World War II Remembered

A summary of war-related events as reported in the Green Bay Press-Gazette from April 11 to April 17, 1944:

• HOME FRONT: Award of the Silver Star to Staff Sgt. Pete A. Sumers, an Oneida Indian native of Green Bay whose family now lives in Sturgis, S.D., has been announced … The action occurred during the Sicilian campaign when Sgt. Sumers was a platoon sergeant in a reconnaissance unit of the Third division (April 11) … Staff Sgt. Kenneth G. Servais has been awarded the Air Medal for his service as a bombardier, stationed somewhere in England, according to word received from overseas by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Servais, 417 S. Oakland Ave. (April 12) … Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Rhoades, 201 Buchanan St., have received word that their son, Sgt. Ashley Rhoades, was wounded in action in Italy March 10. He was awarded the Purple Heart medal, which is being sent home to his mother (April 12) … The death of Pfc. Gilbert Kempen from wounds received in action on Feb. 21 has been reported to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Kempen, West De Pere, Route 2. Pfc. Kempen entered the service Aug. 26, 1941, and went overseas to North Africa last May. He took part in the invasion of Italy, and his last letters indicated he was stationed on the Anzio beachhead in Italy (April 12) … Pfc. Adolph A. Lindner, 27, son of Mrs. Caroline Lindner, 821 George St., De Pere, who was wounded in Italy Feb. 19 and remained in the hospital until March 11 has returned to his unit according to a letter received by his mother (April 13) … A notable event in Wisconsin is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, April 20, when a joint presentation of the Army-Navy “E’’ award will be made to the Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Company and to the Sturgeon Bay Boat works in this busy shipbuilding city (April 14) … It was just about a year ago that Sgt. Arthur McNamara, 21-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur McNamara, 425 W. Mason St., dropped out of a bombing plane 10,000 feet above the southern Solomons and the experience is one he doesn’t want to go through again — even though he did have a parachute and didn’t get hurt. This is just one of the episodes recalled by the Army Air corps radioman and gunner who recently returned to Green Bay after spending 26 months in the southwest Pacific (April 15) …

• EUROPE: More than 500 U.S. heavy bombers, flying from Italy, attacked German aircraft factories in the Vienna area today while Britain-based air fleets were sweeping toward Europe, carrying into the fifth day of the current campaign to cripple the German air force ahead of the invasion (April 12) … U.S. heavy bombers landed a double blow at German aircraft production today, striking from Italy at works in Hungary and from Britain at important plants in Germany (April 13) … Sweeping out of a cloud bank, Ninth Air Force fighter-bombers destroyed a score of planes on a German airfield in northeast France today and set fires in fuel dumps and hangars, carrying into the seventh straight day of the pre- invasion offensive designed to knock out the German air force (April 14) … Liberators of the 15th Air Force attacked targets at Bucharest today and Flying Fortresses streaked to the big Romanian oil center of Ploesti, giving it the fourth attack of the war (April 15) … The fall of burning Sevastopol, last major Axis bastion in southern Russia, appeared imminent today as Russian troops were reported smashing through the suburbs two miles from the heart of the city, while Soviet bombers and warships blasted at thousands of Germans and Romanians trying to escape by sea (April 17).

• PACIFIC: More than 26,000 Japanese have been killed in fighting in the Southwest and Central Pacific during recent months, according to the War department (April 13) … Martial law in Hawaii, starting point of the Pacific war, was ruled invalid by a federal judge but military leaders proclaimed it still in force today and said violations of general orders would be subject to provost court trials (April 14) … Allied forces, striking against the Japanese from land and air, carried into the fifth day an aerial offensive on the Kuriles islands, in Japan’s northern empire, while 4,000 miles to the south they captured Bogadjim, on the north coast of New Guinea, and were driving toward Madang, 16 miles away (April 15) … Important enemy positions have been captured in the Allied counter-drive against the Japanese invasion of India, Adm. Lord Louis Mountbatten announced today and very heavy casualties have been inflicted on the Nipponese (April 17).

— Compiled by Tom Perry

From:http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/local_15588021.shtml

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