The CHIVO Chimes 18 July 1945 Submitted by TM2(SS) Jerry Levy, Plankowner

JULY 18, 1945

WASHINGTON:
THE COMMANDERS OF THE NAVY'S FAMED CARRIER TASK FORCES THAT TOOK THE WAR TO THE JAPANESE HOMELAND ARE COMING ASHORE IT WAS DISCLOSED TODAY BY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY JAMES F. FORRESTAL WHO ANNOUNCED 29 FLAG OFFICER DUTY CHANGES.

THEY INCLUDED NEW ASSIGNMENTS FO VICE ADMIRAL MARC A. MITSCHER AND VICE ADMIRAL JOHN H. MCCAIN WHO LED THE FIRST AND SECOND FAST CARRIER TASK FORCES THROUGH THE PACIFIC UP TO THE FRONT DOOR OF JAPAN.   MITSCHER BECOMES DEPUTY CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS FOR AIR RELIEVING VICE ADMIRAL AUBREY W. FITCH WHO BECOMES SUPERINTENDENT OF THE US NAVAL ACADEMY AT ANNAPOLIS.   MCCAIN'S NEW ASSIGNMENT WAS NOT ANNOUNCED.   FORRESTAL DECLINED TO COMMENT ON REPORTS THAT MCCAIN WOULD BE NAMED TO A POST IN THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION UNDER GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY.   REAR ADMIRAL FREDERICK W. HERMAN, COMMANDER OF A CARRIER DIVISION IN THE PACIFIC, SUCCEEDS MITSCHER IN THE OFFICIAL TITLE OF COMMANDER, FIRST CARRIER TASK FORCE PACIFIC.

VICE ADMIRAL JOHN W. TOWERS, DEPUTY COMMANDER IN CHIEF, PACIFIC FLEET, ASSUMES COMMAND OF THE SECOND CARRIER TASK FORCE, RELIEVING VICE ADMIRAL JOHN H. MCCAIN WHO REPORTS TO FORRESTAL IMMEDIATELY FOR FUTURE ASSIGNMENT.   MCCAIN COMMANDS THE CARRIERS WITH ADMIRAL WILLIAM H. HALSEY'S THIRD FLEET, WHICH IS BUSY NOW OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN.   VICE ADMIRAL JOHN SOWIRS, COMMANDER OF THE MARIANAS, RELIEVES TOWERS AS DEPUTY CINCPAC.   ADMIRAL HENRY K. HEWITT, MEMBER OF THE NAVAL GENERAL BOARD, RELIEVED ADMIRAL HAROLD R. STARK, COMMANDER OF NAVAL FORCES IN EUROPE, AND STARK, WHO REACHED RETIREMENT AGE SOME TIME AGO, WILL QUIT ACTIVE SERVICE.   FORRESTAL SAID THAT THE REASSIGNMENTS, ALL EFFECTIVE WITHIN 10 DAYS, WERE MADE SO THAT CERTAIN OFFICERS WITH COMBAT EXPERIENCE MAY BE UTILIZED IN ADMINISTRATIVE POSTS ASHORE TO PLAN AND DIRECT FINAL PHASES OF THE INTENSIFIED PACIFIC WAR.

WASHINGTON:
THOUSANDS OF TONS OF FRONTLINE EQUIPMENT AND WAR SUPPLIES FOR THE CHINESE WAR EFFORT ARE BEING FLOATED TO THEIR DESTINATION BY THE SAMPAN FLEET BUILT UP BY AN AMERICAN LIEUTENANT, A US ARMY ENLISTED MAN AND A SPANISH CIVILIAN FAMOUS AS A CENTRAL ASIA EXPLORER.   LT. WILLIAM R. ANDREWS OF HIGH POINT, N.C. AND T/S GEORGE M. DIDIOW OF ALABAMA GAVE FULL CREDIT FOR ORGANIZATION TO THEIR CO-WORKER, GEORGE SODABOM, WHOSE PARENTS ARE FORMER MISSIONARIES FROM CHINA.

