The White Falcon - 09.01.1943, Side 2
2
Army To ‘Trade*
Men 38 Or Older
Enlisted men of 38 or older —
who prove they are more useful
to war industry and can guaran-
tee their employment if relieved
— may apply to their command-
ing officer for an “honorable dis-
charge,” according to a War De-
partment announcement.
The action is combined with
the recent suspending of induct-
ing older men into the Army. Ex-
perience in the past three years
has proved that these men are
generally less fit physically to
withstand the rigors of present-
day combat duty, and can make
a more effective contribution to
the war effort in industry or ag-
riculture.
Under the provisions for dis-
charge, the applicant must make
written request to his command-
ing officer and present satisfact-
New Officers
To Receive
$250 Start
(Continued from Page 1)
after, except chief warrant offi-
cers in the fourth pay period,
are eligible.
The uniform allowance will not
be paid more than once and pay-
ments under previous acts will
be deducted from the newly auth-
orized $250 gratuity.
Graduates of the United States
Military Academy are not entitled
to the allowance.
Certificates of officers and war-
rant officers claiming payments
of the new uniform allowance will
be the only supporting papers
required. Payments are expected
to begin in a few weeks.
—Congress
(Continued from Page 1)
of war production and we are
preparing to strike at their home
island and bomb them constant-
ly. The last vestige of Axis power
will be driven from the south
shore of the Mediterranean in
an assault now being prepared.
We are preparing to strike else-
where in effort, whether in the
Western European countries or
the Balkans.”
“The Axis powers have lost,
and lost forever, their air superi-
ority,” President Roosevelt con-
tinued. “The arsenal of Demo-
cracy has made good in war
production with United Nations
totals including 48,000 military
planes and an American armed
force of 7,000,000 already as-
sembled.”
He declined to predict when
the war will end, but he told
the new Congress that before
1943 ends “we will be well along
the avenues toward Berlin, Rome
and Tokyo.” And he also empha-
sized that the United Nations
want a durable and decent peace
anil that America most hove real
post-war security,
ory evidence that his usefulness
to the Army is secondary to in-
dustry, and that he will be em-
ployed by war industry or agri-
culture upon discharge.
The War Department stressed
the fact that acceptance of an ap-
plication does not mean x-elease,
and that a suitable trained re-
placement must be present and
available.
British
Rush Navy
To Tunisia
Although present activity on
North African fronts is confined
to bombing raids, minor land en-
gagements and air fighting, a full
scale Allied offensive is immi-
nent. A large British naval force
has sailed from Gibraltar toward
Bizerte, and great numbers of
American General Patton’s tanks
are moving up to the front lines
in Tunisia.
The German radio reported
that a British fleet of two car-
riers, two battleships, two crui-
sers and eight destroyers is ap-
proaching Bizerte, the Axis' naval
base, indicating that naval ac-
tion may be important in the
destruction of Axis strength in
Tunisia.
Meanwhile land forces in the
Tunisia sector battled for the
high ground fortifications at Bij
Dejdel, 15 miles west of Mateur
and 40 miles southwest of Bi-
zerte. Germans recaptured the'
area after being ousted by Brit-
ish infantry units and Com-
mando troops.
In Libya, General Rommel’s'
hacked Afrika Korps, pursued
by Allied planes and tanks, is
retreating in the Wadi Bei El
Chibir-Buerat area. Rommel is
expected to attempt a stand at
the wadi of Soffeggin, 40 miles
east of Misurata, the first big
town on the Tripolitania. sea-
coast.
French troops, coming north
from French Equatorial Africa,
have advanced 200 miles in the
Fezzan area of South Libya. And
French units holding positions
in the Tunisia sector have re-
pulsed Axis attacks at Pont du
Falis and Kairouan, while U.S.
Marouders protected by P-38’s
have carried out raids on Axis
troops near Kairouan.
U.S. pilots in Liberators this
week blasted Crete in the first
daylight raid since the island
was taken by German forces.
Surprised Huns were unable to
get anti-aircraft and planes in
operation until the end of the
mid.
—Russia
(Continued from Page 1)
fierce resistance in most skir-
mishes, but thus far have been
unable to accomplish more than
merely delaying the advance of
the Russians.
The Red Army has pounded
to within 75 miles of Rostov,
and now threatens to wipe out
500,000 Nazi troops on the lower
Don. The fleeing Germans are
headed for Rostov to join other
units, while the pursuing Russi-
ans are attempting to catch them
before they can consolidate their
positions.
During five days of bitter
fighting in and around Stalin-
grad, 20,000 Germans were kill-
ed, according to a report from
Moscow. Equipment destroyed
in this sector during the same
period includes 115 planes, 174
tanks, 1,100 guns and 18 locomo-
ives. Meanwhile, Nazi invaders
in the factory of Stalingrad are
being pushed back steadily.
Total destruction of the large
Axis army trapped in the Stalin-
grad area -is possible only by
heavy hammering, or splitting
with deep wedges, or by gradual
starvation. The Red Army is now
driving three wedges into this
force, and signs of starvation are
evident everywhere. Air transport
is the only way supplies and
food can reach the beleaguered
invaders, and Russian vigilance
is responsible for interception
and destruction of an imposing
percentage of the huge carriers.
