davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Surplus Plane Sale
Now in Progress at
HybIa Valley Airport

The sale of twin-engine Cessna
and single-engine Beechcraft cabin
monoplanes and single-engine Vul-
tee basic trainers declared surplus
by the Army was in progress today
at Bybla Valley airport near Alex
andria, under auspices of the De-
tense Plant Corp.
About 2,700 Cessnas and a smaller
number of Beechcraft together with
more than 3,700 Vultee trainers
equipped for instrument flying in
struction are on sale at 55 sales
centers of the Reconstruction
Finance Corp, which has been de-
signated as the disposal agency by
the Surplus Property Board.
The Cessna planes, which cost
the Government an average o1
about $4,000. are priced from $3,.
900 to $4,000. Those in the lowel
price range have fixed-pitch wooe
propellers and wing designed fol
a 5,100-pound gross weight, ane
those higher priced have constant
speed propellers and wing de.
signed for 5,400-pound gros.
weight. The price schedule for tn,
Beechcraft planes has not yet beer
set but is expected to be slightl,
higher than the Cessna, accordini
to L. r. Pettus, supervisor in charg,
for the DPC. Both types accom-
modate four passengers besides tn
pilot.
The Vultee trainers are price.
from $500 to $4,000 and are two
place, tandem seated basic trainer
with enclosed cockpit.
/, About IS primary training plane
have been sold since they went o,
sale April 6, Mr.. Pettus said, an,
the sale will be continued as long q
the supply lasts. All planes ar
sold "as is" and are subject t.
notifications necessary to secure
certificate Of airworthinass from tn
Civil Aeronautics Administration.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Mergner Is Denied
Murder Case Review
By Supreme Court

The Supreme Court refused today
to review the f1rst-degree murder
conviction of Frederick C. Mergner,
who is in District Jail under a death
sentence for the Staying of Mrs.
Charlotte Robinson, his housekeep-
er. In the absence of presidential
clemency, the courts action prob
ably means that Mergner will 60 to
the electric chair.
Mrs. Robinson, who had been shot
four times, died at Casualty Hos
pital October 25,. 1943, a short while
after she had been found uncon-
scious near Fifth and A streets NE.
The manhole cover of a sewer near
by had been removed, and the Gov
ernment alleged that Mergner in
tended to dispose of the victim in
the sewer.
Mergner was arrested the follow
ing day at his home, $500 block of
University place NV, and reputed-
ly confessed. He was convicted in
District Court and the death penalty
imposed there was upheld by the
Court Of Appeals.
The defense brief submitted to
the Supreme Court said that "the
evidence disclosed that at the time
the confession was obtained from
petitioner, he was hopelessly intoxi-
Gated"
Evening star., 1945-04-30
hon!shu and Kyushu
Blasted by B-29s
Ey the Associated Press.