THEIR FLEET IS COMPOSED OF WRECKED VESSELS CONTRIBUTED BY THE CHINESE NAVY, JUNKS LENT BY LOCAL MAGISTRATES, AND SAMPANS WHICH CARRY TWO TO FIFTY TONS.   THE TOTAL NUMBER IS ALMOST 500 VESSELS.   CORP. ARTHUR L. BRADSTREET, OF BOSTON, FITTED A FEW AMERICAN BOAT ENGINES AND A COUPLE OF SALVAGED JEEP MOTORS ONTO SAMPANS IN AN EFFORT TO DOUBLE THE SPEED OF HIS RIVER OPERATION.   CAPTAIN CHANG K. HUM, OF DOVER, DELEWARE, GATHERS RICE FOR THE CHINESE ARMY FROM A 100 MILE AREA AND SHIPS IT DOWNRIVER TO A TRUCK POINT FOR TRANSHIPMENT TOWARD THE FRONT.   AT ONE RESHIPMENT DEPOT PRIVATE PATRICK J. EGAN OF

NEW YORK SUPERVISES THE LOADING AND UNLOADING OF RICE WHICH MUST MOVE DOWNSTREAM.   LT. CHARLES CLARKSON OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON SUPERVISES THE PAYMENT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CHINESE CURRENCY TO THOUSANDS OF CHINAMEN OR RIVER BOATMEN AND COOLIES WHO DRAG JUNKS WITH QUARTER MILE LONG ROPES THROUGH THE RAPIDS.   PFC. ROBERT J. BANE OF SCOTTSBURG, INDIANA HAS THE TITLE OF RIVER PILOT ON ONE OF THE LARGER MOTORIZED SAMPAN FERRYING GROUPS ON THE RIVERS.

THE ENTIRE SAMPAN FLEET WAS DESCRIBED AS AN INTEGRAL LINK IN THE VAST TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.   IN THE AREA WHERE MOTOR FUEL IS AT A MINIMUM TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS OF THE US ARMY RESORTED TO ONE OF THE MOST PRIMITIVE AND YET MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS AVAILABLE TO OVERCOME LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS OF MOVING EAST THE THOUSANDS OF TONS OF SUPPLIES ARRIVING IN WESTERN CHINA BY AIR AND LAND OVER THE STILLWELL ROAD.

WASHINGTON:
AN ALLEGED SADISTRY RETREAT (QUEER JOINT) LESS THAN TWO BLOCKS FROM THE WHITEHOUSE WHERE HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND OTHERS RECEIVED MASSAGE TREATMENTS FOR A MINIMUM FEE OF $20.00 FOR 15 MINUTES WAS RAIDED BY US MARSHALS.   CARMEN BEACH, 29, FORMER DANISH DANCER WHO FIGURED IN A SUIT BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT WAS IN BAD AGAIN.   POLICE DESCENDED ON THE HOUSE JUST UP PENNSYLVANIA AVE. FROM THE WHITEHOUSE, SENDING THE CRY OF POLICE ECHOING THROUGH AN INTER-COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM (NO RELATION TO THE 7MC).   PATROLMEN BURST THROUGH THE DOOR WHICH A US MARSHAL HELD OPEN AFTER GAINING ADMITTANCE BY POSING AS A PATRON.   POLICE ARRESTED FIVE WOMEN, FOUR OF WHOM WERE REPORTED TO BE ENTIRELY NUDE, AND FIVE MEN, TWO OF WHOM WERE DISCLOSED AS HIGH OFFICIALS.

OFFICERS FOUND A NUMBER OF LIGHTWEIGHT BAMBOO RODS ABOUT 40 INCHES LONG AND BRAIDED WITH RAWHIDE THONGS WHICH PRESUMABLY WERE USED FOR FLOGGING.   POLICE SAID THE RAID WAS THE FIRST TO UNCOVER SUCH EXTREMES OF PERVESITY HERE.   THERE WERE FIVE ROOMS INCLUDING A LIVING ROOM AND FOUR OTHERS EQUIPPED WITH MASSAGE UNITS AND EACH HAD SIX FOOT PADDED WALLS.   ENTRANCE WAS MADE THROUGH A GLASS DOOR BEYOND WHICH THERE WAS A WOODEN DOOR WITH A SMALL PEEP HOLE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN SPEAKEASIES.   A GONG SOUNDED AS A CUSTOMER ENTERED THE WOODEN DOOR AND THE ARRIVAL WAS ALSO ANNOUNCED BY A SPEAKER SYSTEM.   MISS BEACH, FORMER DANCER AT THE COPACABANA, WAS CONVICTED PREVIOUSLY OF PARTICIPATING IN SEX PLEASURES WITH THE CAPITAL'S NOTABLES TWO YEARS AGO, AND AS A WHITE SLAVER.

