Evening star., 1943-07-25
Land , Seq and Air
Attack Converoes
On Mt. Etnu Line
BY the Associated Press.

A<oN n hC MIA, y uly L4.-AllleQ
troops in IA days have annihi-
lated Axis armies in all of Sicily
except the northeast corner
trapping 10000 enemy soldiers
and are converging a shatter-
ing land, sea and air attack on
the last enemy bastion, the
Mount Etna line.
American tloops seized Marsala in
the lightning mopup of the western
part of the island, headquarters an
nounced Goday. and it was the Off
cial estimate that $4,000 more pris-
oners would be added to the $4,000
already in Allied hands. Americans
captured 10000 of this first 60,OO0
tReuters reported Allied troops
had entered Trapani, the last
major city ir Western Sicily, to-
day. The naval base, half way
between Marsala and Palermo,
had been expected to fall at any
moment as it was cut off from
aid. The deep water harbor will
provide excellent facilities to
speed unlca ding of American
supplies ard cut off the main
home base from which Axis sub
marines have been operating in
the Sicilisn Strait.
tReuters also said Termini. an
other port town 20 miles east OF
Palermo, had been taken, indi-
eating American troops were
striking swiftly along the coast
toward Mtssina. If they sue
ceed in reaching the northeast
ern tip of Sicily all the Axis
troops opposing the British at
Catania will be cut off,
Vital Road Cut.
The formidable British 9th Army
still is bartering at furious German
resistance around Catania, while
Canadian troops are stabbing at the
Nazi flank Ey land and Allied war
ships ranging the coast hammered
the Axis positions from the sea in
unceasing bombardments.
American armor and motorized
infantry. meanwhile, cut the vital
north post road at point officially
described as well east of Paler-
mo'-and therefore much nearer
Messina-and they are obviously in
position to strike via the back door
Of this final Axis stand in all Sicily.
tThe Rome radio indicated in
broadcast that the Allies were
landing troops about 10 miles
north Of Catania in the Acireale
area in order to smash Axis op-
position based on the Mt. Etna
line.
The Stefani report recorded
by the Associated Press said Axis
planes had torpedoed and sunk
an 8,000ton Allied ship which
evidently was supporting nu-
merous landing barges" in that
area.)
GA Berlin broadcast describing
a clash with the Americans at
Termini on the north coast, in
dicated that the 7th Army had
advanced at least 18 miles east
of Palermo. Other clashes were
reported with Americans and
Canadians in neighborhood of
Leonforte, about 81 miles west of
Catania)
Thus were the remnants of the
Italian and German Sicilian armies
being hemmed in by land and sea.
All the splendid system of 10
major airbases on the island was
either occupied by the Allies or
completely neutralized. Allied planes
beat on the enemy.
"A rapidly diminishing portion of
the island is all that remains to
the Axis today's Allied communi-
que declared.
Germans Resist Fiercely.
But this section, from Catania
past Mt. Etna to Messina at the
northeast tip of Sicily. was being
stubbornly defended and south of
Catania the Germans are fiercely re-
sisting the 9th Army's pressure" the
bulletin said.
(Alfred Wagg of NBC, aboard a
warship off eastern Sicily. said Brit
ish patrols several times had fought
their way into Catania itself. He
declared Catania was mot the core
Of German strength. This main
strength lies in the position of their
larger guns on the vistas of Mt.
Etna, overlooking the city ..."
(The Berlin radio asserted that
American forces pushing out north
east of Emma in central Sicily cap
tured two unnamed towns after
sharp fighting. but said German
troops concentrated and that a