWI Issues Warning WASHINGTON (flb Director Elmer Davis of the Office of ar Information, advised Americans today to be wary of Axis report on the progress of invasion fighting. Anything the Axis radio put out is in their own interest," Davis said. Nazis Air LONDON WV-Th Berlin radio broadcast a DNB dispatch today saying that one Allied cruiser and a large landing vessel carrying troop had been sunk In the are of St. Vaast La Hougue, 13 miles southeast of Cherbourg. Marine Felt Silly HOLLYWOOD (UP) When the Invasion news hit Hollywood everything stopped, even Jitter-bugging.

A marine who had won first prise In a contest at the Palladium said when he spied a headline on an extra, Gosh, I feel kind silly. New Landings Reported LONDON (UP) DNB. German news agency, said today that the Allies had landed further reinforcements" by sea and air in the heint estuary. Sinkings Blood Donor Business Booms I On Invasion Day Red Cross workers at the Berk, shire Museum blood bank have only been able to squeese in about 20 of th scores of Pittsfield people who have called in and appeared in person to give much needed blood on invasion day. Altbongh the blood bank did rfot open nnlil 10.30, telephone calls flooded the wires hy AM and many were necessarily turned away.

It it not possible te accommodate any more donor today, so all applicants are being shut tied to the next appointment day, June 20. Most of those who came in were not smiling and not talk, in. I havent got an appointment, bnt Id lika to give tome blood right now." Petain Appeals To French To -Help Germans LONDON (AP) The Pari, radio today broadcast an appeal by Marshal Petain to Frenchmen to refrain from action, which would call down upon you tragic Franc ha. become a battlefield," the aged Vichy chief. "The eireum.taneea of battle may compel the German army to taka special measures in the battle area.

Accept thi. neecity." He called on officials, railway-men and workers to remain at their posts where they would serve the German military m-ehine-7-in order to keep the life of the nation and in order to ear ry out your taks. "Do not listen to outside voiers railing on you not to listen to our decrees," be said. Norwegians Told To Make Ready LONDON (UP) On. Wilhelm Hansteen, commander-in-chief of the Norwegian underground, broadcast an order to all organized fighting groups Inside Norway today to be prepared to take part in the great settlement." Hansteen told his countrymen that they would receive order on what to do.

i My fellow Americans: In this poignant' hour, I ask you to join me in prayer: -Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, pur religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness to their faith. 1 1 I They will) need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. The enemy is strong.

He may hurl back our forces. Success may not 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. 1 They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest till the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Mens souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

From Ways of Peace i 1 These are men lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest They fight to end conquest They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance arid goodwill among all thy people. They.yearn but for the end of battle. For their return to tjie haven of home.

1 Some will never return. Embrace these. Father, and receive them. Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom. And for us at home fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice, Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer.

But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that, our people devote them- -selves in continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts, i Give Us Strength Give us strength, too- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and material support of our armed forces. And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our cour- age into our sons wheresoever they may be. And, 0 Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade.

Let not the keenness of our spirt ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose. 1 With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations' into a world unity that will spell sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men.

And a peace that will let all men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil Thy will be done. Almighty God. Amen. Discrimination Strike Starts In Plane Plant News of Invasion Fails To Balt Wright Walkout CINCINNATI, (AP) Production of finish-d airplane engines at the $155,000,000 Wright Aeronautical Corp. plant at Lockiand stopped today.

Af least 12,000 of 35,000 employee were Idle following the transfer of seven Negro workers from the. north shop to the center shop. Officials of the company and United Automobile workers (CIO said they were unable to find ac knowledged leadership In what they agreed was a protest against mixing Negro and white workers. The company reported the main assembly line In the center shop had stopped but some foundry and sub-assembly units still were functioning. Union and company officials sought unsuccessfully to end the work stoppage which started yesterday.

A union spokesman said the walkout waa provoked by a handful of Irresponsible Individuals." Ft L. Innis. sub-regional director, condemns those responsible and has turned over the names of 25 Individuals to the Army for any action and the management desires 'to take. At Canton. Ohio, the Timken Roller Bearing Co.

reported nearly 1000 CIO United Steel Worker of America left their Jobs In a seniority dispute In the plants grinding department. A company spokesman said the strike began last Friday In a small division. He said the first stoppage resulted from a dispute over removal of a grinding machine from the shop, and spread when seniority issues became involved." Red Armies Mass To Join In Invasion MOSCOW UP) Russian armies were understood today to be massing and preparing to perform their part of the joint Allied task of crushing Germany with a blow from the east, combined with Gen. Eisenhower's Invasion from the west and Gen. Alexanders thrust up the Italian peninsula.

The invasion of northwest France was the "second front for which the Russians had called for three anxious years, i But the "second front already had ceased to be a political issue her before Eisen-nower struck. Invasion Leader Says Shotv ill Be Rough but Successful SUPREME HEADQUARTERS. Allied Expeditionary Force, London (UP) The Invasion will be a rough show but It will succeed. That's the word of th man who today commanded the Allied army group attacking the shores of Hitler-held Europe-Gen. Sir Bernard L.

Montgomery. Monty of El Alemein made this confident appraisal In a pre-invasion talk to correspondent which may be reported now that th Invasion is under way. He asked that he not be quoted directly but made these points: X. He expected th Germans to meet th Invasion on the beach. 2.

Ha believed it would be a reunion with Rommel, with Marshal Erwin Rommel, his defeated antagonist of the African desert campaign, commanding th German defense of the beaches. 3. Th people of England do not generally appreciate that without the tremendous American production, the invasion would not have been possible. 4. The Americans are fine fighters and be was happy to be commanding American assault forces and working again -as in Tunisia under an American commander.

Gesturing sharply and speaking in clipped tones which barely par-, i JL..

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Pages Available:
951,917
Years Available:
1892-2009