World War II Chronicle: November 18, 1942
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Harry H. Semmes, who served as a Washington, D.C. lawyer in between world wars is mentioned on the front page. Semmes fought with George S. Patton’s tank corps during the First World War where he earned two Distinguished Service Crosses for valor. He will earn a third in 1943 and ultimately reaches the rank of brigadier general. His son Harry Jr. drops out of college to enlist in the Army after Pearl Harbor. He joins an armored cavalry regiment and fights in the Pacific Theater, where he too earns a Distinguished Service Cross. Brothers Rafael and John also became Army officers and fought in Europe…
Page four Gen. Patton tells a few stories about Col. Demas T. Craw, who was killed by a French machinegunner as American officers attempted to negotiate surrender with Vichy French forces during the Operation TORCH landings. Craw had flown missions in several countries as an American observer flying with the Royal Air Force before the United States entered World War II, and he is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his volunteer mission. Since the Jeep Craw was riding carried a white flag, the French capture the surviving Americans (Maj. Pierpont M. Hamilton and Pfc. Orris V. Corey) and hold them for several days until they surrender. Hamilton is also awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the landing, making these two officers the first Army Air Force Medal of Honor recipients and theirs are the only ones not awarded for aerial combat…
Page seven tells of USS Smith, who kept fighting despite half of the ship being on fire and flooded, the bridge abandoned, and much of the crew killed or wounded. The ship’s crew earns the Presidential Unit Citation…
On page ten we learn that Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker was rescued by a two-seat observation floatplane and had to be tied to the wing while the plane taxied 40 miles to shore… George Fielding Eliot column on page 11…. Sports section begins on page 48, which features a column by Grantland Rice… The “Philippine Escape” series concludes on page 33… Story on air force glider operations on page 37
Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 18 November 1942. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1942-11-18/ed-1/