Evening star., 1943-07-22
America Broadcast
Rome Bombing News
Within 8 Minutes
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

The American radio was telling
the story of the bombing of Rome to
the people of Europe almost as the
first bombs crashed intos railroad
yards Monday, or, to be exact, pre-
ciseIy eight minutes after Yankee
bombardier sent the first bomb on
its way to the target.
An amazing tale of speed and
teamwork between the Army and
the Office of War Information In
getting out the news of the first
bombing of the Italian capital was
told by officials here today.
The broadcasts breaking the big
story 10 Europe originated in New
York. The news was flashed te
Algiers by the radioman in the first
American bomber over Rome. Army
headquarters in North Africa re-
layed 1t to the Rentagon Building,
from where it was transmitted to
owl In New York by telephone
This triple play covered some 1000
miles. Eight minutes after the first
bomb was released the news had
sped another 5000 miles back to
Europe.
The United States station in
Algiers started transmitting by me-
dium wave to Italy at the time our
short wave stations flashed the re-
ports from New York.
Had Sealed Instructions.
The Army arranged tor the first
plane to notify them in North Africa
at the precise moment the bombar-
dter pressed his release. The flash
was sent at 5:l3 am. Monday. East
ern wartime. BY 52l am. Owl was
on The air with the'neWs from New
York. Officials. of course, we're
standing by at the Pentagon. owl
kept full crew ALL night at It's over
seas headquarters in New York to
await the news.
This Is the way it was handled on
this side Approximately five hours
ahead of the attack, officials in New
York received by courier sealed
envelope from Robert F.. Sherwood,
head OF Owls overseas branch In
Washington. Later they were noti-
fed by Mr.. Sherwood to open the
letter. 1t described what was going
10 happen and contained back
ground for guidance on the prcpa-
Randa line to be taken. The office
set to work to prepare material for
the broadcaSts
At am, direct telephone line was
opened between the Pentagon build
Ing and owl In New York. When
the flash was received, three of our
franSmltterS were on the air with
regular programs, one beamed to
Germany and Central Europe, an
other to France and the third to
North Africa in Spanish. The pro-
grams were immediately interrupted
for the big news. The first dispatch
stated:
THE railroad marShaling wards OF
Rome were bombed in daylight Mon
day morning. The attack on the
Fascist Capital was carried out by
large number of United Nations
bombers. carried out by men care
fully selected for the task"
Axis Radio Late.
A short time later our broadcaSts
we're beamed to Rome and while the
bombs were still falling on the Can
ital Is tranSmitters in New York
were sending the news to those Ital-
ians who had not already heard the
story.
Mr. Sherwood had high praise for
the Army In making it possible for
America to be out first with the
story OF the attack. He said the
Army was making effective use Of
owl facilities AS a weapon" 1t
was more than an hour and a half
after our first broadcast, he added
before the Axis radio carried It's
earliest reports.
Inc German radio did not start
beating It's propaganda tom toms"
until "a hours later. Pointing ont
That the Axis frequently have beaten
us TO The punch with distorted ac
counts of action in which American
forces we're engaged, Mr. Sherwood
said the expeditions handling of the
Rome attack was distinctly "a
pleasure"
IranSlators were called in when
the message from Mr.. Sherwood was
opened In New York. They were
Kept IN one room until the flash of
the attack came through. Mr.. Sher-
wood said that If the bombing had
been delayed day or two because
of the weather, the translators
would have had to remain in that
room.
An interesting sidelight of the
Rome bombing. officials said, is the
frenzied tone Of Japanese broad
casts since then, The Jap radio
now is trying to convince the world
that Toxic is the Rome of Asia, the
holy city of Asia