The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-10-24
A REPORTERS REPORT TO
 N THE NATION


 THE NATION
 Just before D-pay, Q German mystery ship dropped anchor in the Bay Of Vigo, on the northern coast of Spain, A few days later, agents of the Spanish Republican underground noticed thin wisp of smoke coming from one of the ships tunnels. Three of them went out in launch after dark to investigate As they approached the ship, Q submarine surfaced under them, overturning their launch. The subs machine gun killed two of the span- ish Republicans, but the third got away and tipped off the British And that, Adolf, is why your Iiays- tery ship-actuall o floating subs marine repair base-Was attacked and sunk by British planes shortly thereafter.
 RAF flyers know Vlgo well. Since i040, every British plane which has chased Na2i subs and surface ships into Vigo, Ferrol and the Spanish ports has bee nattaeked by ack~ ack batteries mounted by the Nazis and manned yh Na2i-Falangist mixed crews on Spanish soil.
 Vlgo Is Hitler's chief coastal base in Spain. German subs enter Vtgos Rios Chapella port at night, where they refuel, rearn, and refill their food and water lockers Vigo has two yards which repair NaEi subs damaged by British and Amer ican forces in the Mediterranean. And two Nazi war plants, including the "La Artistica" works which turns out bomb shells for the Wehr- Tnacht. And that plant which turns out electric motors under 0estapo supervision Until the Allied landings in North Africa, Vigo was damned with German soldiers and submarine sailors in uniform. After Tobruk, they switched to civVies. But they still sail from Vigo at night to kill British and Ameri. can seamen.
 Ferrol also on spain's northern coast, is HitlerB number two base in Spain. Here Hitler's subs are sup piled fueled and provisioned. The shipyards of Ferroi specialize in TO. pairing damaged NaSi subs and tor- pedo boats .. The great explosion which in i043 destroyed the main repair base for Nazi subs in Fer- rol was the work of Spanish Ro. publican underground. The yards haven't been the same since.
 Hitler has been building air bases in Spain since 1889, when his troops put Franco in power. The Luft- waffle has string of bases in 0alicia and the Basque country from which they attack British and American fleets one of the chief bases lies between 0aSpoito and villalba, thirty kilometers from the Lugo road The Lanes airbaSe in the AsturIaB has six new hangarS, built before DsDay [. .. The Nazi airport at sabadell also has a small factory which turns out planes for Germany ... This year, the Nazis completed two new airhases in Lugo, one in Villalb0, and five enormous bases near Pontevedra. Work was supervised by German army engineers, done by F'raaco's political prisoners who worked ct bayonet point-ard still managed to get plenty Of sabotage done The newer NaEl airs bases in Spain are mostly under. ground.
 Spanish islands off the coast Of Viliagarcia were cleared of their civilian population last year Land. ing fields. advance Luftwaffe bases and theree whole regiments of Nazl flyers took over the Islands .I All damaged German planes arc sent to the Luftwaffe repair base in Leon The German airbases at Dadajoz and Cadiz are now be- ing expanded -- while the Nazi afr. field at Cuatro Vientos, near Mad- rid, b still used by Junkers cargo planes which fly artillery barrels to Germany.
 All civilian travel has been sus. pended between Spanish mainland and the Baiearics and the Canaries.