Oldest Newspaper In Alaska. fc'The News of Fhe Day In Pictures** Menil>er Ol Ihe Associated Press
THE NOME NUGGET
VOL. 44. No. 62. ' NOME. ALASKA. MONDAY. MAY 25. 1942 Copy 15*
Battle Kharkov Runs Into 14th Day
53 Survivors Rescued-May Be Crew U. S. Battleship
I
Russian Offensive Reported Still
Rolling At Kharkov on 1.4th Day
UNDATED, May 25 (AP) — Russia’s Kharkov of-:
fensive, a major factor in the strategical planning for
both sides of the world conflict, was pictured as rolling
forward once again as the Red Army wiped out the!
best the Germans had to offer in the way of a flank
diversion. The wedge which the Germans had driven
into the Russian salient curving past Kharkov on thej
south, was shattered with “enormous losses to the en
emy.” Moscow dispatches said the Russians have driv
en ahead once more after they consolidated newly won
ground. This is the 14th day of the battle on the Khar
kov front, perhaps the most valuable of all German:
positions in Russia. It buttresses the Taganrog threat
of the Germans to invade the Caucasus, when and if
they get their own major drive under way.
The German command, not retreating from its pre
vious claims that considerable Russian forces were cut.
off on the salient flanking Kharkov, said fighting south
of the big Ukranian manufacturing city developed into
a battle of encirclement. A communique said “the bulk
of three Soviet armies, including strong tank forces,
have been encircled and all attempts to break out have
failed with heavy losses to the enemy.”
Obviously both the Germans and Russian could cor
rect their description of the battle, but corroboration
must await the final outcome of the encounter.
I
Allied Bombers Inflict Heavy j
Losses Jap Planes, New Britain
Allied Headquarters in Australia, May 24 (AP) —
Allied bombers inflicted heavy losses on Japanese plan!
es grounded on Now Britain airdromes. Twenty bombs
were dropped on one group of 20 enemy aircraft at
Rabaul and all landed in the target area. An airdrome
building was left ablaze. One Allied plane was lost.
An Allied ship under attack by Japanese planes sev
eral hundred miles off Australia, caught fire when an
enemy aircraft crashed amidships. An Allied warship
rescued 100 survivors, many of them injured. Prac
tically all on deck were injured and many below suf
fered from steam scalds and burns.
The planes attacked the vessel from three sides si
multaenously and machine-gunned the decks. Three
bomb hits were scored before the bomber struck the
ship’s funnel. Nine Jap planes were downed by anti
aircraft fire.
I
i Argentine Steamer Picks
I Up 53 Survivors—Reported
Survivors U. S. Battleship
.
Buenos Aires, May 24
(AP) — The State Mer
chant Fleet office said the
small Argentine steamer
Rio Iguazu picked up 53
persons at sea. Newspaper
reports declared that the
rescued were sailors from
a United States warship.
The Merchant Fleet of
fice told of the survivors in
response to inquiries after,
the Italian renewed claims
to having sunk a battle
ship with a submarine in,
the Atlantic off Brazil. The
Italians had announced Fri
day the sinking of an Am-!
erican battleship of the
Maryland class by the sub
marine Barbarigo.
Germans Assert Russian
Mass Attacks On Kharkov
Collapsed Completely
Berlin, May 23 (AP) — j
The High Command an
nounced that Russian mass'
attacks at Kharkov have
collapsed completely and,
military quarters added
that German troops have;
shifted to the offensive in
the gigantic battle for the
Russian city.
On the northwestern
front, the High Command
added, the Russians are
continuing their attacks
southeast of Lake Ilmen
without success.
The communique said
the Germans destroyed
452 planes this week while
losing only 45 planes.
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I . '
1 Lnemy Subs Sinks 19
Merchantmen in Western
Atlantic Last Week
|
New York, May 25 (AP)
— On the prowl in the
north Atlantic’s frigid wa
ters and in the Caribbean,
enemy subs were credited
officially last week to have
sunk 19 merchantmen! in
the Western Atlantic to
bring the war toll to 210 of
neutral or Allied ships.
The Navy placed the cas
unities for the week’s sea
warfare at more than 185
dead and 100 missing. 425
seamen and passengers
were rescued.
Japs Says North Carolina
Type U. S. Ship Damaged
Tokyo, May 25 (AP) —
The Japs announced that a
i 35,000-ton U. S. battleship
of the North Carolina type
was damaged, and a cruis
er of the Portland class,
sunk in the Coral Sea bat
| tie. in addition to other loss
[es previously reported in
flicted on the Allied fleet.
There was no indication
from authoritative sources
that either of the sister bat
tleships North Carolina or
Washington were sunk.
