Description

Spearhead

Vol. 1, No. 3 — 2nd Infantry Division, France — Thursday, July 6, 1944

2 pages scanned

Issue 3 of the Spearhead carries the big headline “Yanks Enter La Haye du Puits” — one of the key objectives on the Cherbourg Peninsula.

Names

• Arnold, Henry H. (General — Commanding General, Army Air Forces; announced from Washington that German aircraft and gasoline production had been cut 2/3 by allied bombing)
• Brown, Charles E. (S/Sgt — born in Castroville, Texas; lives and farms in Los Angeles, Texas; Silver Star award)
• Click, Thomas P. (S/Sgt — of Paris, Texas; worked as drag line operator out of San Antonio; Silver Star award)
• De Gaulle (General — left Algiers by air yesterday; expected in Washington this morning; Bulletin item)
• Kviatek, Frank ‘Hardtack’ (T/Sgt — born in the Quaker City, Philadelphia, Penn.; has been soldiering for 27 years; makes home in Lawton, Okla.; Silver Star award)
• Loveall, Ernest B. (Pfc — born in Sherman, Texas; came to Army from Wilson, Oklahoma; worked in the Forestry Service; Silver Star award)
• Pettit, Edward Y. ‘Pappy’ (Capt — of Electra, Texas; Alma Mater is Texas A&M; parents somewhere in South America; Silver Star award)
• Reep, Roy H. (S/Sgt — born in Fayette, West Virginia; now lives in Bellburn, West Virginia; Silver Star award)
• Rogers, Floyd S. (Pfc — born and raised in Rising Star, Texas; Silver Star award)
• Shepherd, Ralston A. (Pfc — hails from Roanoke, Virginia; was a machinist in civilian life; Silver Star award)
• Weissman, Cpl (cartoonist — illustrated French girls liberation cartoon for Spearhead)

Locations

• Algiers, Algeria — General de Gaulle left Algiers by air yesterday; expected in Washington
• Arezzo, Italy — German resistance stiffening in front of west coast port of Leghorn and in Central sector; Allied troops gotten to within 5 miles of Arezzo
• Baltic States — lateral railroad serves German forces between Baltic and Pripet Marshes; Russians threatening it from Polotsk
• Belgium — American heavy bombers attacked targets in both France and Belgium
• Caen, France — Carpiquet airfield 4 miles west of Caen; men from Caen held firm through stiff mortar barrage and tank attack across the field; struggle continuing
• Carentan, France — American forces pushed beyond town and control the railway from La Haye du Puits to Carentan
• Carpiquet Airfield, France — 4 miles west of Caen; men from Caen held firm through 30-40 Nazi tanks in previous day’s struggle; struggle continuing
• Coral Sea — shown on Pacific map
• Dvinsk, Latvia — Soviet spearheads were yesterday less than 90 miles from Dvinsk and about the same distance from Vilna
• England, Southern — more flying bombs come over southern England in last 24 hours
• France — American heavy bombers attacked targets in France and Belgium; U.S. Marauders bombing two bridges in Orne River south of Caen
• Germany — United States Flying Forts bombed targets in Germany, Poland, Hungary, and France on triangular trip to Russia and Italy
• Hungary — U.S. Flying Forts bombed targets including Hungary on triangular trip to Russia and Italy
• Italy — U.S. Flying Forts bombed targets on triangular trip including Italy; attacked rail yards of Noziers in southern France on homeward hop from Italy
• Kowel (Kovel), Ukraine — German High Command yesterday announced evacuation of Kowel on southern fringe of Pripet Marshes
• La Haye du Puits, France — Americans captured the vital railroad station; fighting in the streets; first reported battle appearance of German Tiger tank in American sector of Normandy; 25 miles south of Cherbourg, 10 miles inland from west coast
• Leghorn (Livorno), Italy — German resistance stiffening in front of west coast port; Allied troops gotten to within 5 miles of Arezzo in Central sector
• Noomfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea — U.S. forces now occupied 2nd of three airfields
• Noziers, France — rail yards attacked by U.S. Flying Forts on homeward hop from Italy
• Odon River, France — British troops have again extended their bridgehead across the River Odon
• Orne River, France — U.S. Marauders bombers winging out to bomb two bridges in Orne River south of Caen
• Pas de Calais, France — American heavy bombers kept up offensive against German flying bombs bases in the Pas de Calais
• Poland — U.S. Flying Forts bombed targets including Poland on triangular trip to Russia and Italy
• Polotsk, Belarus — Russians have Polotsk in their hands; unhinged German line to the north; increased threat to lateral railroad serving German forces between Baltic and Pripet Marshes
• Pripet Marshes, Ukraine/Belarus — lateral railroad serves German forces between Baltic and Pripet Marshes; German evacuation of Kowel on southern fringe
• Russia — United States Flying Forts returned to Britain after triangular trip to Russia and Italy
• Vilna (Vilnius), Lithuania — Soviet spearheads less than 90 miles from Vilna and about same distance from Dvinsk

Units

• 2nd Infantry Division (U.S.) — publishing unit; operating in Normandy, France
• Army Air Forces (U.S.) — Gen. Arnold announced German aircraft and gasoline production cut 2/3 by allied bombing
• A.F. (Royal Air Force) — referenced implicitly; British forces operating near Caen/Odon/Carpiquet