MANILA:
OVERALL JAPANESE CASUALTIES IN THE PHILLIPINES CAMPAIGN HAVE RISEN TO 428,732 AS COMPARED TO TOTAL AMERICAN ARMY LOSSES IN KILLED, WOUNDED, AND MISSING OF 54,502.   NIPPON CASUALTIES WERE INCREASED BY 4,879 COUNTED DEAD AND 608 CAPTURED LAST WEEK AS AMERICAN TROOPS PUSHED MOPPING UP OPERATIONS, GENERAL MACARTHUR REPORTED MODAY.

MANILA:
CAPTURE OF ANOTHER OF BORNEOS GREAT OIL FIELDS WAS EXPECTED MOMENTARILY AS HARD HITTING AUSTRALIAN TROOPS MONDAY BORED INTO THE SWAMPLAND NEAR THE ISLANDS EAST COAST NORTH OF BALIKPAPAN.   THE JAPANESE RESISTED FIERCELY WHEN THE AUSSIES FIRST STARTED THEIR NORTHWARD DRIVE ALONG THE COAST BUT THE SOLDIERS FROM DOWN UNDER ADVANCED FIVE MILES IN TWO DAYS WITHOUT OPPOSITION.

GUAM:
FOUR JAPANESE CITIES WERE STRUCK BY FIRE BOMBS MONDAY AS FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY TO FIVE HUNDRED SUPERFORTS JOINED IN A RAID OF BLOWS BY SEA AND AIR THAT IN FOUR DAYS HAVE SOWED RUIN ACROSS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE ENEMY'S ISLAND.   ROARING OUT OF THE MARIANAS THE SKY FLEET DUMPED TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED TONS OF INCENDIARIES BEFORE DAWN ON THE FOUR INDUSTRIAL CITIES SPACED ALONG A FOUR HUNDRED SIXTY MILE STRETCH FROM THE TOKYO AREA SOUTHWESTWARD TO THE INLAND SEA.   THEY HIT TWENTY FOUR HOURS AFTER A SMALLER FORCE OF SUPERFORTS TAKING OVER THE ATTACK FROM THE US THIRD FLEET TURNED ONE OF JAPANS MOST IMPORTANT REFINERY CENTERS LEFT ON THE INLAND SEA INTO AN INFERNO.

GUAM:
AMERICAN FORCES HAVE MOVED UP TO WITHIN THREE HUNDRED TEN MILES OF JAPAN WITH THE UNOPPOSED CAPTURE OF EIGHT MILE LONG IHIYA ISLAND TWENTY MILES NORTHWEST OF OKINAWA.   OCCUPATION OF THIS ISLAND AND OF AGUNI THIRTY FIVE MILES WEST OF OKINAWA SIX DAYS LATER WAS ANNOUNCED MONDAY BY ADMIRAL NIMITZ.

POTSDAM:
PRESIDENT TRUMAN AND PRIME MINISTER CHURCHILL TALKED INFORMALLY MONDAY AND MADE UNHERALDED TOURS OF THE RUINS OF CONQUERED BERLIN AND PREPARED TO MEET PREMIER STALIN IN THE FIRST SESSION OF THE SIGNIFICANT POTSDAM CONFERENCE.   WITH THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN BELIEVED HIGH ON THE AGENDA AND THE PEACE OF EUROPE THE OBJECTIVE OF EACH ALLIED LEADER THE BIG THREE WERE EXPECTED TO SIT DOWN TOGETHER TUESDAY.   THE FULL SCALE OPENING APPARENTLY HAD BEEN POSTPONED FROM MONDAY.   ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO SOVIET ANNOUNCEMENT IT WAS GENERALLY BELIEVED THAT STALIN AND SOVIET FOREIGN COMMISSIONER MOLOTOV ALREADY WERE IN POTSDAM AFTER A DELAY IN ARRIVAL.   A SOVIET SPOKESMAN SAID MERELY "THEY WILL BE HERE IN TIME FOR THE OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE."   EMERGING SEPARATELY FROM BEHIND THE WALL OF SECRECY AND THE THOUSANDS OF CRACK AMERICAN, BRITISH, AND RUSSIAN TROOPS GUARDING THE KAISER WILHELM CASTLE, TRUMAN AND CHURCHILL EACH WITH HIS RETINUE OF ADVISORS AND HIGH MILITARY CHIEFS RODE THROUGH THE WRECKAGE OF BERLIN DURING THE AFTERNOON.   IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT HAD VISITED BERLIN.   TRUMAN, IN FACT, IS THE FIRST AMERICAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO SET FOOT ON GERMAN SOIL.  

