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Decatur Daily in Decatur, Alabama

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This newspaper page contains 21 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.

Newspaper

Decatur Daily

Location

Decatur, Alabama, United States of America

Date

Aug 20, 1944

Page

1

Weather and wartime notes from a Decatur update

Partly cloudy in the north and thundershowers in the south, with 88 as the high and 65 as the low. Saturday called the quietest weekend in months, no accidents or robberies reported, and letters from Greece arrive via United States censoring. Local Legion post to meet Monday at eight, veterans invited. Several service members listed with travel, furloughs, and hospital updates.

North South Rt The American Legion Sam Wheat Ast

Nazis Reported Scuttling Ships In Bay Of Biscay

German fleet in Southwest France reportedly scuttled in the Bay of Biscay and Gironde river channel near Bordeaux. Ships included torpedo boats submarine auxiliaries light submarines armed trawlers and coastal freighters. Crews abandoned ships and returned to shore in lifeboats while larger U boats had already left Bordeaux days earlier.

Charles Foltz Irun Spain France Bay of Biscay Gironde Bordeaux Bayonne St. Jean de Luz English

Nazi Retreat In High Gear On Falaise Front

Allied forces press the German retreat in Normandy as Von Kluge’s Seventh Army crams into two thin corridors. German columns flee eastward amid mass wreckage, with over 300 transport vehicles destroyed and SS units reportedly ordered to move in daylight. Prisoners flood in while rearguards warn of execution if captured. The retreat accelerates toward the Seine.

Falaise Normandy Guenther von Kluge Seventh Army Hitler von Kluge Wehrmacht Seine

First Market Contract Let For Alabama Farm Markets

Agriculture Commissioner Joe Poole announced the first contract for building Alabama’s network of farm markets has been awarded to J. F. Holley of Birmingham. The WPB approved a second market for Cullman with the contract to be let next week. The six markets including Cullman and Oneonta aim to handle perishables and support truck farming to boost farm income across the state.

Montgomery Ala Alabama J. F. Holley Birmingham Joe Poole Poole WPB Cullman State Marketing Board Oneonta

Allied air power claws back on Germans near the Seine

Allied planes led by Thunderbolt tank-busters pounded German armor as forces race toward the Seine. In three days, official tallies show 10 000 Nazi vehicles destroyed or damaged, with 71 tanks sunk yesterday and 100 barges and two river steamers lost on the Seine.

Ned Nordness London Seine Second Tactical Air Force Ninth Air Force Falaise-Argentan U. S. Ninth Air Force Hitler Ploesti Romania Pry Nescemee la Pallice

Three City Leaders Lead Decatur Race Qualifiers

With August 29 as the last day to qualify for Decatur municipal races three candidates have entered the contest for mayor T R Harrison J D Cloud and Butler P A Hine. Alderman hopeful Knox McRae joins Place No 1 while current holders occupy Places 2 through 5. Election set for Monday September 18.

Decatur T. R. Harrison J. D. Cloud Butler P. A. Hine Knox McRae W. F. Boswell A. C. Dillehay H. H. Hunter H. D. Greer H. R. Speake

Japanese submarines do little damage in Pacific waters

Elmer Davis says Japanese submarines provide virtually no resistance to American shipping in the Pacific. He notes the fleet's ineffectiveness and says the Pacific war will require more shipping as Guam and other outposts show limited impact. Pearl Harbor may rise to third port in tonnage handling.

Washington Elmer Davis Office of War Information Pacific Crip- Davis Guam Sai Pearl Harbor U. S Norfolk

Two Candidates Qualify for Montgomery Democratic Primary

The August 19 deadline closed with only two aspirants certified. David E Dunn, Alabama Industry director, and Walter M Anderson, a real estate broker, are the qualified candidates.

Montgomery Ala Ayat David E Dunn Alabama i Industry Walter M. Anderson

Germans Say Russians Open Breach In East Prussia Lines

Soviet forces push toward Lomza and Ostrow Mazowiecki threatening German border defenses near Warsaw. Berlin reports a major breach on the East Prussian frontier with two Red Armies totaling 300000 men. Russians cross toward Reich. losses mount for Germany as battles rage on three fronts.

W. W. Hercher London Lomza Ostrow-Mazowiecki Berlin Moscow Ivan — Cherniakhovsky Reich G. F. Zakharov Warsaw East Prussia Vistula Ivan S Konev Ukraine Baltic Vilkaviskis Kaunas- Konigsberg Szestuppe Dnestr Romania Germany Balkan Estonia Tartu Valga Latvia Red Star Sandomierz Hitler

Decatur Seeks Fed Help For War Recreation Program

Decatur through the City Recreation Commission seeks 17 000 from the Federal Works Agency for the 1944 45 fiscal year. Local participation of 5 000 brings total project cost to 22 000 with pledges from the city war chest Lions Rotary Kiwanis and Woman's Chamber of Commerce. Q E Eddens chairs the commission and applications have moved from Montgomery to Atlanta then to Washington.

Decatur City Recreation Commission Federal Works Agency Montgomery Atlanta Washington City of War Chest Lions, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs Woman's Chamber of Commerce

Decatur Radio Patrol Receives Federal Approval

The Federal Communications Commission and War Production Board approve a two way radio patrol for Decatur with 24 hour operation. Installation will begin as equipment arrives, cost between 3000 and 4000 dollars, antenna atop Delano Park water department standpipe, main office at Decatur City Hall.

