Oldest Newspaper In Alaska. 4*The News of the l)a\ In Pictures** Member ol 1 he Associated Tress
THE NOME NUGGET
VOL. 44. No. 90. NOME. ALASKA, MONDAY, JULY 6. 1942 p*r Cow 15<
4 Jap Destroyers Sunk In Aleutians
British Drive Axis In Retreat In Egypt for 2nd Day
American Air Force In China
Inflicts Destructive Blows on Japs
CHUNGKING. July 6 (AP) — Swinging quickly
into action, the newly established American Air Force
in China, inflicted destructive initial blows on Jap air
fields at Hankow, Nanchang and Canton, U. S. head
quarters announced in communique number 1. Es
corted by the Flying Tigers, the American Volunteer
Group, a squadron of bombers opened the assaults
with a raid on Hankow on July 1st, another on Nan
chang the next day, and a third on Canton on the 4th
of July. At all three places, hangars and runways
were pummeled. At Hankow and Nanchang. direct
hits were scored on Jap planes on the ground.
In the same four-day period, the communique said,
the Japs raided Chinese air fields but with only minor
damage, and losing six planes to he AVG
Army Surveyed About Third Of RJR.
to Alaska, up Rocky Mountain Trench
WASHINGTON, July 4 (AP) — The War Depart
ment disclosed that the Army has surveyed about a
third of the proposed railway route to Alaska, to sup
plement the highway. Engineers, working since early
spring with wartime speed and secrecy, have mapped
in detail some 400 miles of the projected 1,300 mile
route linking Prince George, British Columbia, with
the existing Alaska Railroad in the vicinity of Fair
banks. The War Department said plans called for the
extension of the existing rail lines by the shortest
possible route. Preliminary work is being carried on
by the corps of engineers, which is also building the
highway, with cooperation from the Canadian govern
ment.
“The survey follows in general Route B proposed
by the Alaskan International Highway Commission, in
an almost straight line up the Rocky Mountain trench.
The first step taken was a complete air reconnaissance
of the route.” It was said primitive terrain made diffi
cult communications between survey groups and div
ision offices. The survey is scheduled for completion
by October first.
Sul) Sinks Freighter By
Shellfire, Costa Rica Port
SAN JOSE. Costa Rica, July t
(JP) — A submarine attacked
Puerto Limon presumably with .>
deck gun. sinking the San Pablo,
a vessel which was at the dock
discharging cargo.
Puerto Limon is on the Atlan
tic shore of Costa Rica, about
220 miles west and slightly north
of the Panama Canal. The San
Pablo was a 3300-ton freighter in
the service of the United Fru;'
Company.
Axis Thrown In Retreat In Egypt
While l»i» Push In Russia Hailed
r
UNDATED, July 6 (APj — British headquarters
announced that Gen. Auchinleck’s Egyptian armies
have driven the Axis in retreat for the 2nd successive
day, while the Russian campaign sharpened and a crisis
was indicated. Germans claimed Nazi spearheads cross;
ed the river Don. A bulletin said British troops, press
ing the initiative, attacked Rommel’s forces in fierce'
all-day fighting in Egypt yesterday and “in a night at
tack drove the enemy from a strong point, inflicting
heavy casualties.”
Tiie New York Times said private advices indicated
that Rommel might fall back to Matruh, 110 miles west
of the present battle zone, to shorten his supply line
and await reinforcements. The Times quoted unofficial'
reports that Rommel held a desert meeting yesterday
with Field Marshal Keitel, chief of the German Army:
Gen. Cavallero, chief of the Italian general staff; and
other high officers to decide on the next move.
The Paris radio broadcast a report that Wave 11. the
British general who drove the Italians nut of Egypt and
far across the Libyan desert last year, arrived in Cairo;
and has g me into immediate conference with Auchin
leck. Wavell is now commander-in-chief in India.
German Press Hails Beginning of Big Push
In Russia, German dispatches described operations
Gandhi Prosposes
India Be Free
Bombay, July 6 (AP) —
Declaring that “India is as
much interested as her Al
lies in warding off attack,"
Gandhi proposed that In
dia be made free and Unit
led Nations troops be allow
! ed to remain to defend the
| country against the Japs.
| He wrote in his weekly
Newspaper: “I argue that
Allied troops, if they re
main, do so not to exercise
authority over the peop'e
or at India’s expense, but
remain under treaty with
the government of a free
India, at United Nations’
; expense, and with the sole
purpose of repelling Jap at
! tacks and helping China.’
WHERE STRATEGISTS LOOK FOR ACTION
Naval experts think the Jap attacks on Dutch Harbor and Midway (solid arrows)
may foreshadow (1) an attempt to conquer Alaskan bases, or (dotted arrows 2. 3,
4) attacks on the western U. S. coast, Panama or Hawaii, or (dotted arrow, 5) an
attempt to attack united nations bases south of Hawaii and the Japanese Mar
shall Islands. These bases protect U. S.-Australia supply route. Other experts
9 think Japs will now turn west and attack Russia.
along' the Don as “a big
broad offensive thrust.”