EARLIER CHURCHILL CALLED ON PRESIDENT TRUMAN AT ELEVEN THIRTY AM BEING DRIVEN THERE BY HIS DAUGHTER MARY CHURCHILL.   IT WAS THEIR FIRST MEETING.   CHURCHILL WAS ACCOMPANIED BY FOREIGN MINISTER ANTHONY EDEN.   THEY WERE GREETED BY ADMIRAL LEAHY, PRESIDENT TRUMAN'S PERSONAL CHIEF OF STAFF.   WHAT TRUMAN AND CHURCHILL TALKED ABOUT WAS NOT KNOWN.   ALL THAT WAS TOLD TO THE MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED ALLIED CORRESPONDENTS QUARTERED IN THE PRESS CAMP IN THE ADJACENT SUBURB OF ZEVLEADORF WAS THAT IT WAS A COURTESY CALL.   NEVERTHELESS THERE WAS MUCH SPECULATION IN BERLIN WITH REGARD TO RUSSIA'S FUTURE ROLE IN THE PACIFIC WAR.   THE DEFEAT OF JAPAN WAS THE MAIN PROBLEM ON TRUMAN'S MIND AND CHURCHILL HAD PLEDGED BRITAIN'S AID.

BRUSSELS:
PRIME MINISTER VANACKER ANNOUNCED MONDAY AFTER A FOUR HOUR CABINET MEETING THAT PARLIMENT WOULD BE CONVIENED TUESDAY TO WORK OUT THE NEXT STEP IN THE IMPASSE PRODUCED BY KING LEOPOLD'S DECISION THAT HE WOULD NOT ABDICATE NOR RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO BELGIUM.

CALCUTTA:
BRITISH TROOPS HAVE CAPTURED FIVE JAPANESE HELD BURMESE VILLAGES IN THE SITTANG RIVER BEND NORTHEAST OF RANGOON AND ARE CLOSING IN ON THE POCKETED ENEMY STRONGHOLD OF MYITKYA AFTER PUTTING JAPANESE RAIDERS TO FLIGHT, ADMIRAL MOUNTBATTEN ANNOUNCED MONDAY.

WASHINGTON:
PRESIDENT TRUMAN ANNOUNCED MONDAY THAT MANPOWER SHORTAGES IN WESTERN RAILROADS ARE BECOMING SO SERIOUS THAT THEY IMPOSE GRAVE DELAYS IN THE MOVEMENT OF SUPPLIES TO THE JAPANESE AREA.   IN A STATEMENT SENT FROM HIS CONFERENCE HEADQUARTERS AT POTSDAM, GERMANY, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAID THAT THE WESTERN RAILROADS NEED SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND MEN AT ONCE AND NEED THEM BADLY.

WASHINGTON:
LOSSES OF SUPERFORTRESSES HAVE AVERAGED ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE THAN ONE PLANE PER MISSION SINCE THE GIANT BOMBERS BEGAN OPERATIONS MORE THAN A YEAR AGO.   AN ARMY AIR FORCES SUMMARY ISSUED TUESDAY SHOWED A TOTAL TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE MISSIONS FLOWN AND TWO HUNDRED NINTY-ONE SUPERFORTRESSES LOST BETWEEN JUNE 6TH, 1944, THE DATE OF THE FIRST B29 STRIKE AGAINST ENEMY INSTALLATIONS AT BANGKOK, THAILAND AND JULY 9TH, 1945.

