The 97 Pound Wonder Capt Gifford of Buford S C
A wartime profile of Captain Bill Gifford a 36 year old B 29 pilot from Buford South Carolina. He is described as a drawly witty and aging aviation veteran who jokes about misfiring controls during a mission and recalls his early night airmail days with friends Dick Merrill Gene Brown and Johnny Kytle. He is framed as a colorful unmilitary Southern character and a beloved team member with a wild aviation history.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Marianas Islands
Bill Gifford
Buford
S. C
Gifford
Japan
Giff
Dick Merrill
Gene Brown
Johnny Kytle
and Twins
Bill
Pan American
South America
Royal Canadian Air Force
Atlantic
England
Pacific
Oif
Gift
Honshu
Hank
Fujiyama
Jaan
Arbi
Third Army advances near Bonn and Rhine gains reported
Paris, March 7. The American Third Army drove toward Bonn within three miles as Fourth armored division neared Coblenz and Mainz near the Rhine. Allied forces cleared the west bank to Cologne except a small pocket at Zons while Wesel bridges near collapse left about 50,000 Germans in a shrinking pocket. The campaign began January 30 with Patton’s push east of Luxembourg.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Paris
Ain Ae — Oe
1St
Bonn
Cologne
Third Army
Supreme
Mayern
Sed
Fourth Armored
Coblenz
Rhine
Mainz
Weisbaden
Hitler
Rhineland
George S. Patton
Siegfried Line
Luxembourg
Reich
Germany
West Bank
the Rhine
Rheinberg
Zons
Dusseldorf
Lower Rhine
Wesel
France Leads Western Bloc for San Francisco Security Talks
The London report says France plans to head a group of western European nations pressing for greater influence for smaller states at the forthcoming world security conference in San Francisco. The piece notes the Atlantic Charter promises rights for the minor nations, and criticizes reliance on old peace methods given the League of Nations’ failure.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
France
San Francisco
United Nations
League of Nations
Peace Palace
Geneva
Yanks Advance Five Miles On Italian Front
American mountain troops pushed five miles in the Apennines southwest of Bologna in the strongest Fifth Army advance in weeks. They captured dominating peaks and Castel D’Aiano, about 20 miles from Bologna, and took over 1,200 prisoners after a Mar 3 assault begun with 20 minutes of artillery and air support.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rome
Apennines
Bologna
Fifth Army
Pistoia Highway
Castel D’aiano
Final decisive stage looms in Pacific war drive
Washington reports Allied planners say campaigns in the Philippines and Iwo Jima near completion, signaling a final phase. MacArthur's push toward the Philippines and China lanes has set up a strategic choice for the chiefs: strike Japan now at heavy risk or bleed the enemy further by extending operations elsewhere. Continued on page eight.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Luzon
Washington
Philippines
Iwo Jima
Japan
Pacific
Gilberts
Marshalls
Marianas
Guam
Iwo
Douglas MacArthur
Chi
New Guinea
Cheseppines
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Eagueme
Disorders Spread Through Rome Amid Prison Riot and Bomb Attacks
Rioting convicts and inmates awaiting Fascist trials escaped Regina Coeli prison before dawn as police and firemen suppressed the unrest with hoses. Earlier clashes before the royal palace left a Communist demonstrator dead and several wounded. Bomb explosions and sporadic demonstrations continued around Rome with no further casualties reported.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rome
Regina Coeli
Italy
Royal Palace
Carabinieri
Victor Hanson Dies In Birmingham After Brief Illness
Victor H. Hanson, chairman of the board of the Birmingham News and Ace Herald, died at his home here at 8:15 a.m. today after a brief illness.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Victor Hanson
Birmingham
Ala
Victor H. Hanson
Birmingham News
Ace Herald
Chinese First Army Near Lashio in Burma Campaign
Chinese forces and armor advanced within two miles of Lashio’s Burma road railhead after claiming Old Lashio. British 14th Army laid an 85 mile drive severing links between Rangoon and Mandalay, with Japanese positions Southwest of Myingyan reportedly captured. About 30,000 Japanese troops were said to be cut off, facing routes into the mountains toward Thailand.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kandy
Ceylon
First Army
Burma Road
Lashio
Southeast Asia Command
Chungking
Mandalay
14Th Army
Rangoon
Myingyan
Irrawaddy River
Thaian
German Broadcast Claims Stopped British Adriatic Landing
The German high command announced that British troops attempted a landing behind German lines on the Adriatic coast but the assault was repulsed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Adriatic
Allied Forces Press Advance Toward Bologna In Italy
Brazilian troops and the U S 10th Mountaineer division seized Castelnuovo near Castel D'Aiano while Fifth Army forces push east toward Bisoro and the Pistoia Bolgane highway. The drive aims to threaten Bologna from the west as German positions along key peaks loosen their hold.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
U. S. 10Th Mountaineer Division
Castelnuovo
Castel D’aiano
Pistoia
Bologna
Fifth Army
Bisoora
Pistoia- Bolcane
Swanson Defendants To Die Friday Executions Set
Gov Cherry announced he would not intervene in the Friday executions of Elmer Hardie Biggs William Dalton Biggs and John Edgar Messer. They were convicted for the February 19 1943 murder of Jamestown merchant E J Swanson after a meeting with Acting Paroles Commissioner William Dunn.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Raleigh
