FORTRESSES POUND BIZERTE 3 TIMES; DEFEAT OF JAPANESE AT LAE GROWS (1/10/43)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 1/10/43 | Drew Middleton, William M. Blair, George Gallup, Hanson W. Baldwin, Raymond Daniell, Charles Hurd

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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THE NEWS OF THE WEEK IN REVIEW

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
North Africa, 1941: Pursuit to Tunisia, November 1942-February 1943
Tunisia 1942: Axis Initiative-Situation 14 February 1943, and Operations Since 1 January
Southwest Russia, 1942: Soviet Winter Offensive, Operations, 13 December 1942-18 February 1943
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941: Status of Forces and Allied Theater Boundaries, 2 July 1942
India-Burma, 1942: Allied Lines of Communication, 1942-1943

[Homer_J_Simpson]

William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Tunisian Base Hit (Middleton) – 2-3
Non-Stop Air Armada of Allies Flew 1,400 Miles to North Africa (by William M. Blair, first-time contributor) – 3
Russians Retake 22 Towns; Race On in Drive for Rostov – 4-5
American and British Prisoners in Tunisia (photo) – 5
Convoy Toll Soars – 6
64% of Voters Call Federal Rationing Fair Despite Some Grumbling, Gallup Poll Finds (Gallup) – 6
Leader of Poland Honored by Mayor – 7
War News Summarized – 7
Farmers Lagging in Asking for ‘Gas’ – 8
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on the War – 9-10

The News of the Week in Review
Twenty News Questions – 11
Red Army Drives Reclaim Nazi-Conquered Territory (map) – 12
Russians Now Promise to Better Their Campaign of Last Winter (Baldwin) – 13-14
Decline of Luftwaffe is Apparent (Daniell) – 15
Japan is Seen Preparing for Big Blow in Pacific (Hurd) – 16
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 17

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Tunisian Base Hit (Middleton) – 2-3
Non-Stop Air Armada of Allies Flew 1,400 Miles to North Africa (by William M. Blair, first-time contributor) – 3
Russians Retake 22 Towns; Race On in Drive for Rostov – 4-5
American and British Prisoners in Tunisia (photo) – 5
Convoy Toll Soars – 6
64% of Voters Call Federal Rationing Fair Despite Some Grumbling, Gallup Poll Finds (Gallup) – 6
Leader of Poland Honored by Mayor – 7
War News Summarized – 7
Farmers Lagging in Asking for ‘Gas’ – 8
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on the War – 9-10

The News of the Week in Review
Twenty News Questions – 11
Red Army Drives Reclaim Nazi-Conquered Territory (map) – 12
Russians Now Promise to Better Their Campaign of Last Winter (Baldwin) – 13-14
Decline of Luftwaffe is Apparent (Daniell) – 15
Japan is Seen Preparing for Big Blow in Pacific (Hurd) – 16
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 17

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/jan1943/f10jan43.htm

Americans Attacking on Guadalcanal
Sunday, January 10, 1943 www.onwar.com

Japanese troops commit suicide to avoid capture [photo at link]

In the Solomon Islands... On Guadalcanal, an new American offensive begins with heavy air and artillery bombardment. The Japanese-held Gifu strongpoint is attacked by the US 35th Infantry Regiment. The Americans have over 50,000 troops on the island; the Japanese have less than 15,000 ill-supplied troops defending. During the night eight Japanese destroyers attempt to deliver supplies. One of the destroyers is damaged by American PT boats.

On the Eastern Front... The Red Army launches an offensive aimed at reducing the Stalingrad pocket. The Soviet 62nd and 64th Armies to the east and southeast are notably under strength. The main forces engaged in the offensive are the Soviet 65th and 22nd Armies to the west. Forces of the German 6th Army are forced to retreat.

In New Guinea... American forces achieve limited gains toward Sanananda and near Tarakena.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm

January 10th, 1943

UNITED KINGDOM: Minesweeper HMS Gazelle launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.S.R.: Another Soviet offensive begins around Stalingrad. The main effort is by the 65th and 21st Army to the west of Stalingrad. After the initial heavy artillery barrage the attack begins and the Germans are soon in retreat.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: 2nd Btn 35th Infantry begins 5 days of patrolling the area of the Gifu on Mount Austen on Guadalcanal. Having relieved the 132nd Infantry yesterday, the plan by General Patch is that this one fresh battalion will be able to accomplish his goal of eliminating this Japanese position.

