Oh!rst ^.evfSNLper la Aia^u, 'iae 01 me i>av hi Pictures*' Mem her ol i lie Associated Presfl
THE NOME NUGGET
VOL. 44. No. 137. NOME. ALASKA, MONDAY, NOV. 16, 1942 ?4: 05p/ W
Rickenbacker Rescued, Drifting 3 Weeks In Pacific
* — 7—777 7 .7 7
American Soldiers In Tunisia In Action
Against Germans, First Time Since *18
■
American Commander Wants t> '-mvash East Quickly
\s Possible and Kick Rommel’s Pants
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STRONG NAVAL FORCE IN MEDITERRANEAN
UNDATED. Nov. 16 (/P) — Tke Axes admitted it1
ni ived German and Italian forces into the French pro
tectorate of Tunisia, and British and American fight
ing men came to grips with them here in evident de
termination to give Hitler and - Mussolini a taste of
Dunkerque. An Italian commur que said “Italian and
German troops landed at Tunisia with the approval
of civil and military French authorities.” Whatever
French civil and military authorities the Italians had
in mind, this version obviously didn’t include the stout
hearted Grench garrisons at the Bizerte naval base and
the Tunis airfields, who welcomed the invaders only
with bullets and put up what resistance their limited
force permitted.
Allied sources said Axis troops in Tunisia, by the
middle of last week, had an estimated initial force
wh>eh aggregated 10,000 and -• sid desperate attempts
w.re be ng made to reinforce them by sea and air.
A Br'ti-.h and American ult force in Eastern(
Alga . earned across the border into Tunisia ap-1
pare;me e iy for any issue and able to back it up.'
i* From B./erto, Tunisia, a powerful force of Germans
re pert wily bombed Port Bone in Eastern A! gen e ad
vance base for the British and American attack.
Reuters said it recorded a broadcast by the Mor
occo radio reporting that Hitler ordered the German
force-- in Tunisia to hold on at any cost.
This is the first regular action by U. S. ground
troops against the Go: mans since-the closing days of
World War I, when doughboys and their French allies
smashed through the Germans defense along the Meuse
river and drove through the Argonne forest in an of-'
fensive which ended in the armistice. In the new meet
ing, the Americans were part of a predominantly Brit
ish ar mult force, under Lieut. Gen. Anderson who de
clared he wanted to smash east as “quickly as possible
and kick Rommel’s pants” in coopertion with the Brit
ish Eighth Army in Egypt. Rommel is reported still in
a racing light down the broad Bengasi-El Agheila road
where he is expected to try one more stand at Battlewa
field where he stopped another British army in 1941.
This battlefield is more than 500 insles from Ell Ala
mein Vill, 400 miles short of the escape port of Tripoli.
The Vichy radio broadcast a dispatch from La
Linean, Spain, reporting that two Allied battleships,
two aircraft carriers, four cruisers, and nine destroyers
sailed into the Mediterranean from Gibraltar this
morning. Such a force could hit heavily the Axis ef
forts to open troop reinforcement lanes to Tunisia ac
ross the central Mediterranean.
Report Negotiations U. S. and Canada
Extend Canadian Railways to Alaska
w
__ I
SEATTLE, Nov. 14 (/P) — Representative Mag
nuson said he was informed that negotiations are un-;
der way between the United States and Canada to ex
tend the Pacific Great Eastern Railway to connect
Prince George and Vancouver as the first link of the
Alaska-U. S. railroad already begun. He said he was
advised that three separate proposals have been sub
mitted to the Canadian government regarding the Pa
cific Great Western Line, which is owned by the pro- j
vince of British Columbia, and added “I am informed
that the Army is looking into the possibility of a rail
road from Fairbanks to tidewater in the Nome area,
and a highway is to be considered if a rail route proves
impractical” and is a forward to the time when a train
ride might be possible from Seattle to the Bering Sea. i
High School Gym Playfield Jamboree Nov. 21
cash HOOK PRIZE _GAMES — FOOD — DANCING__3:00 P. M.
Navy Reports Smashing Victon
Over Japs In Solomons. Destroying
23 Ships and Damaging 7 Olliers
2 u u
U. S. Losses: Two Light Cruisers and Six Destroyers
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (/P) — A smashing vic
tory over the Japs in the Solomon Islands in which 23
enemy ships were destroyed and 7 others damaged, in
the greatest naval battle of the war, was announced
by the Navy. Smashing into a Jap invasion licet bent
on the reconquest of the southeastern Solomons. Am
erican warships with the aid of planes, in three days,
sank one Jap battleship, 3 heavy cruisers. 2 light cruis
ers, 5 destroyers, I! transports loaded with Jap soldiers
and destroyed 4 cargo transports found b< ached on
Guadalcanal. They damaged a Jap battleship, 6 de
stroyers* and this was accomplished, the Navy an
nounced, with the loss of two light cruisers and 6 de
stroyers, the only American naval units reported sun!
in the action.
On the morning of November 15th, the Navy said.
American patrol planes found the Jap forces fleeing
northward away from the battle scene. There are no
reports of further action.