Hy the Associated Press.
GUAM, April 3o.-Hitting by day.
light in good bombing weather, q
force Of 100 to $50 Super Fortresses
bombed Japanese military installa-
tions in Honshu and Kyuchu from
medium altitude today.
It was the fifth consecutive days
strike at Kyushu, Japan's staging
area for air attacks against Ameri-
can invasion forces at Okinawa, 325
miles south.
Besides six airfields on Kyushu,
the Tachikawa Army air arsenal Is
miles west of Tokyo was attacked
today. The Tokyo radio said 100
Mustang fighters from Two Jima
escorted 100 B-29s in the attack
on Tachikawa's airdromes.
Yesterdays raid by a similar num-
Der Of B-29s was reported "gener-
ally good" One Super Fort was lost
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Yank Troops, Aided
By Planes, Drive on
Capital Of Mindanao
BY the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
MANILA, April 30.-American in
fantrymen drove on Davao City from
the south and east today, supported
by planes operating of a freshly
captured airfield just 80 miles south
of the big Mindanao port city, one
Of the last japanese strongpoints in
the Philippines. ...-
Swift American PIT boats appeared
in Davao Gulf for the first time Sat-
urday to shell enemy installations at
that principal hemp port of the
archipelago.
Yanks of the Oath Infantry Di-
vision were within Is road miles OF
Davao on the south and the 3lst
Dixie Division, newly committed
to the Davao campaign-in which q
fierce fight Is expected-was about
IS miles east of the city.
Airfield Captured.
The oath captured the Padada
airfield, on the shore Of Davao Gulf
without a fight. The field, Uttered
with wrecked japanese planes,
quickly was put into operation.
Gen. Macarthur announced an
additional 1861 Japanese dead had
been counted and 218 prisoners taken
in the Philippines in the past week
against American casualties of SIT
killed and 1855 wounded.
Total enemy casualties for the
Philippines campaign, which began
last October, are 343,603 as against
American casualties of 35,768. The
American figure, however, does not
include some recent fighting.
OF the Japanese one-week toll,
6,081 were killed on Luzon, primarily
around strongly defended Baguio,
which fell Friday, and the Balete
Pass sector to the northwest.
In fierce fighting over a period
OF several weeks most of the garrison
Of 10000 troops defending Baguio
were annihilated. The others were
being pursued into the hills to the
north.
Baguio Mopped Up.
The 33d and 37th Divisions mopped
up around shell-wrecked Baguio,
gold center and summer capital of
the Philippines. The once beautiful
city a mile high in the Benguet
Mountains was in ruins when Yanks
Of the 18th and 130th Regiments
moved in Friday after a brief fight
on the western outskirts.
Meanwhile, on Southern Luzon
Camarines Norte Province was re-
ported cleared of Japanese as the
result Of recent successes. This
province includes the important
Paracale gold and iron mining dis
trict. The enemy, in fleeing, set the
provincial capital of Daet aflame.
Carmarines sur Province, imme-
diately south, was being overrun by
the 1st Cavalry Division and the
158th Regimental Combat Team.
Formosa, Hong Kong, Swatow
Shanghai and Saigon were the
principal targets of Philippines
based Liberators. One escorted
fight dropped 1l3 tons of explosives
on the naval base at Saigon, French
Indo-C China. Warehouses and in
dustrial buildings were wiped out.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
BY IVES GALLAGHER,

WITH THE U. S. 9th ARMY ON
THE ELBE RIVER, April 30
Strange things happen every day on
this topsy-turvy front-like the 5000
Germans who wanted to surrender
to an American first-class private
who was riding around in a Ger
man automobile with a German
paratrooper.
1t all started when the Americans
decided to send out patrol to at
tempt to contact the Russians. The
patrol was commanded by 1t. Worth
B. Babbit, 81, a former insurance
salesman of Santa Ana, Calf.
But just about the time the patrol
was ready to cross the river Ger
man paratrooper lieutenant was
brought in for investigation.
The German was Is years old. He
had been fighting years, had been
wounded nine times and held the
Ritter Cross, the second highest
decoration in Germany.
Felt He Was Gypped.
He had been a Nazi for Ave and
one-half years and then all of a
sudden he saw the light. He went
home and found his wife and three
children huddled in the cellar OF
bombed building while the local
Nazi party leader was living off the
tat of the land. He decided he had
been gypped.
He had been discharged from the
army early this month but had been
picked up when his neighbors
pointed him out as a soldier. He
said he was ready to fight with the
Americans against the Russians or
with the Americans against the
Germans 1t didn't make any diff
ference to him. He just wanted to
fight. Furthermore, he said, he
could convince plenty of Germans
they should surrender.
So it was decided to send the
German along with the patrol, for
whatever he was worth. The first
thing that happened was that a
German soldier riding a bicycle
down the road failed to halt when
the German lieutenant ordered him
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Yonks on Okinowo Fiqht
For 2 Southern AirfieIds

GUAM, April 80 {P).-Americar
Doughboys, enraged over a Japa.
nese pilots suicidal attack on q
helpless hospital ship evacuatine
their wounded buddies, fought dog
gedly today for two airfields-theil
immediate objectives on Southern
Okinawa.
These other developments were
reported in Admiral Chester w
Nimitz's communique today:
Total American casualties or
Okinawa and nearby islands were
11,413, including 1,847 killed, through
Friday.
The Japanese sent about 200 air
craft against American forces of
Okinawa for Is hours from Satur-
day noon until 2:15 am. Sunday
They caused some damage to light
units of the feet"-at a cost of lO4
attacking planes shot down.
Doughboys of the 9th Infantry
Division captured the northern hall
of Machinato airfield, 21a miles
north of Naha, Okinawa's capital or
the west coast. The 7th Infantry Di-
vision gained heights overlooking
Yonabaru airdrome on the east
coast.
Navy planes ranged as far north
as Japan Friday through Sunday
scoring four bomb hits on cargo
ships in convoy off Kyushu; attack.
ing shipping in Shimonosek
Straight-western entrance to the
Inland Sea-and destroying a small
cargo ship, damaging seven others
and firing picket ship in water.
around Kyushu, Honshu and the
Ryukyus.
Ashore, the Doughboys advances
were general all along the Southern
Okinawa front. -baSeC
Marine planes joined carrier pilots
and ships guns in bombardine
enemy positions ahead of the
infantry.
American casualties were divided
as follows:
Army-1,527 killed, 1926 wounded
and Alb missing.
Marines-320 killed, 1922 wound
ed and missing.
| Combined totals-1,847 killed
9,148 wounded and 42O missing.
Japanes casualties until dawn
Wednesday-two-and-a-half days
earlier-were 21,269 killed and 39e
taken prisoner-double the total
American casualties and 13 times as
many killed.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
] Liberated Soldiers
From D. {. Area Await
Leaves al Fl. Meade

