This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 15 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Decatur Daily
Location
Decatur, Alabama, United States of America
Date
May 24, 1944
Page
1
Partly cloudy tonight and Thursday with little temperature change. Highs around 86, lows near 66 with a trace of rain. Cotton prices listed, and local cinema showings include See Here Private Hargrove, The Good Fellows, They Raid By Night. Local social notes describe visits, church meetings, and war bond events in Decatur and nearby Huntsville.
London reports that Allied powers pressed a firm invasion stance as French patriots are urged to prepare for D-Day duties. BBC warns French volunteers to stay ready and avoid German hands while Dover shells and Calais fire mark escalating coastal combat.
Sergeant Pruitt, a tall Arizona cowboy, serves as tail gunner in a B-26 crew based in England. He teases the crew with cowboy songs over the interphone during missions, shoots at flak to break monotony, and chose his pilot after matching with Chief Collins, remaining loyal to that crew.
In Washington a showdown loomed over Sen McKellar plans to bar TVA receipts from power sales for operating costs and require Senate confirmation for all government jobs above 4500. House and Senate conferees prepared to meet to resolve amendments tied to TVA funding and Lilienthal’s tenure amid southern opposition and claims of a personal grudge.
Claude Smith an Athens resident formerly of Decatur was killed when the car he rode in with C O Johnson collided with a north bound L and N freight train about 12 miles south of Athens. Johnson received emergency treatment in Athens and was later moved to Decatur General hospital in serious condition with multiple injuries. Funeral arrangements for Smith are to be announced by McConnell Funeral Home of Athens.
The Office of Price Administration grants limited gasoline for office workers, businessmen, and volunteers in spare-time farming and food processing. OPA district directors will form boards to review applications for these fuel allotments.
The state Health Department reported 293 new TB cases across 43 counties in April, up from 249 in March. The monthly totals reflect continued spread within the state’s counties.
London May 24 Winston Churchill spoke in a foreign policy debate outlining Allied aims to decide Germanys future borders and to build a world power structure with strength to deter wars. He said the Balkans and Southeast Europe likely to fall to the Allies without Turkey but noted Turkish aid would speed the process. He praised Spain but warned neutrals including Spain and Turkey that victory in the Balkans is coming with or without them. He proposed a world council and assembly backed by overwhelming military power, and discussed relations with Turkey and Gibraltar as strategic issues.
Chinese high command reports a new phase of counter attacks driving Japanese forces toward Tungkwan and Loyang while recapturing Lushi and pressing defenses around Lunghai rail line. Stilwell's troops secure Myitkyina junction and advance in Burma. Allied air offensives hit Biak Wakde and Wotje, with heavy bombings in Schouten and Eastern Marshalls.
Washington reports Japan's Pacific defenses are weak under American and Allied pressure. They remain puzzled about future Japanese plans to hold strategic areas as new blows unfold. General MacArthur's air force continues to press the enemy as the high command weighs its next moves.
Moscow reported Red Army patrols probing enemy strength along the Eastern front while raiding German trenches for intelligence. In hand to hand fighting southwest of Tiraspol a reconnaissance party wiped out nearly a company of Nazis and captured dozens of prisoners. Red artillery hit German concentrations and snipers killed dozens near Mozyr and Gomel area. Baltic Fleet airmen sank two German transports in the Gulf of Finland. Berlin said German bombers attacked Shepetovka causing widespread fires.
The fourth regional War Labor Board ordered Bowen Hughes of Mason and Hughes Inc in Clarksville Tennessee and Carl F Albrecht Southern director of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers CIO to appear in Atlanta for a public collective bargaining hearing on terms and conditions of employment at the Clarksville plant.
The second phase of the Italian campaign sees Allied forces under General Clark pressing along the Adolf Hitler line from the Anzio beachhead. The aim is to sever German communications, trap the main German army in Italy, and speed the capture of Rome. Allied troops push northeast toward the Appian Way and gain across lines south of Velletri while nearing Cisterna.
Allied forces push from the Anzio beachhead as American and Canadian units smash through the Liri valley. American armor seizes a mile of the Appian Way near Cisterna and 10 miles of mountains above Terracina as planes hit Nazi convoys. Canadian troops breach Liri defenses toward Pontecorvo and Melfa, threatening Rome’s approaches.
Rep. Sparkman to push a House amendment granting second lieutenancies to over 3,000 civilian instructors at Army flying schools and CAA centers who trained air force pilots. The move accompanies a WASP bill to commission women pilots, with an additional Brooks amendment proposing commissions for over 4,000 former wartime trainees.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.