Cherry
Elmer Hardie Biggs
William Dalton Biggs
John Edgar Messer
E. J. Swanson
Jamestown
William Dunn
Richardson Asks Sclons To Speed Up
Raleigh March 7 The House speaker Oscar Richardson urged rapid passage of all bills before adjournment and warned the 55th day of the session may require a calendar committee. He noted 772 measures had been acted on versus 858 by 1943, predicting about 11 more days to finish at current pace.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Raleigh
Oscar Richardson
House
Senate
Edwards
Greene
Quinn
Duplin
State Department of Agriculture
Council of State
Hatch
Wake and
Moseley
Guilford
House Committee On Con
Cologne Falls under American military rule in ruined city
Cologne Germany March 1 reports say the Rhineland metropolis once home to about 800000 inhabitants is now under an American military government led by Lt. Col. John K. Patterson of Riverside California. An advance unit arrived to establish quarters while an eventual civilian register is planned.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cologne
Rhineland
John K. Patterson
Riverside
Calif
Patterson
Ono
AMG
Army Cuts Down Its War Force
In Chicago on March 7 the Army announced a 40 percent reduction in its occupation staff at Montgomery Ward and Company properties. Col. R. Parker Kuhn said the move does not indicate withdrawal, only staffing adjustments to meet ongoing duties. Seizures began Dec 28 due to labor disputes and Ward’s noncompliance, with 14 properties now in seven cities, under 100 officers, about 40 enlisted personnel, and 25 to 35 civilians replaced by civilians to free soldiers and WACs for duty.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago
Montgomery Ard and Company
R. Parker Kuhn
Operang
Army
Ward
Kuhn
Burlington Banker Found Dead In Auto
L. J. Blakey, 60, president of the National Bank of Burlington, was found dead in a parked automobile with lights burning by police patrolmen about 5 a.m. He had died several hours earlier of a heart attack, per Alamance county coroner Dr. F. L. Smith. Blakey had left his home earlier and not returned, the coroner said.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Burlington
L. J. Blakey
Nationam! Bank of
F. L. Smith
Alamance County
Nazi Reports Detail Assault On Berlin Front
Berlin reported German broadcasts that Russians opened the battle for Berlin advancing into the Oder line. The invasion pushed into Zehden on the Oder east bank and threatened a wide front from near Kuestrin to Stettin with tanks and armored units engaged.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Berlin
Kuestrin
Oder
Reich
Zehden
Ilin
Road to Berlin Distances by Fronts
Eastern front 32 miles from Zellin Western front 282 miles from Cologne Italian front 544 miles from Reno river Key distances charted by Associated Press detailing Allied and Axis positions ahead of major offensives.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Berlin
Associated Press
Eastern Front
Zellin
Western Front
Cologne
Reno River
Soviet Forces Attack Near Kuestrin In Push Toward Berlin
Soviet First White Russian Army attacked Zehden and pressed into the northeastern defense of Kuestrin after a 24 hour artillery barrage. Zhukov launched a major assault to overwhelm Kuestrin and establish bases for a push toward Berlin, as Nazi broadcasts reported the front as active from the north and south. Western Allied dispatches gave little on the front despite Rhine threats.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kov
Zehden
Kuestrin
Berlin
Stettin
Zhukov
Mogecow
Germany
Rhine River
Berlin-Oder
Yank Bombers Launch Attack Upon Germany
London reports a coordinated RAF and Eighth Air Force air operation against German targets. More than 900 heavy bombers struck Dortmund oil facilities, a major railway viaduct at Bielefeld, and rail yards at Soest and Siegen, with 250 fighters providing cover in the 23rd straight day of aerial blows.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Dortemund
Bielefeld
Soest
Siegen
Wesel
Rhine
Eighth Air Force
Dortmund
Germany
Brunswick
Hannover
Ruhr
Ohio River floods claim seven lives across valley
The Ohio River rose beyond banks over 981 miles, killing seven people including a 15 year old boy and two 8 year old girls, while forcing evacuations and halting war production. Rain totals reached up to 1.78 inches in parts as sleet began to form and temperatures dropped below freezing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ohio
U. S. Weather Bureau
Chicago
Louisville
Pittsburgh
Alleghany
Clarksburg
W. Va
Ilinois
Indiana
Ohio Valley
Weather Bureau
Minnesota
William Pinion
Owensboro
Davidsville Run
Holsapple, Pa
Also Mentioned on This Page
Utrecht
Ernie Pyle
Navy
Holland
Belgium
Verdun
Moselle
Scuesseldore
Coblent
LUX
Lanten
Gemuend
Kopp
Pickliessem
Saarbrucken
Forbach
Stieringen-Wendel
City of
U. S
William C. Allen
Signal Corps
ANK
Third Armored Division
U. S. First Army
Dewitt MacKenzie
Swanson
Richardson
Sclons
Hardison
Craven
Senate Committee On Education
Gregory Zhue
Ohio River
Alleghany-Monongahela
Cincinnati
Red Cross
Bellaire, O
Pennsylvania Railroad
Bellaire
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Parkersburg
Huntington
Pennsylvania
Wheeling
New York Central
James Whitcomb Riley
Indianapolis
Mississippi Valley
White River
Mississippi
Dyersburg
Tenn
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