Re: World War II Remembered

Date: January 25, 2004

"World War II Remembered

A summary of war-related events as reported in the Green Bay Press-Gazette from Jan. 25 to Jan. 31, 1944.

• HOME FRONT: He braved the fogs and typhoons of the Southwest Pacific for 900 hours of combat flying to win the Air medal and the distinguished Flying Cross. But the thought of being a hero in his hometown terrifies him. So this story on 1st Lt. Don J. Bergstrom, 21, isn’t being published until the eve of his departure, after three weeks’ leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Bergstrom, 718 Hubbard street (Jan. 25) … Approximately 2,000 people filled the Bay theater last night to hear the offerings of soldiers from Camp McCoy. The audience paid $533,347 for war bonds to obtain tickets and materially aided the county in its drive for $4,905,900 before the end of the fourth war loan campaign Feb. 15 (Jan.25) … The chaplains and men in the armed forces are drawn closer together than any other two groups because both complement each other, Capt. Alfred H. Hietpas told the choir, ushers and trustees of St. John’s church last night (Jan. 26) … Living conditions on the Jap ship that met the exchange liner Gripsholm were so bad Nips returning from America almost refused to go aboard, according to a letter received by James Early, 532 S. Monroe avenue, from his sister Margaret, who was recently repatriated. In her letter — the first she wrote in three years of Jap internment — the former Green Bay resident described some of her experiences as a prisoner of war (Jan. 26) … Robert J. Doyle, the Milwaukee Journal’s staff war correspondent, in a radio dispatch from Sal don, New Guinea, to his newspaper, said today that the first group of 32nd Division soldiers who will return to the United States under an 18 months overseas order are scheduled to leave the Southwest Pacific in early March (Jan. 27) … The movie “Soldiers of the Soil,’’ which has been acclaimed as one of the best agricultural films ever produced, will be shown at the opening session of the Brown County Victory Farm Institute at 9:15 next Tuesday, J.N. Kavanaugh, county agricultural agent announced today (Jan. 27) … If the Press-Gazette subscribers on S. Van Buren and Webster streets got their papers late one night this week, it’s all in a good cause. The carrier boy, Frank Kunesh, was taking his Army Air forces examination and was sworn in as a member of the Air corps enlisted reserve (Jan. 28) … Sgt. Leander Aurie, 20, Green Bay, tail gunner on a Flying Fortress, has been missing in action since the Jan. 11 raid over Germany, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Aurie, 1625 Willow street (Jan. 28) … On leave after eight months of sea duty as a gun commander aboard a cargo ship, Lt. Edwin R. Bayley, former Press-Gazette reporter, visited Green Bay during the weekend. (Jan. 31).

• EUROPE: Allied troops have driven 12 miles inland from their Anzio beachhead, and patrols are pushing deeper with no formidable German opposition yet encountered (Jan. 25) … German defenses stiffened today in the beachhead driven painfully into their flank just south of Rome and weakened in the Cassino area where American troops recrossed the Rapido River and advanced through minefields after patrols had stabbed into the central stronghold (Jan. 26) … Allied invasion forces, breaking the first enemy counter-attack in force against their beachhead, repulsed elements of the crack Hermann Goering division southwest of Littoria, 35 miles from below Rome and pushed deeper into the German flank, it was reported today (Jan. 27) … Hundreds of Royal Air Force heavy night bombers touched off fields of flame in Berlin again last night in possible coup de grace to the Nazi nerve center, previously described by Gen. H. H. Arnold as three-quarters destroyed (Jan. 28) … The 8th American Air Force sent the greatest number of heavy bombers in history — well over 800 — in a thunderous assault against industrial Frankfurt today even as Berlin smoked and burned anew from last night’s second heavy RAF blow in a row (Jan. 29) … American infantry and tank teams, surprising the Nazis with a thrust across the Rapido river bottom deliberately flooded by the Germans to form a barrier, have achieved a break through German defenses north of Cassino, Allied headquarters announced today (Jan. 31).

• PACIFIC: Allied bombers and fighters ranging over the key bases of Japan’s Southwest Pacific defense line, in their heaviest air actions in recent weeks, shot down or probably destroyed 65 enemy planes (Jan. 25) … Allied planes hammered at Japanese defenses from the central to the Southwest Pacific in attacks, destroying or damaging 80 enemy planes, hitting five cargo ships and dropping record bomb loads on Japanese-held Marshall islands (Jan. 26) … Making every bomb count, 18 avenger torpedo bombers in a masterful demonstration of accuracy sank or left sinking seven ships in the harbor at Rabaul earlier this week, while more than 80 escorting fighters shot down 24 and possibly 28 out of 60 Japanese intercepting planes (Jan. 27) … A pent-up story of atrocities perpetrated by the Japanese Army on the captured heroes of Bataan and Corregidor was released today by the United States government in sickening detail (Jan. 28) … Powerful Allied air forces, ranging 2,000 miles over Japan’s conquered island empire, have heaped new destruction on important enemy positions, Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s communiqué said today (Jan. 29) … Japanese Imperial headquarters reported today that powerful American forces are attacking the Marshall islands athwart the eastern invasion route to Japan and said “furious fighting is now in progress’’ between Japanese garrisons and “enemy troops.’’ The implication was plain that United States invasion forces had gone ashore in the Mashalls and had met at least some initial success in establishing footholds (Jan. 31).

— Compiled by Tom Perry

© 2003 Gannett Wisconsin Online"