World War II Chronicle: January 14, 1943
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While the story is not found in the Star, other contemporary papers reported the story of a former Soviet general who enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private. Alexander G. Barmine served in the Red Army, rising to the rank of brigadier general before fleeing Stalin’s purges. Barmine now serves as an anti-aircraft gunner, but he will soon join the Office of Strategic Services… Speaking of newspapers, today’s front page features a story that several newspapermen have taken the Associated Press to court, claiming collusion with the Federal government… Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher has been ordered to report for an Army physical…
“Joker Squadron” leader Maj. Phillip G. Cochrane is featured on page three, mentioning the mission that he skipped a 500-lb. bomb into a German headquarters building in Tunisia. Cochrane is a colorful character: during a meeting he was yelled at by Henri Giraud, the commander of Free French forces in North Africa, who claimed his forces that were seriously battered by the Germans should have had more air support. Cochrane reportedly said “You can’t hide behind a rock and have planes do the whole job.” Cochrane later got an apology from Giraud, and will soon team up with 75th Fighter Squadron commander John R. Alison in something called “Project 9…”
Eddie Rickenbacker’s copilot continues his story on page four… The strange-looking British aircraft on page five (better picture above) is an aerial minesweeper… On page eight, Capt. Thomas J. Lynch has surpassed famed Pearl Harbor flyer 1st Lt. George S. Welch’s victory total for New Guinea fliers. Welch flies for the 36th Squadron, which uses the Bell P-39 Airacobra, while Lynch serves in the 39th FS, which was the first unit in the theater supplied with the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. He had bagged three Japanese with the inferior P-39, but has recently added five more in the Lightning. Welch (currently with seven victories) is trying to be reassigned to another outfit that has P-38s. Oddly enough, all of Welch’s kills occurred on Dec. 7 — four in 1941 and three in 1942…
George Fielding Eliot column on page 12… Sports section begins on page 18, where Grantland Rice ranks the top pro football players… Brooklyn Dodgers center fielder Pete Reiser is joining the Army, and it looks like Joe DiMaggio isn’t far behind. Reiser was runner-up to the National League Most Valuable Player in 1941, the year DiMaggio was named American League MVP… Brig. Gen. Laverne Saunders’ football career at West Point is mentioned, having blocked for Harry “Light Horse” Wilson — one of Army’s most-famous athletes. Wilson is currently commanding the 42nd Bombardment Group (Medium), which will soon be headed to the Southwest Pacific. Light Horse Harry flies 45 combat missions during the war. Also mentioned is Chris “Red” Cagle, another hall-of-fame teammate of Saunders. The Army found out he had been secretly married, which was against code, so Cagle was dismissed from West Point. The three-time All-American was second only to Red Grange in salary during his playing days with the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers, a team he was part owner. He died suddenly three weeks ago (Dec. 26, 1942)…
Fred MacMurray, star of The Absent-Minded Professor, is pictured on page 39. In 1943 he becomes Hollywood’s highest-paid actor.
Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 14 January 1943. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1943-01-14/ed-1/
