Salt Lake Telegram | 1944-01-25 | Page 1 | S L General in Italy Says His Airmen Ready to Smash Any Nazi Move on Beachhead

S 5 L I General in Italy Says His Airmen Ready T To Smash Any Nazi Move on Beachhead By Hal V V V. Boyle BoyleAN BoyleAN AN ADV ADVANCED AMERICAN AIR BASE IN ITALY J Jan 25 UP Iff Major General John K Cannon of Salt alt Lake City whose tactical Mediterranean air force flew Jew 1400 sorties in one day to disrupt German German German Ger Ger- man communications to the thc new allied front south of Rome declared de de- de dared Monday that the Hun al always always always al- al ways reacts react according to form and md andic n he ic must and will win attack o o or our r new beachhead The lIto stocky ky little year old general has h s been known affectionately affect as ai Uncle J JOe Joo since i ce the thed d days ys when he was one of the country's best known fighter pi- pi lots lot He said Tuesday Our planes already h have vc knocked out cut more ore than enemy motor transport vehicles and are ready to attack the Hun HUll any time I he moves I In his first general press conI conference conference con con- I ference since assuming his larger duties Cannon added The uThe still sun packs a awall wall wallop p but it is definitely whipped in this area The German now is avoiding combat against o our r fighters fight fight- ers in the th-e Mediterranean area to conserve his Ills resources resources B But t when we get into nto Germany he is going t to put up a h hell ll of a fight The Germans haven't Increased their air force torce in Italy materially since last August gust We want to wipe the out of the skies but the Hun knows his only chance of survival is to keep us out of Gerni Germany ny That is why he Is avoiding avoiding avoid avoid- ing ng fighter combat and trying to stop our bombers Despite the fact tact th that nt the Ger Ger- mans have been concentrating ng for Jor months in production of more fighters they have been unable to build up the their fighter strength materially A measure of ot allied superiority was Indicated by the fact that while the R A F and American air force flew Jew 1400 sorties daily over the Rome Rom Beachhead enemy sorties dropped from 80 on the first day dayto dayto dayto to 17 7 the next General Cannon said German fighter pilot quality has deteriorated deter deter- orated and that young nazi fliers show a lack of experience H He cautioned however that German I II I fighters lighters still must be reckoned recko with The nazis are keeping a relatively rela rela- small number of ot planes here because they are more interested in protecting the home land attack General Geneal Cannon said