The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1944-04-13
DIARY OF THE WAR

were in outskirts OF Odessa from
three directions. Germans and Ru-
manians in Skala and in Tarnopol
were being eXterminated. American
bombera from Britain smashed at
French invasion coast. Bombers from
Italy raided Rumanian oil center of
Ploesti. Gunners and fighter pilots de-
stroyed 40 Nazi planes On Italian
front there were artillery duels and
patrol clashes. Secretary Knox warned
that Na2is We're building subs at
furious rate and predicted they would
attack in masses soon. 1t was an
nounced the army had reached its full
strength of 100000. Draft calls are
to continue to expand the navy to
reach a peak strength of 100000,
including Marine corps and Coast
Guard by September l, in addition to
requirements for both army and navy.
SATURDAY-German troops were
still in control of Odessa but Reds
had encircled another batch of Nazis
40 miles northwest Of city. Germans
made desperate attempts to break out
of traps at Tarnopol and Skala with
out success. The Allies were feeling
that invasion date had been set Ital-
ian front remained dormant. Navy an
nounced result of March % attack on
Palau and zap islands with 90 Jap
ships sunk, 100 enemy planes de-
Stroyed. The cost of attack was Is
aircraft personnel and % planes. U. S.
planes also hit Wake Island again
Jap invasion troops in India drove
westward across Imphal- high
way. Capt Don S. Gentle, %, Mus
tang pilot from Piqua, o., was given
credit of 80 enemy planes destroyed,
one more than Eddie Rickenbacker in
World War |.
SUNDAY - Thousand American
fortresses, Liberators and Marauders
smashed at Brunswick's plane fac
tories and airdromes in northwest
Germany and Belgium. Two Red
armies on 230-mile front hurled Axis
J troops across Czech border in Carpa-
THAN mountains and were 40 miles
inside Rumania. A third Red army
surged around Odessa Allies gained
some ground on Anzio beachhead and
Allied airmen hammered at NaZi sup
ply lines. Summing up Of L. S. Navy
blow at Jap base of Palau, only SOC
miles from Philippines shows Jap loss
in effectiveness. Allies pushed Japs
back from one vital position dominat-
ing plain of Imphal in India Balkan
units were said to be turning to Tito
Yugoslav leader Gen. Giraud, de-
NOTED to inspector general of French
army, refused to step down.
/ MONDAY-Red armies drove across
rail line 1875 miles from Bucharest il
/ Rumania while other Red forces were
! only three miles Of Odessa. Germans
announced Reds also had throw
assaults against Perekop and SivaSf
! gateWays to the Crimea. American
aircraft in Britain drove against Ger
man airplane factories in East Prussia
and Poland and 81 bombers failed tt
return. Artillery duels persisted il
Italy. japanese columns penetrated tC
outskirts Of kohima, British base il
India. Another group Of air com
mandos landed back of Jap lines il
/ Burma. Americans bombed Truk fol
10th time in II days Other bombers
struck at Ponape and other points in
+ Guiding Jap-held Marshall atolls.
j TUESDAY - Germans abandoned
! Odessa but declared they destroyed al
military installations. Reds claimed
its capture by storm. In Rumanis
Reds engulged 1870 localities and were
II miles from Jassy and 100 mile!
( from Ploesti oil fields. Thousand tt
! 800 American bombers and fighters
crossed Channel in daylight to batter
Nazi aircraft and railway installa
| tons along invasion coast and interior
of France Nazis lost 240 aircraft il
| tWo-day raids of Americans. The Cri
mean offensive of Reds periled 600
Nazis. Japs abandoned air and supply
base at Gasmata in New Britain. AL
| 1ioo C+il1 bald Il oh tbar fni, ,rb1
Japs in India. Battle in Casino area
and on Anzio beachhead was re.
sumed.
WEDNESDAY-Red forces plunged
into Crimea capturing city of kercf
on the east and rail junction IS miles
northeast of Sevastopol. Nearly 1900
American bombers and escorting
fighters from Britain tore into Ger
man aircraft factories southwest OF
Berlin, following an Raj attack the
previous night on French and Belgian
railroad centers. Activity on Italian
front was limited to patrol clashes and
artillery exchanges. Jap invasion
forces in India swung around north
of Kohima to plant snipers along sup
ply highway. U. S. airmen stepped up
assault on remaining isolated Jap
positions in Marshalls. The airfield at
Ponape was bombed Japs on New
Britain were preparing for stand at
Rabaul.
THURSDAY - Russians poured