The White Falcon - 24.07.1943, Blaðsíða 1

Vol. IY.
ICELAND, Saturday, July 24, 1943. No. 18.
Palermo Falls
To U.S. Forces
There’s An AEF In Iceland!
Authority has been received from the War Department for
individuals to disclose in their private correspondence their
location as “Somewhere in Iceland.” The following condi-
tions will govern in the use of this privilege:
1. Can be used in letters addressed to the United States.
2. Can be used in letters addressed to other personnel
under United States military jurisdiction anywhere.
3. CANNOT be used in letters addressed to persons not
in the United States military service, in locations outside the
continental limits of the United States. These letters will dis-
close NO location whatever.
4. While individuals may state they are “Somewhere in
Iceland,” they may NOT reveal the exact geographical loca-
tion of any unit or APO.
5. Iceland will NOT appear in the return address on the
envelope or the return address of the letter itself or any-
where on the envelope.
6. Individuals will advise correspondents NOT to use Ice-
land in addressing letters, but to continue using APO number
care of Postmaster, New York, N. Y.
7. Icelandic souvenir^ or pictures may be sent to addresses
indicated in paragraphs 1 and 2 above.
> Gen: Elsenhowes.
The fast-moving American 7th Army, driving
north and west in a two-pronged attack, captured
Palermo, strategic capital of Sicily, to culminate
a week of brilliant gains against strong forces of
German and Italian armies.
The surrender of
AMGOT
Takes Over
In Sicily
Civil functions in occupied
Sicily were re-established under
guidance of the newly organized
AMGOT—Allied Military Govern-
ment of Occupied Territories—
almost as' soon as beachheads
were secured, it was disclosed
this week in Washington.
The AMGOT is a new Allied
venture, designed to supervise
rehabilitation of countries as
they are liberated from the Axis
yoke. The men, trained for
months in language and civic
problems of the foreign lands,
have already restored courts,
water works and other govern-
mental departments to their nor-
mal operations.
To prepare the AMGOT staff
for supervision of Italy after the
Fascist regime is defeated, Ita-
lian-speaking British and Ameri-
can officers have undergone ex-
tensive training. They were
taught Italian history, geo-
graphy, and a wide field of go-
vernmental functions.
Former Lt. Gov. Charles Po-
letti of New York, now a lieu-
tenant-colonel in the U.S. Army,
is being groomed for the post
of Military Governor of Italy.
He and his staff are in large part
responsible for the wave of pro-
Allied sentiment displayed by
Italian elements in Sicily.
Infantry Still Wins
Wars, Bradley Says
The old story which says that
wars are won or lost by the
Infantry still holds true, accord-
ing to Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley.
In a report to his Chief of
Staff, Gen. Marshall, this’ week
on the action of his Second
Corps in Tunisia, Gen. Bradley
said the Infantry “must have
J the will and ability to close with
*,lbe enemy and destroy him>"
Palermo, largest city on the
island with a population of
400,000 people, gave the Allies
possession of more than half of
Sicily, and relieved the pressure
on the British Eighth Army.
With the Yanks now able to
threaten the Axis flank and Ca-
nadian troops pushing doggedly
through the center of Sicily, the
Axis' defenders at Catania are
now faced with withdrawal or
encirclement.
The fiercest action is taking
place at the vital port of Cat-
ania, where the famous British
Eighth Army is being forced to
battle for every inch of ground.
The battlefield is reported to be
strewn with killed and wound-
ed German soldiers and burned
out equipment.
Demolition bombs and mines
have caused the British a lot of
trouble, and the reinforced de-
fenders are stubbornly resisting
every thrust. The city has been
blasted heavily by big guns of
the Royal Navy.
In central Sicily, the Canadi-
ans are continuing to advance
(Continued on Page 2)
U.S. Planes
Hit Japanese
Mainland
American Liberator bombers
operating from bases in the Ale-
utian Islands lashed out at the
Japanese homeland this week,
planting their bombs on stra-
tegic targets at strongly forti-
fied Paramushiru Island, situ-
ated northeast of Tokio.
Only mild air opposition was
encountered as the assault caught
the Japs by surprise. A few
enemy fighters managed to get
into the battle, but they were
unable to repulse the attack and
seven Jap planes were shot
down.
Other Yankee bombers, sup-
porting ground forces battling
the Japs at Munda in the Solo-
mons', swept out to sea to inter-
cept a convoy attempting to
supply enemy troops in the area.
The planes located the fleet off
Vila on Kolombangara, and
scored a topheavy victory.
.(Continued on Page ?).
After months of bat-
tling with censors, the
ban against mentioning
Iceland finally was lift-
ed. But alas, these were
the only pictures avail-
able. So here they are!
500 Allied
Planes In
Rome Raid
“I got a good look at the Ita-
lian capital after we dropped
our bombs and the San Lorenzo
yards were burning like hell,”
reported an American pilot this
week after the first Allied air
raid on Rome.
The wide-scale bombardment,
which failed to surprise obser-
vers after President Roosevelt’s
warning, caused considerable
panic in Rome and sent civilians
scurrying to evacuate so-called
danger areas. Carefully planned
precision bombing kept the air-
men away from religious' and
cultural landmarks.
Yankee bombers roared over
Rome in ten waves', totalling
more than 500 planes in all. They
dropped about 350 tons of high
explosives and incendiaries on
their targets—vital airfields and
railway centers—and survived
with the loss of only five me-
dium bombers.
To insure safety to non-mili-
tary districts of the city, the
American crews underwent ex-
tensive training for the flight.
In addition, the 500-plane arm-
ada was accompanied by intelli-
gence officers who pointed out
pre-designated military targets.
Medics Find It Tough
To Elude Jap Snipers
Medicos in Uncle Sam's forces
have to be on the alert in the
Pacific war zone. The Japs would
rather kill an American doctor
than a general, according to Lt.
Cmdr. Dewey Jackson, who said
that casualties among members
of medical units have been re-
markably high.
‘HowDoYouDo,
General Greets
“The coordination of British
and American forces could not
have been better had they been
one and the same nation,” Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, com-
mander-in-chief of Allied armies,
said this week after an inspec-
tion tour of his Sicilian com-
mand.
Gen. Eisenhower crossed the
Mediterranean in a British de-
stroyer to confer with his gene-
rals and inspect the widening
invasion bridgeheads. He landed
on a beach teeming with troops
and supplies.
He visited the headquarters of
Lt. Gen. George S. Patton, com-
mander of U.S. land forces in
Sicily. There he heard reports
of the destruction of numerous
tank attacks and the American
advance inland against strong
Italo-German opposition,
As the general’s destroyer ap-
(Continqed on Page 2)
PmEisenhower*
Sicily Troops