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 20 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Decatur Daily
Location
Decatur, Alabama, United States of America
Date
Oct 18, 1944
Page
1
The Decatur patch reports a warm day with a 76 high and 44 low and an outlook of increasing clouds with showers from Thursday. Mayor H R Summer speaks Thursday noon at Hotel Lyons on city plans with Kiwanis guests present.
U S Pacific Fleet reports carrier planes over the Philippines and bombs in a push against Tokyo claims of a major defeat. Adm Nimitz says operations continue with no date set to stop. He also reveals U S troops landed at Ulithi Atoll in the Western Carolines on Sept 20–21.
Navy Secretary Forrestal said American submarines sunk or damaged 905 enemy ships and destroyed 3 080 planes since last June. He reported 32 Japanese vessels including seven warships lost, with three destroyers and three escort vessels among the latest subs victory.
FCC in the United States recorded a broadcast noting sustained air raids on the Philippines and questioning if the enemy will abandon plans for an invasion after a claimed setback. The report cites Nimitz denying the sinking of over 50 American ships and hints at continued fighting.
Mrs. Bertha M. Wolfe 22 and her four children Merlin 5 Emmet 4 Daniel 3 Douglas 18 months died after a meal of spaghetti and sauerkraut. Howard M. Wolfe said the children fell ill after visiting relatives. Detectives noted the rapid deaths, with autopsies to identify mystery illness.
The Alabama War Chest United Charities appeal is at $18,765.11 of $41,500 goal at noon with Decatur and Morgan County reports lagging. Hartselle led by E P Thornhill praised. Trinity and other communities show strong early results. Co chairs Crow and Rankin urge rapid reports and full cooperation as drive continues.
Mountain Home was the first community in Lawrence county to report in the Alabama War Chest drive and had gone over the quota. County chairman Robert B. Henderson reported strong optimism about the appeal and predicted a solid overall result for the county.
On Oct 18 Tampa's two main yards Tampa Shipbuilding Co and McCloskey Co sent most workers home with only skeleton crews remaining to batten down against the hurricane moving from Cuba across the Gulf.
Axis broadcasts and Moscow reports describe a widening Russian offensive from the Baltic states toward East Prussia. Battles force German retreats near Virbalis Kalvarija Schirwindt and rapid Soviet advances along Vilkaviskis Ventspils Riga fronts with heavy losses for Germany in Belgrade.
Berlin announced the creation of a People’s Storm corps described as a military organization for all German men aged 16 to 60, to work on the home front. The move signals broad mobilization as the regime enlarges its wartime structure.
Havana suffered heavy damage as winds up to 160 miles per hour lashed the city and Isle of Pines. The storm moved toward the Florida Keys with warnings in effect from Vero Beach to Cedar Keys and Keys around Key West prepared for high tides and gales. Communications were disrupted and officials feared casualties as Cuba and the United States braced for the full force of the storm.
The piece notes October’s onset bringing autumn rains that could mire battlefields in mud across Europe. It describes renewed Allied and Russian offensives expected as Germany claims the Red Army already attacked, with Western Front fighting intensifying along Eisenhower’s northern flank.
Athens faced German demolitions at Piraeus causing extensive damage while patriots sabotage aided locals. British troops arrived and flags flew as Athens regained electricity and open city status, yet inflation, shortages, and civil friction persisted amid toppled institutions and resource scarcities.
A Hollywood hostess Georgette Bauerdorf was reported slain after a night of fear she would be left alone. The sequence describes her asking a child to “come home with me” and being alone when attacked, with authorities investigating.
The B 29 Superfortress Monsoon Minnie returned from a mission to Formosa with two crewmen wounded and a third missing. A ruptured plexiglass bulge blew the right waist gunner out over the China Sea, while left waist gunner Staff Sgt Joseph Duemig of Maspeth New York saw his comrade parachute away and later downed a Zero. The missing gunner had filled in for the regular right gunner who was ill.
Cullman County has reached about one third of the 16844 War Chest goal per O B Hodges general drive chairman. About 300 residents have agreed to run the campaign in county centers. Cash on hand stands at 5000 with rural progress expected slow due to farm work. The city of Cullman has reported so far. The chairman said the drive will continue until the quota is assured.
Joe T Weatherly will become Decatur assistant police chief on November 1 and will be assigned to night duty at Railroad City hall. The announcement was made by Knox McRae council member over police personnel supervision. Weatherly has served as a patrolman with the city police department for several years.
British troops seize Venray and form a 10 mile front in Eastern Holland near the Maas river. Canadian units push German pocket blocking Antwerp port. American and French forces advance toward Metz and Cologne amid rain and heavy bombardment. Berlin claims half a million troops ready for battle as Aachen and surrounding fronts see bombardment and limited German counterattacks.
Hitler issued a decree calling up civilians aged sixteen to sixty into a Volkssturm as Germany vows a second large scale mobilization. The leader urged able bodied men to fight while promising to break the enemy's will and drive back aggression. The radio absence of Hitler’s voice was noted in Berlin.
Allied dispatches report German forces withdrawing below the Schelde estuary under Canadian pressure. Demolitions in Breskens area signal enemy stronghold activity while front progress remains slow and methodical, aided by bayonets. Canadian forces under Lt Gen H D Crerar push about five miles south along the coast toward Antwerp and the counterattack line.
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.