Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 30, 1994 TAG: 9403290100
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Fresh German troops moved into the battle for Cassino, the fortress town blocking the road to Rome, and dispatches from the front indicated the Nazi garrison had succeeded in regaining a major foothold in the shattered town after 11 days of fierce street fighting.
The battle for north Burma grew more intensive as American and Chinese forces hit again into the east flank of Japanese forces where they had been cut off in the Mogaung Valley. Merrill's Marauders together with units of the Chinese 38th division took Shaduzup near the Indian-Burma border.
Speeded-up draft machinery pushed men 25 and under closer to Army service, but it meant lessening the induction pace for eligibles older than that. The Army and Navy asked for consideration of drafting of men otherwise medically unfit for service into work battalions.
A debate was developing over how far the government should go in directing business after the war work was done. Chairman Donald Nelson of the War Production Board saw a need for continued government control to give war producers an even break in getting back to non-war production.
The war had spurred development of new sources of natural rubber and of synthetic rubber so that when peace arrived rubber worldwide rubber supplies were expected to be double those of pre-war levels.
At the top of the Marines' list of Japanese souvenirs was an officer's sabre, preferably with a mother-of-pearl hilt. Another favorite item was radios, preferably portable ones.
George C. Agee of Patrick County, a flight engineer in the B-24 Queenie, was shot down over France following an April Fools Day raid on two German cities. He became a guest of the Germans for the remainder of the war.
Staff Sgts. John McVey and Fred H. Webb, both of Roanoke, were reported missing in action over Germany. Both were Jefferson High School graduates.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared in a radio address that the "guts of the German Army have largely been torn out by Russian valor and generalship." Meanwhile, the Red Army captured the Black Sea base at Nikolaev at the mouth of the Bug River.
Comptroller General Lindsay Warren described war profiteering in America as shocking. The former North Carolina congressman was sharply critical of war department contracting officers.
In an effort to halt 11th-hour panic buying by housewives near the end of ration-stamp periods, the Office of Price Administration cancelled all expiration dates and red and blue ration coupons.
The Germans, who were reinforcing their western front, made a strong air raid on southern Britain that was apparently aimed at Allied invasion preparations. Considerable damage was done to the coast town of Bristol.
Making its first important rules changes in two years, the national basketball committee raised from four to five the number of personal fouls a player may commit and made it illegal for a player to swat away a ball that was on its downward flight to the goal. The penalty would be the awarding of a field goal.
Navy bombers struck at Palau Island with 460 nautical miles of the Philippines, and Army and Navy planes bombed the Japanese base at Truk.
National D-Day Memorial Foundation based in Roanoke is selling commemorative bumper stickers for $1 and enameled pins for $5 as fund-raisers.
If you are interested in buying these items, write the foundation at 2551 Ave. S.W., Roanoke, Va. 24015, or call 774-7045.
by CNB