Only a routine processing at Fort
Meade stands between q protracted
leave at their homes for seven Wash
ington area soldiers who were among
900 returned prisoners of war who
arrived there after being disem-
barked Saturday at the New Yori
Port Of Embarkation at Camp Kill
mer, N. j.
The Washingtonians were cap
tured by the Germans in the battle
Of the bulge last December 10 and
spent the next three months living
under filthy conditions with scarcely
enough food to sustain them. They
were liberated on Good Friday by
American forces.
Two Of the District men neve,
were separated from the time they
entered the Army in October, 1912
Pvt. william A. Mann, son OF Mr.
and Mrs. Adlai Mann. 1916 New
Hampshire avenue NV, and Pvt
Joseph A. Norris, jr., whose parent.
live at 2697 Monroe street NE, both
81, were freshmen at Georgetown
University when they we're called
into the service.
Others in Group.
The others in the group which ar
rived at Fort Meade yesterday after.
noon are Pfc. Robert e. Jones, 10
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles w
Jones, 1894 T street NE; Sergt. Elmer
j. Gray, 81, son of Mr.. and Mrs
Elmer Gray, 1923 Fessenden street
NV.
Pfc. Philip A. Harmon, 1921 Har-
ward road, College Park, Md; Pvt
John Montgomery, 10. son of Mrs
Stella Fritter Of ATS G street S.W.
and Pvt. Arthur r. Padgett, %
whose wife, Mrs. Gertrude Padgett
lives at SAL Seventh street Sc.
Most of the parents and some
other members of the returned men,
families went to Fort Meade yes.
terday to greet them. According to
Pvt. Mann's mother, the boys had
lost up to so pounds during their
imprisonment.
She said all had recovered a good
share of the lost weight since thei,
liberation. With the exception OF
Sergt Gray, the Washington soldiers
were at Stalag 9-B, Bad Orb, IS
miles south Of Frankfort. Sergt
Gray was held at Ziegenhain.
THE boys were all surprised thai
their parents and relatives knew
each other" Mrs Mann said. Mos
OF us belong to an organization Of
next Of kin of prisoners of war anc
had kept in touch with each other
sharing any bit of information We
might receive
Expect 60-day Leaves.
She said the boys are certain they
will have 60-day leaves as soon a.
they clear the routine at Fort
Meade.
The public relations ONCE at Fort
Meade said that probably all will b.
cleared out by tonight, but that the
length of the leave is uncertain.
Relatives of the returned soldiers
said the liberated prisoners did not
complain of the treatment at thu
hands of their captors. They vert
told, they said, that their guard.
were not of the young Nazi typ<
but were older men who shrugged
their shoulders in dismay and at.
tempted to explain that the fooe
and other conditions imposed OF
the prisoners were not of thei,
making.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
5,OOOGermons on EIbe Offer
To Surrender to Yonk Private

to do so. The lieutenant shot him
with Luger he had been given for
his own protection in event of
a fight.
Patrol Moves On.
The patrol moved on about 10
miles, picking up willing Germans
and killing a few here and there.
Then they captured German
automobile.
The German lieutenant jumped
into the automobile and declared
he would drive to nearby German
command post and try to convince
the Germans to surrender. Pfc
Alex Weiss, %, Brooklyn, N. Y, vol
unteered to accompany him. The
two drove merrily off.
Il did not know whether I would
ever see them again." 1t. Babbit
said. Weiss had plenty of nerve.
But in a little while they were
back. They had driven into q
German division command post
without any trouble. They called
on the division commander and the
German lieutenant, pointing to his
decorations, launched into a sales
talk on how wonderful it was to
be behind American lines in an
American prison camp.
The commander di not need
much selling. He agreed to sur
render the 5000 men of his division
as group. although 1t was the only
reserve division the German Army
had in this area between the Rus
slams and the Elbe.
The German command. had con-
ditions. He would give up, but the
Americans would have to occupy the
territory he held, to keep the Rus
slams out. If lot, he would fight
the Russians to the last man.
But the 9th Army is not advancing
beyond the Elbe these days. so the
surrender had to be refused. And
because 1t Babbit said there was
little percentage in trying to fight
the patrol through the German divi-
sion, he trotted his force back across
the Elbe, gathering up a few more
prisoners as he moved along.
And that Is the western front on
quiet day nowadays.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
1890 Yonks Killed
On Okinawo. yops Say