The Berlin press proclaim
ed it “as the beginning of
the big push.”
H i 11 er’s headquarters
said ‘strong enemy groups,
encircled west of the Don,
face annihilation, as Soviet
attacks, supported by
tanks, to relieve the pres
sure, broke down.”
The Nazi command ack
nowledged. however, that
“strong forces” of Russians
launched their own offens
ive above Orel. 210 miles
south of Moscow, and that
the Red armies were only
“partly repulsed” by the
counter attacking Ger
mans.
Sevastopol
Finally Falls
To Germans
Moscow, July 4 (AP) —
Sevastopol, Russia’s great
Crimean naval base and
fortress, has fallen as a
mass of ruins, Soviet Rus
sia officially announced,
but its magnificent defense
was hailed as a major fac
tor in holding the German
spring offensive and cost
the Axis upwards of 300,
000 soldiers killed, wound
ed. The Soviets announced
the Germans lost 150,000
casualties including 60,000
killed in the last 25 days of
the siege, while the Rus
sian losses for the same per
iod were 11,385 killed and
29,390 wounded or miss
ing.
A communique disclosed
that troops commanders &
wounded men were evac
uated from the city, which
the Soviet said was order
ed abandoned only yester
day. The Germans claimed
its capture Wednesday.
L. S. Subs Sink 3 Jap Destroyers,
Leave 1 Burning, In Aleutians on Ith
WASHINGTON, July 6 (AP)—The Navy announc
ed that U. S. subs sunk three Jap destroyers in the
Aleutians on July 4th and left a fourth destroyer
“burning fiercely.” Three destroyers were attacked at
Kiska where two were sunk and a third left burning.
The fourth destroyer was torpedoed and sunk at Agattu
where enemy transports and escorting vessels were
located on July 2 and attacked by Army bombers.
Today’s Navy report raised Japan's losses in her ef
forts to establish occupation forces in the western
Aleutians to five ships sunk: 3 destroyers, 1 cruiser and
1 transport; and 9 damaged, including an aircraft car
rier. All attacks prior to the Independence Div sub
offensive were made by Army and Navy aircraft.
Navy Announces 1 Attacks
on Jap Aleutian Occupation Forces
WASHINGTON, Inly 4 (AP> — Four new attacks
on Jap forces in the Aleutians were announced by the
Navy, including on* bombing attack on three trans
ports and escorting vessels off the island of Agattu,
35 miles south of A tu, on which the Japs made their
first landing on Jur ' 12. The Navy said >ther bomb
ing attacks were m.Je on enemy shore i~ illations at
Kiska. also occupied by the Japs. Agattu is 145 miles
west of Kiska.
Attack Whenever Weather Permits
The Navy communique said: “In the North Pacific
area, since issuing communique 90. on June 21st, the
situation in the Aleutians has not changed materially.
Long range army and navy aircraft have been engaged
on reconnaissance and attack missions whenever the
weather permitted.
“On June 21st. pianes dropped bombs on shore in
stallations at Kiska, but due to fog the results could
I not be observed.
“On June 25th, Navy reconnaissance over the Kiska
area observed one large cruiser and three destroyers
in the harbor at Kisk.a. The bow of a Jap transport,
which was sunk by Army aircraft on June 18th, was
clearly visible near the center of the harbor. During
the operations « Navy patrol pl< tt icked and
damaged by enemy aircraft but it returned safely to
its base.
“On June 20th, two Army planes attacked shore
| installations at Kiska but again fog did not permit
results to be observed.
“On June 28th, Army bombers attacked Kiska. do
ing further damage to shore installations.
“From June 28th to July 2nd, the weather was
j such as to render flight operations inadvisable
i “On July 2nd, a patrol observed 3 Jap transports
and escorting vessels off Agattu. Army bombers at
tacked in the afternoon inflicting damage, the extent
of which could not be observed. Our aircraft returned
safely having suffered only minor damage from anti
aircraft fire.
“On July 3rd, Kiska was again bombed by army
! aircraft but again observation of results was not pos
sible.’’
Japs Step Ip Attacks on Port Moresby
And Allies Heavily Attack Jap Bases
Allied Headquarters in Australia, July 6 (AP) —
The Japs stepped up air attacks on Port Moresby,
: sending 33 planes against the southern New Guinea
port, as Allied bombers stabbed anew at enemy bases
j in northeastern New Guinea, Timor and the Solomon
Islands. Twenty heavy Jap bombers, escorted by 0
fighters launched an assault on Port Moresby, follow
ed by a second wave of 7 bombers. The raid was di
rected at the airdrome but caused only light damage
and casualties, a communique said.
A bulletin said Allied bombers carried out another
heavy attack yesterday on Jap bases at Lae and Sala
maua which have been targets for almost daily attacks.