PRINCETON, N.J.:
LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION BOB MONTGOMERY SUFFERED A WRENCHED SHOULDER AND BACK AND LACERATIONS ON THE LEFT LEG IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT NEAR HERE.   MONTGOMERY, HIS WIFE AND SON WERE ENROUTE TO HIS HOME IN PHILADELPHIA SATURDAY NIGHT AFTER WITNESSING THE BOUT BETWEEN WILLIE HOYCE AND BOBBY RUFFIN.

WASHINGTON:
THE NEW CRITICAL SCORE FOR ARMY DISCHARGES EXPECTED TO BE ANNOUNCED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WILL BE BASED UPON POINTS ACCUMULATED ONLY UP TO LAST MAY TWELFTH.   WAR DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAID MONDAY A NEW COMPILATION OF POINTS TOTALS INCLUDING THOSE ACCUMULATED SINCE LAST MAY PROBABLY WILL BE MADE LATE THIS YEAR.   THE NEW CRITICAL SCORE WILL BE LOWER THAN THE EIGHTY-FIVE POINTS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED THIS SPRING BUT THE REDUCTION PROBABLY WILL NOT BE LARGE.   THIS LOWERING OF THE TOTAL SCORE WILL MAKE MORE SOLDIERS ELIGIBLE ON A POINT BASIS FOR DISCHARGE EVEN THOUGH THAY ARE UNABLE TO FIGURE IN NEW POINTS EARNED SINCE MAY TWELFTH.

NEW YORK:
STAFF SEARGENT BELLA SHARP OF LESLIE, S.C. WHO PROVED THAT LITTLE LADIES CAN KEEP BIG SECRETS RETURNED HERE SUNDAY FROM EUROPE ARRIVING BY AIR WITH THE FIRST FULL CONTINGENT OF WACS TO COME HOME UNDER THE ARMY'S REDEPLOYMENT PROGRAM.   SGT. SHARP WHO WORKED AS A STENOGRAPHER ON PREINVASION PLANS SAID SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF THE FIRST DIVISION WHO KNEW WHEN D DAY WAS COMING.

SAN FRANCISCO:
PREDICTING AN EARLY INVASION OF JAPAN RADIO TOKYO IN A BROADCAST PICKED UP HERE BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION SAID MONDAY "THE HOMELAND DECISIVE BATTLE IS THE DECISIVE BATTLE OF ALL DECISIVE BATTLES."

PITTSBURG:
SAFE CRACKERS BROKE INTO THE SHADYSIDE THEATER AND ROBBED THE STRONGBOX.   THE PICTURE ADVERTISED ON THE MARQUEE WAS "HAVING A WONDERFUL CRIME."

NEW HAVEN, CONN:
A SIGH IN A NEW HAVEN GROCERY STORE WINDOW READS "GOING OUT OF BUSINESS UNTIL WE MEAT AGAIN"

NATIONAL LEAGUE PROBABLE PITCHERS:
NEW YORK----- EMMERICH 3 TO 4 AND BREWER 2 TO 2
CHICAGO------ VANDENBERG 3 TO 2 AND WYSE 11 TO 5
BROOKLYN----- GREGG 10 TO 4 AND LOMBARDI 5 TO 5
PITTSBURGH--- SEWELL 9 TO 7 AND ROE 6 TO 6
PHILADELPHIA- MONTEAGUZO 0 TO 0 AND MAUNEY 1 TO 3
CINCINNATI--- WALTERS 7 TO 7 AND FOX 4 TO 2
BOSTON------- HUTCHINSON 4 TO 2 AND JAVERY 1 TO 2
ST LOUIS----- BURKSARNT 9 TO 4 AND WILLKS 4 TO 6

AMERICAN LEAGUE PROBABLE PITCHERS:
NEW YORK----- BOROWY 10 TO 5 AND ZUBER 2 TO 3
CLEVELAND---- BAGUY 4 TO 8 AND SMITH 3 TO 6
BOSTON------- HAUSMANN 5 TO 4 AND LEFLIGH 10 TO 2
CHICAGO------ GROVE 9 TO 4 AND HUMPHRIES 3 TO 6
PHILADELPHIA- CHRISTONSEN 11 TO 5 AND BLACK 1 TO 3
ST LOUIS----- SHILEY 3 TO 7 AND HOLLINGSWORTH 2 TO 4
WASHINGTON--- PIERTTI 3 TO 4 AND WOLFF 9 TO 5