Timoshenko’s Troops Win
Newly Fortified Positions
Moscow. May 23 (AP) —
Timoshenko’s shock troops
are reported fighting from
newly fortified and new
won positions before Khar
kov. The Germans are hav
ing “alternate success” in
flanking counter attacks to
the south despite the loss
of 15.000 men killed in 3
days.
The information bureau
said “our units dislodged
the enemy from powerful
ly fortified positions.” The
Germans hurled 3 groups
of tanks into one narrow
sector but Soviet troops do
stroyed 39 of them.
Two Swift Strokes Against
Enemy Invasion Bases
Allied Headquarters In
Australia, May 22 (Delay
ed) (AP) — Saturday, Al
lied' bombers crippled two
Japanese ships, destroyed
seven planes and badly >
damaged six other bomb
ers in two swift strokes ag
ainst the enemy’s invasion
bases at Rabaul, New Brit
ain and Lae, New Guinea,
it was announced officially.
In the attack on Rabaul,
I a large transport was left,
in a crippled condition in
the harbor and six heavy
Japanese bombers were
badly damaged at the air
drome. “Enemy intereep
; tion was ineffective.”
A tanker was severely;
damaged at Lae and two
Japanese bombers and five!
fighters .were destroyed.
Japanese Claim Successes In China,
Most Crucial Sector of War in Pacific
UNDATED, May 25 (AP) — Japanese dispatches
claimed important successes in southeastern and south
western China areas. 1,500 miles apart, and which be
came the most crucial sectors of the war in the far
Pacific.
In the southwestern province of Yunnan. Jap forces
are reported to have surged across the upper Salween
river in the face of fierce Chinese fire, occupying the
hills which shield the bridge head along the road to
Paostan, 55 miles beyond.
Despite the handicaps of the rainy season in Burma,
generally counted on to forestall any major offensive
against India, the Japanese conquerors of Burma are
still a sharp threat to China, though terrific odds and
terrain lay between them and Kunming, eastern ter
minus of the Burma Road, and 375 miles from their
Salween foothold.
The other front where the enemy has perhaps a
more decisive position to gain a major victory, lies i:i
Che-Kian province, across China from Yunnan. Fur
thering successes last week, in the face of Chinese
resistance, the Japs in Che-Kian province carried tire
drive dangerously near the important communications
center and provincial capital, Kinhawa.
Southern (California lmicrooes
Fourth Black-Out of The War
LOS ANGELAS, May 25 (AP) — For the fourth
time since the United States entered the war Southern
California was blacked out last night. The Army Fourth
Interceptor Command gave the warning as cities and
towns of Los Angeles and Orange counties were in
darkness for 45 minutes. The Army order affected an
area 50 miles north and 50 miles south of Los Angeles,
and about 70 miles inland. The all-clear sounded at
9:39 p.m. Th military said the blackout was ordered
because of an ‘'unidentified flight of planes” which
later proved friendly.
Doolittle Makes Assurance Tokyo
Raid Not Be Isolated Incident
SAM DIEGO, May 25 (AP) — America may expect
with confidence that Brig. Gen. Doolittle’s April 18
air attack on Japan will not remain an isolated inci
dent. The assurance came directly from Doolittle, here
on an inspection tour with Gen. Marshall and other
military leaders.
The General spoke yesterday over the radio and
later inlarged his statements made in an interview.
He said "Our ships are the best in the world. The Jap
pursuit ships which came up after us never had a
chance.”
British Columbia Trapper Rescues
Five l S. Engineers from Drowning
r o
VANCOUVER, May 22 (Delayed) (AP) — From
the British Columbia wilderness country came the
story today of how Gus Hedina, trapper, saved the
lives the five United States Army engineers after their
pontoon overturned and 12 companions drowned in Is
land Lake on May 14th. A dispatch to Vancouver pro
vince from Fort St. John said Hedina twice braved the
rough waters in a leaky 14-foot rowboat with a cracked
oar, to pick up the five soldiers. He saw two others sink
; as he tried to reach them. One died when he lost his
drip on the rope tossed to him by the trapper.
Hedina said he observed the scow crossing the lake
; while making he was making his breakfast. When he
. looked again a few minutes later he could see nothing
! at first, then he made out heads bobbing among the
i whitecaps.
In a raid on Mingalodon Airdorme (1), north of Rangoon. 40 Jap planes were re
ported destroyed and 25 damaged by U. S. bomber squadrons. Tokyo said Akyab
airdrome (2) had been captured. RAF bombing near Monywa (3), west of fallen
Mandalay* served to aid British rear-guard action. In air battles over Paoshan (4)
AVG fliers were reported to have bagged eight more Jap planes. Jap bombers
struck heavily at Kunming (5), key city on the Burma Road inside China.