Evening star., 1943-08-04
Malta Headquarters
OF Eisenhower Durinu
Invasion Of Sicily
By the Associated Press.

NORTH AFRICA, Aug. 4.-The Is
land of Malta was disclosed toda,
ITO have been Gen. Dwight D. Eisen
rhower's operational headquarter
for the Allied attack on Sicily.
The general and his staff wen
there four days before the scheduler
beginning of the offensive and HI
stayed in a palace built in 154O b.
the Knights of st. John. There h.
was a guest of Field Marshal Lore
~Gort, Governor General.
These facts. were disclosed TO-DAY
as the Allied commander In chic
paid special tribute to the island.
people, "the most bombed spot or
earth." to Lord Gort and to tn,
Malta air force.
During Gen. Eisenhower's stay
there, Offices were placed in lime
stone tunnels. grim reminders of the
year in which the island was SUBJ
jected to more than 1000 air raids.
Sand Flies Worse Than Raids.
There were two raids during that
time, but one of the generals aides
said neither produced as much dis
comfort as sand flies capable OF
producing fever of 104 degrees.
Several of his staff were laid low
that way while waiting for the in
'vasion to begin.
. In one of his tributes today, Gen
a Eisenhower said:
THE epic of Malta Is a symbolic
experience of the United Nations in
this war. Malta has passed sue
cessively through the stages of woe
full unpreparedness, tenacious en-
. durance. intensive preparation and
the Initiation Of fierce offensive. 1t
Is resolutely determined to maintain
the rising crescendo of attack until
the whole task is complete. For this
inspiring example, the United Ma
lions will be forever indebted to
Field Marshal Lord Gort and the
fighting services under his command
and to every citizen for the heroic
stand"
Gen. Eisenhower also told Sir
Keith Park, commander of the
Malta air force, the invasion of Sic
lily might not have been possible
without the forces preliminary
work.
, 1T Is obvious to every individual
In the Allied command that, except
for the Malta air force and for the
constructive accomplishments of the
whole Malta command during the
past year, the current attack could
scarcely have been classed as feasi-
BILE one. I should like the officers
and men Of your command to know
Uf my profound obligation to them.
to be assured that as soon as the
considerations Of security permit
there will be recorded public as well
as official credit for their outstand-
ing service. Please tell them in my
name that during my recent, hasty
visit to your command, 1 was i'm
pressed by the universal evidence of
exemplary efficiency, enthusiasm
and fighting spirit"
JeepS IN use AT malta.
The ubiquitous jeep has appeared
tn Malta for the first time-a gift
from Gen. Eisenhower. The COM
manding officer and all of the squad
rons are using the little cars.
Covering the invasion of Sicily,
Malta-based fighters shot down 203
enemy aircraft, 10 falling before
Spitfires, rs to night fighters and 5
to Beaufighters.
Before aiding in United Nations
offensive operations, the Malta. air
command. coupled with the anti
aircraft defenses, downed more than
1000 Axis planes from the time the
island came on the direct firing
line with the entrance of Italy into
the war In June, 1910.
Malta increasingly became the
Mediterranean's hot spot as the in
habitants and defenders fought of
nearly 1000 Axis air raids.
g., As the raids continued and the
island was totally isolated from help,
food and water ran low and the
severest rationing began. Families
were held to six gallons of water for
all purposes daily and the average
Joss of weight through lack OF food
was % pounds.
! Maltese Aid Sicilian Invasion.
/ The people re-opened the tunnels
hewed in the rocks centuries ago by
the Phoenician galley slaves and dug
new ones with picks fashioned from
any suitable metal. The British
naval commander set every available
man to making digging tools for the
Islanders.
, The fighter plane power was grad
TALLY increased and with additional
.antiaircraft batteries, Lord Gort said
as many enemy flyers were killed
above the island as civilians on it.
The day finally came when the
Maltese who had been through the
worst the enemy could offer from the
air, found themselves in the center
Of the preparation for the big at
tack. Some units of the Maltese
troops actually went with the Allied
forces into Sicily.
That is the reason for Gen. Eisen-
howers tribute.
Windmills Serve as "Barometers."
The night before the invasion was
scheduled the wind began rising, and
Gen. Eisenhower was one of the first
to spot the fact, Malta is dotted
with American-made windmills prac-
ticafly identical with those used
throughout the Middle West, and the
commander in chief noted that they
were gaining speed.
Throughout the anxious hours be-
fore dawn he kept consulting these
kansas barometers" to gauge the
velocity Of the wind, which was an
extremely important factor If land
ing craft and barges were to reach
the Sicilian beaches safely.
Nevertheless, parachute and glider
Strocps took off on schedule and
ships based on Malta left at the ap-
pointed time Many landing craft
were manned by amateur sailors,
there being far too few trained sail
ors to crew the vast invasion fleet.
Gen. Eisenhower and his staff