The White Falcon - 17.04.1943, Qupperneq 1

Vol. IV.
Saturday, April 17, 19b3.
No.
8th Army
Advances
On Tunis
In rapid, relentless offensives,
the Allied North African forces
are crushing Axis resistance
within 60 square miles of terri-
tory at the tip of Tunisia where
the semi-circular battle line en-
closing the area now runs from
north of Enfidaville through
Pont du Fahs and Medjez el Bab
to Mateur.
The massive British Eighth
Army, after swift victories at
Gabes, Sfax, Sousse, Kairouan
and Enfidaville, is blasting ene-
my defenses 40 miles south of
Tunis. French forces are advanc-
ing north of Kairouan at the left
of General Montgomery’s co-
lumns, while the British First
Army is pressing west toward
Bizerte over hard-won ground at
Medjez el Bab and Munvhag.
In coordination with ground-
force annihilation tactics, Allied
air forces are continuing the de-
struction of Axis aerial supply
lines to Tunisia, and planes, air-
field and fortifications in the
Tunisian battle sector.
Maj. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle’s
famed Flying Fortresses destroy-
ed 73 Axis aircraft, mostly huge
Junkers transports, in an attack
on the Milo and Castel-Vetrano
airports in Tunisia. Meanwhile,
fighters and fighter bombers are
(■Continued on Page 2)
Convicts Feared
Lost In Escape
From‘The Rock*
Four long-term convicts slug-
ged two guards, then jumped into
the bay, in a daring break from
Alcatraz Federal prison, reput-
ed to be escape-proof, but pri-
son authorities believe the con-
victs were drowned before they
could reach shore.
Harold Brest, Pittsburgh kid-
napper and bank robber, was
caught trying to swim ashore,
while James Borman, serving 20
years for robbery, drowned.
Floyd Hamilton, one-tijpe pub-
lic enemy No. 1, and Fred Hunt-
er, gunman pal of the notorious
Alvin Karpis, are still missing.
Two Oklahoma bandits, Theo-
dore Cole and Ralph Rose, leap-
ed into the bay and disappeared
five years ago in the last at-
tempt. They were presumably
firownetji
Hull Sets
Jap Fall
As Goal
“Revenge for the fall of Bataan
one year ago and the complete
defeat of the Japanese should be
the goal of every American no
matter what part he is playing
in the present war,” Secretary
of State Cordell Hull told the
House Appropriations Committee
llys week.
Hull said that large numbers
of American civilians are still in
the hands of the Japanese and
to date the State Dept, has been
unable to persuade the Japanese
to repatriate the American civ-
ilians.
“They are supposed to give in-
formation, but they give no more
thought to treaties or obligations
than a dead bird,” declared Hull.
“However, the State Dept, has
not received any serious reports
of abuse or mistreatment of Am-
erican prisoners.”
He pointed out that the State
Dept, complains promptly and
vigorously whenever it gets any
report, whether official or un-
official, that even hints of mis-
treatment of American prisoners
by the Japanese.
• • •
Army Wins
Title, 47-34
BULLETIN
Anti-Tank, Army color-bearer,
won the Command basketball
title last night by defeating the
Navy All-Stars in the third game
of the championship series on
the Navy court. The Tankers
grabbed the opener, 33-32, but
the Navy quintet evened the
count Wednesday by turning in
a 41-37 victory. (Earlier story
on Page 10),
Radio Programs
To Start Monday
Opening radio show from the
States will include (left to right)
Screen Stars Paulette Goddard
and Judy Garland, and Lt. Gen.
Brehon Somervell.
Knox Doesn’t Believe
Japs Will Hit Australia
Commenting on the statement
made by Gen. Blarney, Austra-
liap chief of Allied ground forc-
es, that 200,000 Japanese troops
were pose^ for an all-out as-
sault on Australia, Navy Secre-
tary Frank Knox declared, “The
Japs have a number of plages
heavily garrisoned near New
Guinea, but I don’t know wheth-
er they are for defense or of-
fense.”
“Japanese air activity in the
Southwest Pacific is increasing,”
continued Knox. “But neither
Australia or any other point, as
far as I know, seems to be in
imminent danger of a large-scale
invasion.”
Knox pointed out that any of-
fensive by the Japs against the
Australian mainland would have
to be carried out by a huge fleet.
There was no indication that the
Japanese had massed such a force
in the Southwest Pacific, Knox
asserted.
Finnish Women Replace
Men In Skilled Trades
Finnish women have begun to
replace men in large numbers,
especially in the skilled trades, it
was reported by the Finnish
radio this 'week,
Meanwhile, the Japanese air
force attempted one of its big-
gest raids of the war this Week,
when a formation of 100 bom-
bers and fighters struck at the
large Allied base in Port Mores-
by, New Guinea.
In the giant air battle that fol-
lowed, Allied airmen shot down
(Continued on Page 2)
British ‘Trade’
6,400 Italians
To Free 1,600
The British consider 1;600 of
their men worth 6,400 Italians.
At least that’s the ratio of war
prisoners to be repatriated in a
deal between the two nations.
The liberated British having
homes in England will be sent
to Lisbon by train, then flown
to the British Isles, while those,
from .the Dominions and India
will be' given' their walking pa-
pers at Alexandria.
Italian prisoners, some of
whom have been held in Britain
for the past two years, will be
taken to a neutral port. Pract-
tically all the Italians were cap-
tured in the Middle East;
(Schedule op Page 9)
Local ceremonies and a star-
studded 30-minute variety pro-
gram from the States Monday
will mark the opening of the
OWI radio broadcasts for Ser-
vicemen here. The first show
will begih at 1600 hours, then be
repeated at 2200 hours.
The inauguration, postponed
several times because of a short-
age of suitable transcriptions of
big-name programs, is now bill-
ed as a “preview.” Sufficient
material is available to operate
for twof weeks, but unless the
supply is replenished, OWI will
have to mark time until new
platters arrive.
Headed by Maj. Gen. Charles
H. Bonesteel, commanding, the
local dignitaries scheduled to
participate include Rear Adrn. A.
G. Bennett, the American Minis-
ter, and Col. Bertschey, Base Spe-
cial Service Officer.
In addition, a special dedica-
tory program will be shortwaved
from the States, during which Lt.
Gen. Brehon Somervell, chief of
the Army Supply Services, arid
Adm. Randall Jacobs of the Navy
Bureau of Public Relatiqns will
send messages to the men here.
Stars of stage, screen and radio
—Judy Garland, Dinah Shofe,
Paulette Goddard, Burns and Al-
len, Bob Hope, Bing Croshy and
the Army Air threes orchestra
—will air thei,r specialities in a
special salute to the local'Com-
mand. The Ft. Slocum band wll
play, the official Command
March.
The two-week “trial period’*
does not include all the programs
which eventually will be aired
since discs With' ” Bob Hope’s
show and Richard Crooks’ Fire-
stone Hour still dPe'among the
missing, as are several Other eri-
tertaining programs.
Owner Sentenced
In Boston Tragedy
Barnett Wellansk^y, owner of
Boston’s Gocoanut Grove night-
club, where 491 persons perished
in a fire last Thanksgiving weekr
end, is confronted by alongpris-;
on term. Wellaosky was found
guilty of manslaughter on,; 19
counts this week by a jury y/bicl}
deliberated seven hours.
A brother, James, was acquit- ,
ted with wipe steward Jacolj.
Foldfien,