Nalchik, key rail station in
the Caucasus, also has been re-
covered by the sturdy Russian
fighters. Booty in the capture of
Nalchik included 150 tanks and
109 big guns, while 18 planes,
170 tanks and 11,000 Nazi troops
were destroyed in the onslaught.
Organization News
“Wolf” Barton is on the loose
again. While skating, our baker^
used his technique on a cute little
trick by offering samples of his
art. She was friendly, but only
three years old! His next step
was meeting the big sister. This
blonde was only 12. (The story
is being continued —■ there is an-
other sister).
T/5G. Wm. R. Oremens.
A real story about Blackie Stil-
es. A few nights back one of the
boys set brother Roy’s watch a
whole bunch of hours ahead. At
2330 Roy jumped out of bed, dres-
sed, and raced over to the theat-
er, “to see the show.”
Pfc. J. K. Stark.
We thought for a while that the
whole Army was getting on the
Boston College gravy train, but
Surles’ Alabama team took care
of that. Which ought to silence
LePaign and Laffey for keeps —
although we doubt it!
You never can really tell which
guys are the real Cassanovas, and
which only have it in their heads.
Just look at Pvt. Phil Trable: 31
years old, and the combined op-
erations of Kountz, Larkins, >and
Duff can’t even find Phil a girl,
sight unseen. What! Won’t the
uniform even turn the trick?
And then you turn around and
look at Old Man Waskon, who
lays claim to half (at least) the
hags in Indiana knowing him in
the dark. What’s to do? A little
timid boy like Pasquale Basile
just doesn’t have a chance. What
this Army needs is the feminine
touch.
Some of our boys went in for
the New Year’s resolution idea
in a big way. The following give
an idea of the resolutions that
were made.
Sgt. Norman Nelson: To find
a pair of fatigues to fit him. (At
least the trousers.)
Pfc. Mike Bakstein: To lose a
little in poker.
Pfc. Bob Conley: To write to
his girl friend only twice a day.
Pfc. John Maguire: To quit
smoking cheap cigars.
Pvt. “Rookie” Hillig: Never to
drop another drink.
Sgt. John Britz: To agree with
the CO at least once during the
year.
Pfc. A1 Dorenfest: To grow at
least an inch taller.
Sgt. Frank Matz: To “grow'”
at least an inch shorter, so he will
fit into his bunk with ease.
Pfc. “Doc” Loechtenfeldt: To
build up his delicate appetite,
from a horse’s to an elephant's.
Sgt. Joe Dodt: To buy a w'hole
package of cigarettes, just to
prove to the boys that he doesn’t
always bum.
Pfc. Edward R. Barkhaus.
U.S. Bombers Strike At Jap Bases
As Land Fighters Capture Buna
With Buna’s capture cemented,
Allied ground forces on New
Guinea have driven a fresh
w’eilge into the tottering Jap de-
fenses near Lae, while American
bombers continue to rip the ene-
my’s bases with widespread
raids.
American and Australian
troops are pressing forward in
a steady drive to meet the Jap
forces entrenched along the
Sanand-Soputa trail, after mop-
ping up the last of enemy resist-
Gypsy Rose Lee
Has A Rival Now!
Panting for a pair of pants
is the condition of Lt. Francis
K. Bagby since New Year's Eve
when he lost, a pair of officer’s
pink trousers from his vehicle
while en route to church. The
lieutenant’s name is printed on
the inside band of the AWOL
trousers. The finder may con-
tact THE WHITE FALCON.
Lnui.uiii'WwwMjUtiiMwmui mjujiiwi.
ance in the Buna Mission sector.
The situation on the north-
eastern coast of New Guinea is
assuming the aspect of increas-
ing hopelessness for the Japs
daily. Allied planes in swift, low'
sweeping attacks blasted the
weary Japanese lines, making
way for the hard-bitten Allied
land forces, who have succeed-
ed in slicing through the Nip-
ponese line to trap another por-
tion of the enemy’s forces in
a tight pocket.
Enveloped in an American
pincers, the Japanese in the San-
ananda area have been given a
chance to surrender, but refused.
So the Allied heavy artillery is
pquring charge after charge into
the ensnared enemy from both
left and right flanks. The Ame-
ricans hope to clear the Papua
district through this giant pinc-
ers maneuver.
Launching a series of terrific
bombing attacks, the Allied Air
force set fire to three large Jap-
anese vessels and damaged an
enemy airport in a raid on Ra-
bmtl Harbor In New Britain, In
the Solomons, medium bombers
blasted the Jap airfield at
Munda on the New Georgian Is-
land in a daylight raid, account-
ing for four of the enemy’s dive
bombers.
In a surprise attack on a Lae
airdrome, the Allied Air Force
sw'ept over the Japanese-held
airport, destroying six Jap planes
on the ground that w'ere with-
out air-cover. In an earlier raid,
the Allies shot down nine enemy
aircraft and damaged two, also
hitting supply dumps and anti-
aircraft guns. The total loss for
the Nipponese wras 20 planes,
while the Allies lost l.wo P-38’s.
Meanwhile, Japanese positions
in the Rathedaung region of
northv'estern Burma w’ere bomb-
ed by Allied planes collaborating
with the advancing British troops
pushing southward toward the
port of Akyab on the Bay of
Bengal.
In another raid, American
bombers released heavy explo-
sives and wrecked the Japanese
air-base at Monya and railroad
installations in Naba,