ARRIVAL OF SUPERFORTRESSES IN GERMANY

Grey River Argus, 17 April 1948, Page 5

ARRIVAL OF SUPERFORTRESSES IN GERMANY

LONDON, April 15

Twenty-eight Superfortress bombers landed, at Furstenfeldbruck airbase, Bavaria, to-day, after a 16hour flight from Goose Eay, Labrador, reports the Associated Press correspondent at Wiesbaden. American officers said General Clay immediately asked that some of the planes shortly make a sorties over Berlin. They will fly in the air corridor set aside for Allied travel.

The planes will be based at Furstenstenbruck temporarily before returning to the United States.

U.S. CONGRESS VOTES FOR LARGER AIR FORCE

DESPITE ADMINISTRATION’S OBJECTION

WASHINGTON, April 15. Despite opposition from President Truman, the Secretary for Defence. Mr Forrestal, and from the army and the navy, the House of Representatives to-day passed an oppropriation of 3.198,000,000 dollars for building a 70-group air force. Earlier to-day President Truman disputed the contention of the Air Secretary, Mr Stuart Symington, that lhe Unite dStates should have a huge 70-group air force instead of the present 55-group establishment. The President endorsed Mr Forrestal’s view that the nation must have a balanced defence programme. Mr Forrestal and the army and the navy opposed Mr Symington’s programme on the ground that a 70group force would be out of proportion to the ground and sea forces reouired to back it up by supplying it and capturing the maintaining bases for it.

Mr Forrestal wanted the present 55 groups brought to full strength.

Russian Craft at

Panama Canal Not

Allowed into Docks

(Rec. 11.40) NEW YORK, April 16 The Panama Canal authorities a’-e taking special precautions towards five Russian fishing craft which have arrived, unannounced, at Cristobal Harbour. They came on Wednesday. The shins are anchored off the Cristobal Flats. They are not being allowed to tie up at the ’docks. They are believed to be en route from Leningrad to Vladivostok.