Federal Communications Commission and War Production Board Decatur

Rail lines extend furlough fare to discharged veterans

The Alabama Public Service Commission granted railroads authority to extend the furlough fare to all discharged armed forces members en route home. Effective September 1, veterans traveling from their place of discharge can buy tickets at the reduced rate, whether in uniform or not.

Montgomery Ala Alabama Public Service Commission

The Hoosier Hero Clayton Braces for New Front Lines

A Western Front report profiles Evansville native George Thomas Clayton known as Tommy in civilian life. Serving in the 29th Division infantry rifle company, he has four confirmed enemy kills and is resting from combat after a brief sojourn in an exhaustion camp before returning to the front.

George Thomas Clayton Tommy George Clayton Evansville

Soldier Clayton Keeps BAR Over Rank and File

Private first class Clayton operates a Browning automatic rifle and has refused promotions to stay with his weapon. He landed on D Day beaches and fought 37 days in Normandy, enduring numerous near misses including a fatal shell blast that deafened his right ear. His ear damage lingers, though healing gradually.

Clayton Normandy D Day America Tommy

French Tanks Lead Allied Advance Toward Rhone Valley

French tanks with American support pushed into St Maximin Le Ste Baume near Marseille as Allied forces envelop Toulon from the south. Gen Neuling captured. Germans report losses while Allied air and sea support aid the coastal push toward Cannes and Grasse.

Noland Norgaard Rome Seventh Army St. Maximin-Le-Ste. Baume Marseille Aix-En-Provence Toulon Rhone River France Ferdinand Neuling St. Maximin Grasse Cannes la Bastide Tuesay la Roquebrussanne Sollies-Pont Alexander M. Patch

Jail Doors Open at City Jail Empty of Inmates

Police Chief Whitmire reported the city jail was fully empty on Saturday as both white and Negro cell blocks stood with open doors. He did not recall a prior occasion when the jail had no prisoners in custody.

Whitmire

Roosevelts sends two emissaries to Chiang Kai Shek

President Roosevelt dispatches Maj. Gen. Patrick Hurley and Donald Nelson on a lengthy mission to China to discuss military supply and economic questions with Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek. Meantime Allied air forces bomb Iwo Jwo, Rota, Pagan, and targets across the Moluccas as Japan stiffens defenses and redeploys troops in Hunan and Kwangsi.

Associated Press War China Roosevelt Chiang Kai Shek Patrick J. Hurley Donald M Nelson East Asia Europe Americas Volcano Islands Tokyo Molucca Straits Douglas MacArthur Adm Chester W. Nimitz Iwo Volcano Island Rota Pagan Islands Marianas Truk Carolines MacArthur Ambonia-Ceram Moluccas Davao Gulf Philippines Sorong Dutch New Guinea Japan Hengyang Hunan Province Kweilin Kwangsi Province

Steam ship mishap at Riverview Beach hospital treats dozens

In Salem New Jersey an unidentified number of people, possibly up to 50, were thrown into the Delaware River when a river steamer loading platform tilted. Salem Hospital reported 22 treated and one death. bystanders provided first aid to several.

Salem N. J Delaware Riverview Beach Salem Hospital Mary Saltern Nuise Wilson Line Lawrence C. Christman Rivierview

American forces near Paris as Patton advances toward the Seine

American reconnaissance patrols pushed toward the Paris suburbs and the Third Army reached the Seine river about 25 miles west of Paris. Allied reports emphasized destroying the German army over immediate liberation, with Patton's forces probing toward Mantes and Vernon as Paris burned and German defenses collapsed in the Falaise region.

Gladwin Hill Allied Expeditionary Force Paris Third Army Seine River France George S. Patton Paris Ext Falaise Seventh Seine Mantes Patton Vernon

Laval flees to Belfort frontier posts amid rumors

Pierre Laval arrived at Belfort at noon as reports said Marshal Petain would reach Belfort by night. The frontier dispatches claim Laval was setting up administrative offices there but could not be confirmed. Belfort lies about 25 miles from Basel and near the German border.

Laval Pierre Laval Belfort Marshal Petain France Basel Switzerland

Allies Pound German Retreat as Paris Looms

Frontline dispatches describe a 55 mile square pocket between the Seine, coast and Allied lines where Germans in France are beleaguered. Allied air power claims to have destroyed thousands of tanks and trucks as the Seventh Army and 15th Army retreat, leaving heavy casualties and salvaged armor behind.

Seine Sea France Paris Falaise Dreux Seventh Army 15Th Army Calais Associated Press William S. White First Army

Also Mentioned on This Page

Charlie Beckas George Beckas Greece Georg Beckas United States Johnnie Hampton Fort George Meade Bobby Trimble Seaman 2-c Camp Wallace Texas Camp Place Sgt Bayne Vaughn Sgt. Vaughn Cherbourg England Son Hamil Cline Brown's Gi E. N. Hudson West Wil Claudie Shumake Decatur General Hospital Brown’s Jackson Street Hoyt Haislit Eighth Avenue West W. F. Jacobs Baugh Will Lawrence Ingalls Shipyards Lawrence Chenault Clinic C. F. Byrns Ft. Th. Ark Tesco Valley Byrns Ft. Smith Tri- Cities Howard James Hartseller Howard Robinson Wadsworth Street W. W. Vandiver 15Th Avenue East Presbyterian Church W. W. Glass Virginia Wray Handley Seaman Ay Carrell 5-G Jackson Miss Jimmy Rogers W. C. Hunter Quicxie By Ken Reynolds By Roger Greene Soviets U. S. Army Signal Corps Radio Patrol
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