SAN FRANCISCO, April 80 (P).-
Radio Tokyo made an unsubstan-
tiated claim today that 1890 Amer
lean troops had been killed or
wounded between April l and % in
the battle for Okinawa, and that SO
American ships had been sunk in
that area since April IS.
Quoting Imperial japanese head
quarters the enemy broadcast, re-
corded by the Federal Communica-
tion Commission, said Al American
ships had been damaged in that
Okinawa battle in the latter period.
The report asserted ships sunk or
damaged included four aircraft car
riers and two cruisers.
Radio Tokyo admitted japanese
troops had been forced to yield a
little ground" in the Southern Okin-
ava fight, but claimed the Yank
offensive was being checked"
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Reduction in Tariffs
Key 10 Prosperity,
Mrs. Wiley Declares
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

Expanding world trade by lower
ing trade barriers will increase en-
ployment and bring prosperity after
the war, Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley of
Washington told the House Ways
and Means Committee today in pre-
senting the Endorsement of the Cen
eral Federation of Women's Clubs
for continuance of the Reciprocal
Trade Agreement Act.
THE idea of sharing prosperity
now is more important for other
nations and for ourselves than Just
trying to hug prosperity to our
selves" Mrs. Wiley testified. High
tariffs may have been the proper
technique in the earlier periods of
this country, when American indus
tries were in their infancy, Mrs.
Wiley said, adding:
Tolerant Attitude Urged.
"But now with Europe and parts OF
Asia in ruins and America un-
touched by direct warfare, we must
have a more tolerant attitude to-
ward the prosperity of other peoples
Of the world, as well as our own"
She said that enlightened self lin
terest requires that the war-torn
countries be permitted to sell the
United States such goods as they
can produce so they may begin to
pick themselves up out of the ruins
Of war and buy from us the des-
perately needed articles which only
America can produce"
Mrs. Wiley was the first witness
as the committee began another
week Of hearings on the Doughton
bill not only to extend the trade act
for three years but to permit tariff
reductions below the so per cent
limit in the present law. Any duty
already cut so per cent could be
reduced another so per cent, or rs
per cent in all.
With the act expiring June IL and
scores Of witnesses still to be heard
Democratic members may make
some move this week to expedite the
hearings.
Republicans Cross Examine.
Lengthy cross-examination by Re-
publicans failed to shake Mrs.
Wiley's contention that an expand
ing world trade would help this
country economically after the war
She told Representative Knutson
Republican, of Minnesota she die
not believe the trade agreement pro-
gram would displace labor in this
country.
When Representative Reed, Re-
publican, Of New York sought tx
show that the pending bill would
make possible increased imports OF
alcoholic liquors, Mrs. Wiley said
she believed the people should be
taught the evils Of the liquor habit
and cited District law requiring
that the i'll effects of liquor and to-
bacco be taught in the schools. Mr.
Reed contended a policy that would
increase whisky imports would run
counter to the aims of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union.
Mrs. Wiley explained that she was
appearing today as representative OF
the Federation of Women's Clubs
which, she said, is on record against
the unregulated sale of liquor.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
| Jap Suicide Plane
Hits Operating Room
Of Hospital Ship
BY VAN HAUGLAND,

