The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1945-05-24


in New Caledonia, where he is
attached to one of the largest p.
KS in the South Pacific Theater of
Operations Before entering the
Service Pfc. Allen was assistant
manager and projectionist at
Henry's Theatre here and he is
doing the same kind work at his
PIX. base. He writes that his outfit
puts outs the best Service News
paper in that area and through it
he is able to keep up with all the
news from the U. S. He also told
his parents that they got the " E.
Day news out there by radio, at
the same time we got it here.
Ed. Note; How about mailing us
copy of that wonderful paper,
soldier?
Abroad a u. S. Battleship OFF
Okinawa (Delayed) - Charles Ed
ward Baker, quartermaster, third
class, USNR, of Route l, Boons-
boro., Md, was aboard this veteran
battleship when she poured a with
ering torrent of high explosive
shells into the Okinawa beaches as
a unit of the greatest naval bonn
bardment force in history,
With other ships in the mighty
task force, she swept the western
side of the island with her main
and secondary batteries and 40-mm.
automatic weapons. So accurate and
devastating was her fire that Ma
rines and 10th Army troops en-
countered only slight opposition
when they landed.
The battleship reached the center
of operations shortly before dawn
on March Is and her 14-inch guns
soon were raising havoc with vital
shore installations. Their thunder
Gus barrage demolished an i'm
portant bridge-crossing, pillboxes
and a small railroad freight ter
minal and battered antiaircraft
positions with deadly regularity.
Highlights of the ships action
came during an air attack One of
the enemy planes broke through the
sheet of antiaircraft fire, singing
out this battleship for suicide run.
Seconds later cheer went up from
gunners and crewmen when a hit
sent the plane flaming into the sea.
Mckinney, Texas-T/4 William
w. Baker, husband of Mrs. Gene
We've Baker, 803 Maryland Avenue,
Hagerstown, had just arrived at the
Army's Ashburn General Hospital,
Mckinney, Texas, from overseas.
Before being returned to this
country, TIA Baker served in
France. He wears the Good Conduct
Medal and two Battle Stars.
Aboard a U. S. Battleship off
Okinawa (Delayed) - James H.
Barlow, Is, fireman, first class,
whose mother, Mrs. Charles Bark
low, lives at lis McComas street,
Hagerstown, Md, had a grandstand
seat from which to view the invas-
ion of Okinawa.
This hard-hitting ship, while und-
er threat of air attack, moved up
within 5000 yards of the shore,
cruising slowly back and forth and
pulverizing the beach targets at
point-blang range. The crew could
clearly see the explosions from the
ships shells as her guns smashed
pillboxes, gun emplacements, ware
houses and trench Notifications.
The ships anti-aircraft gunners
fought off deadly air assaults dur
ing the bombardment period, and
on one occasion only skillful man
euvering of the vessel by her com
handing officer saved her from a
torpedo which had been dropped.
AT one time Jap ''Zeke" bomb
er, pursued by two U. S. Navy
planes, came within range of the
ships 20-mm. and 40-mm. guns, and
crew members of this ship and
those of another closely had the
satisfaction of seeing the enemy
crash into the sea. Another time,
bombs from a Jap plane fell only
200 yards off the port bow.
With The Fifth Army, Italy -
While on reconnaissance for his
artillery outfit, Lieut.. Lee B. Cru
Der, Jr., son of Mr.. Lee B. Gruber,
1O7 East Franklin street, Hagers-
town, raced through a heavy ex-
change of small fire between parti-
sans and Fascists in Modena, Italy.