Battle Indicated On November 10th
An impending struggle of tremendous scope for
possession of the strategic Guadalcanal and Tulagi area
in the Solomons was indicated, the Navy said, when
aeri 11 reconnaisance, early this month, ^disclosed a
heavy concentration of Jap warships, transports raid
cargo vessels at New Britain, northwest of the Solo
mon region. On November 10th it became evident that
an expedition was under way in force. The Navy re
ported that enemy naval units, approached the south
eastern Solomons from the north, while other detach
ments, including many transports, moved southeast
ward toward Guadalcanal from Rabaul and Buin in
New Guinea.
Aircraft from MacArthur’s Southwest Pacific
Command were of great assistance to the American
naval forces both before and during the sea fight. The
Navy said Army bombers made repeated successful at
tacks on the enemy invasion fleet units at Rabaul and
Buin.
With a spearhead composed of 2 battleships of the
Kongo class and other warships, the Jap attacking force
reached the Guadalcanal area early the morning of
November 13th, intending, the Navy said, to bombard
American positions ashore, preliminary to a large scale
landing. Numerous transports were moving toward
Guadalcanal from Buin and the Shortland area as the
bombardment force approached the island in 3 groups.
It was engaged by American warships and a savage
light at close range developed. It was during this en
gagement that Admiral Callaghan was killed.
Confused Jap Naval Units Fire At Each Other
During a furious night battle, the communique
said, the Japs appeared confused at the unexpected re
sistance and “during the latter part of the battle two
or three Japs groups were firing at each other.” The
enemy fire ceased soon afterward and the Japs with
drew from the battle, retiring northward but the dam
aged Jap ships remained in the area, however, and
during the day of November 13th, were attacked con
tinuously by American planes. Late in the afternoon, a
large Jap fleet containing at least 12 transports under
heavy warship escort, headed for Guadalcanal from the
vicinity of Bougainville, again with the intent of put
ting troops ashore at Guadalcanal. Shortly after mid
night, the enemy warships bombarded American po
sitions at Guadalcanal preliminary to the proposed
landing but later as the transport group approached
the island it was smashed by an air attack. At least 8 enemy
transports were sunk but the remaining transports of the group,
however, continued toward Guadalcanal on the night of Novem
ber 14-15, and produced another close - range fight between Am
erican and Jap warships in the Guadalcanal area. Details of this
action have not yet reached the Department.
RATIONING OF FOOD PRODUCTS
W ILL NOT BE EXTENDED AEVSKA
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (/P) — The rationing of
food products will not be extended to Alaska. This was
announced by Rupert Emerson, the OP.Vs regional
administrator in charge of Territories and possessions.
He said if the actual need of general food rationing
arose in the Territory, “We are prepared to meet the
need.” The director said tentatively that the agree
ment reached, was previously confirmed, after extend
ed conferences with Mrs. Mildred Hermann, Alaska
Director of the OPA.
Food authorities in Washington said this been his
decision since the start of the rationing program.
Emerson said “We feel that the administrative
difficulties and the expense of fitting a food rationing
pr )gram to Alaska with its vast area and sparse pop
ulation. would overbalance the good resulting from an
extension of the program to the territory. This is par
ticularly true in view of the fact of the curtailment of
food supplies in Alaska and the release of only neg
ligible quantities of food for consumption elsewhere.
Delegate Dimond said the plan announced by Em
erson is excellent md w:!l meet the needs of the Terri
torv. Said the Delegate: “I think it is great, it shows
an intelligent decision and a k.-en realization of the
conditions in Alaska.”
Eddie Riikenbacker Rescued After
i loaling for 3 \\ eeks on Rubber Raft
i.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 (/P) — Dauntless Eddie
Rickenbacker was rescued in good condition, the Navy
announced, three weeks alter his plane radioed that
it was about out of gasoline and vanished in the Pa
cific Ocean. The American ace of the first World War
was picked up in a rubber raft bobbing on the sea by
a Navy Catalina (lying boat, with two of the crew,
600 miles north of Samoa. Three other Army fliers
who were along on the survey of the Pacific, are gone,
reported Air Force operations, located on an island.
The rescue pilot announced yesterday that the 7th
; man. Sergeant Alexander Caczmarczyk, aged 50, who
died of exposure, was buried at sea several days ago.
Col. Hans Anamson and Private John Bartek were the
I others on the raft.
President Sijjns Teen-Age Draft Bill
_
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 (/l5) — President Roose
| velt tonight signed the teen-age draft bill and ordered
1 a study program to enable them to resume their edu
utions alter the war. He announced also a plan to send
certain soldiers, selected solely on their ability, to
college during the war for “highly specialized duties”
in the armed forces. He said the “successful prosecut
ing of the war requires” drafting of the 18 and 19
year-olds.
Series Of Naval Engagements
In Progress In Solomon Islands
—
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 (/P) —The Navy report
ed that a series of naval engagements are in progress
in the Solomon Island area and “both American and
Jap forces suffered losses.” The actions began the
night of November 12th and 13th, Solomons time, the
communique said, but no details will be reported while
the battle continues.
The communique pointedly used the term “series
of naval engagements” and made it appear that
there were a number of scattered encounters between
the forces which have been trying for three months
to win domination of the waters of the area.