y.
ABOARD VICE ADMIRAL r
K. TURNER'S FLAGSHIP OFF
OKINAWA, April 30.-Five Army
medical officers and six Army
nurses were among 20 or more
persons killed Saturday night in
the suicidal japanese plane
crash onto the stern of the hos
pital ship U. S. S. Comfort, SO
miles south of Okinawa.
The plane struck the operating
room, it was learned today. Most
of the So casualties were Army per.
sonnel. The hospital ship had an
Army medical staff.
The only reported naval dead
were one officer and one enlisted
man.
Ships Rush to Aid.
Vice Admiral Richmond K. Turner
commander of the Sd Fleet Am
phibious Force, said ships rushed
to the aid of the Comfort as soon
as the attack was reported.
MY printable comment on this
outrage is unprintable," stormed
Admiral Turner.
1t. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner,
10th Army commander who was Wis
iting Admiral Turner today, said
this is terrible. Any comment I
could make on this wouldn't go
through the mails"
The ship was proceeding to rear
area at normal speed, her rudder
mechanism smashed but controll-
fable by hand. She was met today by
an Okinawa-boun hospital ship
which transferred doctors and sup
plies to the Comfort.
The suicide pilot crashed into the
Comforts stern after making several
runs. There was clear intent. The
attack was in bright. full moonlight.
The ship was brightly lighted.
searchlights were turned on the
large, clear markings identifying her
as a mercy ship.
Attacked at Earlier Times.
The Comfort, loaded to capacity
with wounded. was hit less than four
hours after she left Okinawa. At
first she was reported abandoning
ship, but it soon was determined
that she could proceed under her
own power.
This was not the first attack on
the Comfort.
On the afternoon of April from
this flagship I saw suicide plane,
in perfect visibility, dive directly at
the Comfort. which was cleaning
white among hundreds of drab or
camoufaged Warships.
Antiaircraft fire brought the sui
eide plane down just short of the
Comfort-so close that some ex-
ploding, flaming debris touched the
ship.
Earlier the same day a japanese
plane dropped two bombs near a sis
ter mercy ship of the Comfort. Both
bombs narrowly missed their target.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
By the Associated Press

MANILA, April 30-Fresh from
the crowded European skies where
he shot down 81 German planes.
Maj. Walker Mahurin of Fort
Wayne, Ind, said today he feels
all alone in the air over the Pacific.
The major was shot down over
Europe and escaped via the under
ground. He came to the Pacific by
way of the States, where he was
anything but enthused by hero
worshipers. Maj. Mahurin recently
bagged a Japanese bomber over
Luzon Island to bring his score to
% enemy planes.
I'm Europe we had armies in the
air." he said. "Out here I feel
as though I had the air to myself
I'm tickled to get back into
combat. I don't like that hero stuff
at home. It's too hollow.
People who'd never looked at
me before the war invited me to
Evening star., 1945-04-30
IL Captured Generals
Pass Through London
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, April 30.-Eleven Ger
man generals yesterday fulfilled
their cherished ambition-they en-
tered London.
But instead of leading in their
troops as conquerors, they came in
a closed bus as prisoners and were
sent toia prisoner of war camp in the
north.
Nine major generals in uniform
and two in civilian clothes, faces set
and looking neither to right nor
left, were in. the group which
marched stiff1y from the bus to q
train.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Muhurin in Action in Pacific,
Fed Up'With Hero Worship

parties. After the war they won't
know me again.
Il was flunked out of Purdue
Yet when came home from Europe
with 81 Nazis to my credit some
body from the university wrote
mother that I was the most brilliant
student the school ever had. I goi
fed up. AS long as the war lasts
I want to fight
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Advertising Club Plans
To Honor Retailers

At retailers for victory" lunch
con meeting in the Statler Hotel
tomorrow the Washington Advertis-
ing Club will honor District retail
ers for the vital part they have
played in furthering the war effort
Walter Morrow, president of the
American Retail Federation, will
address the group and Wilmer j
Waller, chairman of the District
War Finance Committee, will speak
briefly about the Seventh War Loan
campaign, which begins May IA.
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Mrs. ChopIine to Speak

Mrs. William Ridgely Chaphne
will give an illustrated lecture on
Around the Seasons in Our Nations
Capital" at a meeting of the Geo.
graphy and Map Group of the Dis
trict Chapter of the Special Libraries
Association at pm. tomorrow at
the Whittall Pavilion, Library of
Congress. Election of officers also
will be held.
Evening star., 1945-04-30

Start saving now for your Seventh
War Loan. Boost your payroll de-
ductions for April, May and June
50 that you can buy more War Bonds
! and spread It over more pay checks!
Evening star., 1945-04-30
Power Engineers to Meet

District Unit No. l of the Natinal
Association of Power Engineers will
meet at pm. Wednesday in Parlor
G of the Willard Hotel.
Evening star., 1945-04-30

Look At the casualty list in this
paper-then decide how many War
Bonds you should buy!