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 19 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Decatur Daily
Location
Decatur, Alabama, United States of America
Date
Sep 01, 1944
Page
1
Considerable cloudiness to night and Saturday with scattered thundershowers in South and central portions Saturday afternoon. Local bureau reports high 83 and low 71. Edward Leon Battles Seaman 2 C left Monday to return to Wallace Texas after a nine year with his parents.
Local clergy from Rev. J M Pickens and Rev E Lammert are announced for upcoming services at Southside First Baptist and St Pauls Lutheran. War reports note Lt Frederick Williams Smith and Sgt Lee Compton receiving medals, with families updating on 13 month Asiatic Pacific service and hospital care. Civic notices include absentee ballots available and mayoral candidate Butler P A Hine inviting public discussion.
Soviet forces led by Malinovsky pressed toward Serbia as they moved from Bucharest toward the Yugoslav frontier. German troops reorganized defenses along the Olt river while Tolbukhin’s forces pushed west toward the Danube. In the Warsaw sector the Russians neared the old Polish capital within 12 miles, facing strong German concentrations.
Essie Lee Watkins, Negro, was held in Morgan county jail on charges of assault with intent to murder after an altercation with Azzie Lee Wells. Wells suffered facial cuts and was treated at Decatur General hospital where her condition was listed as serious. The incident occurred at Wells's home around 7:30 Thursday morning. Watkins was arrested on Bank Street and jailed.
The Southeastern Underwriters Association asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision that insurance is inter state business. The move underscores ongoing dispute over regulatory jurisdiction and federal authority in insurance matters.
The piece hails Allied recapture of Verdun and northern France, recalling Churchill’s call to war after Hitler’s 1940 Somme blitz. It links Verdun and Somme triumphs to present Allied advances, notes German attempts at a peace deal, and hints at continued fighting (Continued on Page Five).
In three operations by U S 15th air force Mustangs, Lt Col Charles Boedeker's group claimed about 60 Nazi planes destroyed on the ground at Reghin Romania and Capt Alfonso W Davis's unit reported 83 aircraft destroyed at Groszwardein. Nine aerial victories were also recorded with two Mustangs lost. The raids followed reconnaissance showing German planes massed as Russian advances forced removals from Danube bases.
Selective Service told Congress that the armed forces at about 11 417 000 can stay at full strength without changing draft policies unless unforeseen reverses occur. Col Francis V Keesling Jr said if induction calls stay constant few men over 26 will be drafted in the remainder of July 83 percent of inductees were 18 to 26.
Prime President victory in Europe anticipated soon. It was learned today a meeting between Churchill and for to speed is planned in Quebec this month.
American tedium bombers battered German strongpoints in Brest Brittany freeing the Atlantic harbor for Lt. Gen. Omar N. Ley's forces. Allied air forces continued sweeping operations across Northern France with heavy bombers hitting depots and fortifications while fighters patrolled Holland Belgium and France.
The Bulgarian government under Ivan Bagranov collapsed after failing to secure a neutrality exit from World War II. Allied terms reportedly demand withdrawal of troops to pre-war lines and removal of fascist elements, with armistice talks framed by Britain, the United States, and Russia.
ERNIE PYLE reports Paris faces severe food shortages four years under German occupation. Paris restaurants close or offer minimal meals while a barley coffee substitute dominates. Civilians long for real coffee soap gasoline and cigarettes as rationing limits persist.
War briefing notes extensive air strikes on Formosa and coastal China as Allied bombers hit targets across the Pacific. Liberators and Mitchells raked defenses near Paramushiro and Davao while raids broaden toward the Netherlands East Indies and Palau. General Harmon pledges unremitting bombing as planning peers expect the war to last at least a year after Germany’s defeat. Tokyo names Gen Okabe to North China command and U S flame throwers aid Chinese efforts on the Burma Road.
Frank A. Ogilvie, former commander, denounced a reported Washington plan to mingle Negro and white blood in plasma. He claimed to have learned of the idea from a pamphlet received in Washington and urged protest against the proposed mixing of blood donations.
A German commander in Northern France today faced an Allied radio briefing calling the German situation hopeless. The spokesman cited two major Allied bulges in the Amiens and Meuse sectors and contrasted current German setbacks with earlier claims of improvement.
Allied forces breached the Gothic Line north of the Foglia river with a 1,000‑yard penetration west of Borgo Maria and captured Montecchio. British and Polish troops pressed in Pesaro while eighth army elements advanced along the railway, with close combat on Monte Calvo and near Monte Gridolf amid ongoing Arno and Florentine operations.
An injunction requires Sheriff Ben Corum of Lawrence County to return 35 cases of liquor to Railway Express Agency at Courtland. Liquor seized earlier this week by county enforcement while in the company’s possession. Judge Julian Harris noted a prior U S Supreme Court ruling in a similar interstate commerce case and said the injunction rests on the liquor’s transport from New York to a reservation under U S Army jurisdiction. Captain Robert S. Nooe was listed as secretary of the Officer's club.
Allied reports from Paris and Rome note American forces capture St Mihiel in France while Canadian troops enter Dieppe and U S Seventh Army closes on German positions retreating toward Lyon. Tanks engage near Tournon and Le Bourg de Peage as Lyon region falls within reach.
James M. Long reports an American armored advance looms as divisions push from Verdun into Lorraine. British armor closes 80 miles of the rocket coast while Canadians near Dieppe and Americans press toward Brest, Le Havre, and Calais amid a broad Allied pursuit along the front.
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.