The 1st Btn 27th Regiment mission to to advance (up the forelegs) to the top of Hill 57 in the Galloping Horse feature on Guadalcanal. Beginning at 0550 92.5 tons of artillery rounds are shot at a “waterhole” between the 1/27 and Hill 57. Japanese troops have been reported here. Followed by 12 500 pound bombs and 36 325 pound depth charges, courtesy of the Cactus Airforce the attack steps off at 0730. Other army and marine units guard the flanks and the mission is accomplished by 1140 hours. Meanwhile 3/27 steps off to advance up the hindlegs to the body (Hill 52) of the horse. After a tough fight, with air support required, they reach the crest of this ridge about 1630.

PORTUGESE TIMOR: The destroyer HMAS Arunta crosses the Timor Sea to lift off the last 282 Australians of Sparrow Force, along with twenty Portugese and eleven women and children. (William L. Howard)(188, 189, 190, 191)

SOUTH PACIFIC: The US submarine Argonaut (SS-166), commanded by John R. Pierce, is sunk by destroyers HIJMS ISOKAZE and MAIKAZE while escorting a convoy south of St. George’s Channel, south east of New Britain All 105 officers and men are lost. (Joe Sauder and Dave Shirlaw)

CANADA: HMCS Surf paid off. Constructive total loss after grounding on Vancouver Island. Only Fisherman’s Reserve vessel lost in the war. Sold Sidney British Columbia. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.:
Destroyers USS Wadsworth, McCord, Killen and Howorth launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

Destroyer escort USS Pillsbury launched.
Destroyer escorts USS Seid, Smartt, Walter S Brown, William C Miller laid down.

Submarine USS Pogy commissioned.

(Dave Shirlaw)

[Happy Rain]

“Dirty Gertie from Bizerte,
hid a mousetrap ‘neath her skirtie.
Strapped it to her knee-cap purty,
baited it with Fleur-de-Flirte.
Made her boyfriends’ fingers hurty.
Made her boyfriends most alerte!
She was voted in Bizerte,
Miss Latrine for 1930...”

North African Dogface doggerel.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Thank you. It is contributions from readers like you that enable us to maintain our high academic standards here at WWII + 70.

[Happy Rain]

I bought a book back in the late 1960s called, “The GI War” and it was a simple compilation of personal experiences of WWII combat veterans. My late father, a Navy Gunner's Mate, barely survived the Pacific War and it astonished me at a very young age at what a man could actually endure and still keep his sanity.

In the book were plenty of “little things” anecdotes (some pretty harrowing) that the combat grunt on the ground experienced that did more than any to bring their boring/terrifying/comic experiences to the reader.

Like the time when a Jap mortar shell made a marine dive blindly into a foxhole only to land in a pile of human poop...everyone knew that you never crapped in a foxhole and if you were pinned down by enemy fire and had to go THAT damn bad you sure as Hell never crapped in the bottom where divers could land in it!
“Musta been a sailor!” is what the disgusted marine said.

[BroJoeK]

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January 10, 1943:

• "In the Generalgouvernement, several thousand Jews who had left forest hiding places on November 10, 1942, after a Nazi promise of safe passage, are betrayed.
  Most are transported to Treblinka and gassed.
  The remainder are sent to labor camps at nearby Sandomierz and Skarzysko Kamienna."

• "Four hundred Jews who resist their German overseers at the Kopernik camp in Minsk Mazowiecki, Poland, are burned alive in their barracks."

"Miroslav Filipovic-Majstorovic was a ruthless killer who worked at the Jasenovac concentration camp in Croatia.
A former priest and member of the Croatian Fascist organization Ustasa, Filipovic-Majstorovic killed countless prisoners with his bare hands.
Approximately 600,000 people--including Serbs, Jews, Gypsies, and opponents of the Ustasa regime--were killed at Jasenovac."

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[colorado tanker]

It’s interesting to see the speculation that the Japanese were building up to something big. Hindsight is 20-20, but they were overstretched. They had to withdraw from the Port Moresby offensive to find troops to reinforce Guadalcanal - and it wasn’t enough.