The White Falcon - 06.03.1943, Side 1

OUR FORCES —
ALWAYS ALERT
Vol. Ill.
Saturday, March 6, 1943.
No. 24.
OWI SIGNS RADIO CONTRACT
Camp Shows Cast^
Arrives from U.S>
The first troupe of profession-1
al American entertainers to visit
the local garrison will inaugur-
ate its strenuous barnstorming
itinerary tonight with a special
“sneak preview” at White Rose
Theater for military and civili-
an dignitaries.
The cast, composed of six vet-
eran vaudeville and night club
showmen, arrived recently and
will tour the Command until all
available units have been treat-
ed to their fast-moving, 90-min-
ute performance. Members of
Camp Shows Inc., they are the
first overseas group required to
wear Army uniforms, and hold
a “simulated” rank of second
lieutenant during their stay.
Bobby Henshaw, comedian,
mimic, musician and master-of-
ceremonies, is leader of the tal-
ented group. In addition to his
colorful vaudeville career, Hen-
shaw has been a favorite of radio
fans for several years.
Wallie Boag, youngest member
of the sextet, has a unique rout-
ine, the like of which never, has
been seen here. He’s perhaps
the only man in show business
who earns his living by blowing
(Continued on Page 2)
Infantry Group
Presents New
Musical Show
Music from the hills echoed
here Monday evening when
“Section Eight,” an Infantry
musical revue, burst loose and
rollicked through eight laugh-
studded acts to the swinging
jive of the “Kentucky Colonels”
band.
Most novel act of the evening
was the “Musical Salute to Our
Allies,” in which Artist Pfc.
Keith T. Pilzer created a host
of glamorous females represent-
ing the fair sex of the Allied
nations while the band provid-
ed appropriate accompaniment.
“Section Eight Songbird,” Ten-
or Pvt. John Odwazny, delighted
the audience with his singing,
while Pfc. Benjamin H. Logan
burlesqued popular songs and
(Continued on Page 2)
U.S. Planes
Destroy
Jap _ Convoy
Japanese efforts to land 15,000
fresh troops in New Guinea were
thwarted this week when Am-
erican bombers intercepted the
22-sliip heavily laden convoy and
destroyed every ship before their
destination could be reached.
The valuable convoy11 was
escorted by an umbrella of Nip
aircraft, but methodical raids
by the U.S. Air Force routed the
enemy planes, sent 55 plunging
from the skies, and forced the
convoy to scatter desperately. It
was a simple matter for the Am-
erican pilots to bomb and strafe
the ships once they broke from
formation.
The Allied planes pursued the
convoy between New Britain
and New Guinea, striking at fre-
quent intervals. Al least two big
transports were sunk before the
final blow was delivered, while
a number of other vessels were
damaged two days ago. The con-
voy was first sighted by a recon-
naissance plane from Gen. Dou-
glas MacArthur’s command.
Other Allied bombing groups
also have been active during the
week, lashing at Japanese instal-
lations from the Southern Pacific
to the Aleutian Islands. One of
the heaviest units bombarded
Waingapoe airdrome on Soeniba
(Continued on Page 2)
Porter McKeever (right) watqhes as local civilian radio sta-
tion official explains mechanism of equipment. Picture was
taken shortly after McKeever, general representative of OWI,
and local leaders signed contract providing time for Americ-
an broadcasts.
Nazis Flee Rzhev
As Red Army Nears
Unable to stave off General
Timoshenko’s onrushing Red
Army, Nazi troops in the im-
portant fortress city of Rzhev
on the northwestern front have
withdrawn, leaving behind valu-
able war machinery, supplies
and at least 2,000 dead.
Rzhev is about 125 miles north-
west of Moscow, and constituted
a menacing salient in the Rus-
sian lines, and presented a con-
stant threat to the chief Moscow-
Leningrad railroad. Once again,
Nazi oficials employed the fu-
tile explanation: “Our troops
withdrew to shorten their lines,”
to explain the retreat from Rzhev
after a year of occupation.
Hitler himself once told his
officers that the loss of Rzhev
would be as serious to German
plans as the loss of half of Ber-
lin. The city had been partially
encircled for nearly a year and
had been under heavy attack by
the Russians most of the time.
The latest Soviet push already
(Continued on Page 2)
It’s KP time for
Capt. Irwin M.
Flacks as the Ba-
kers and Cooks
School command-
ant tours the local
Command, demon-
strating to unit
cooks how dehyd-
rated foods should
be prepared. Com-
plete dehydrated
meal is served
during lecture to
prove tasty spread
can be produced.
Officers’ PX
Opens Doors
The officers’ branch of the
PX opened its doors at a con-
venient central location Tues-
day, stocked with a full line of
officers’ equipment and sundry
items.
The store is modern in every
respect. Two sales tables—fash-
ioned from discarded packing ca-
ses and dunnage—counters and
shelves are loaded with merch-
andise, and even the opening
rush has failed to place a dent
in the stock.
The PX offers everything from
toilet articles, socks, writing
materials, trench-coats and pinks
for the men, to silk stockings
and dainty “unmentionables” for
nurses and Red Cross girls.
Two enlisted men are on duty
in the store every day from 1000
to 1900 hours,
AEF Has
23 Hours
On Air
Twenty-three hours of Ame-
rican programs will be aired
over the local civilian radio sta-
tion every week for the benefit
of Servicemen, Porter McKeever,
general representative of the Of-
fice of War Information, an-
nounced today.
Negotiations between the OWI
and local government officials
were concluded Saturday when
contrabls were signet}, giving the
green light to the plan. Broad-
casting will begin in the near
future.
Recordings of favorite big-
name programs in the States will
be the chief lure for dial twist-
ers, but the anticipated schedule
includes spots for local military
talent and news reports, too. All
Army programs will be super-
vised by Base Special Service.
Few big-name shows are
among the missing, according
to tentative plans. Among the
shows listed are Jack Benny,
Fred Waring, Bob Hope, Charley
McCarthy, Fibber McGee and
Molly, Command Performers,
Yank Swing Session, Down Beat,
Hit Parade, Album of Familiar
Music, Gladys Swarthout, Nelson
Eddy, Andre Kostelanelz and
Phil Spilalny’s “Hour of Gfharm.”
Others will be added to the im-
posing group whenever possible.
Local contributions will in-
clude music, variety shows,
newscasts, educational and reli-
gious programs, dramatic shows
and sports. Time also will be
(Continued on Page 3)
RAF Pilots Earn
Wings In States
Another group of British air-
men won their wings this week
in the United States, running the
total of RAF pilots trained by
the U.S. Air Forces in America
to 4,000 men. The training pro-
gram has been in operation since
June, 1941.
Under the arrangement now
in effect, at least 30 percent of
the RAF pilots will be retained
by the U.S, Air Forces as in-
structors,