Detroit evening times., 1943-08-30


aster. that the Allies have drawn for lessons
of experience in preparing the transport, the
landing barges and the swift methods that
won in Sicily.
IS TO the battles on Sicily themselves, the
"A cooperation of the Allied air service,
both strategica and tactical. was admirable,
as was the splendid control of the sea man
tanned by the Allied navies
Yet the conquest of Sicily was primarily
an infantry battle. In spite of the ample sup
ply of truck transports, the American soldiers
who overran most of the island, marched on
foot and were not carried refuting the delu-
sion that infantry no longer walks, but rides.
II confirms the doctrine that arduous
training in the burden of heavy pack, in
marching long miles and endless hours, is still
necessary for the foot soldier
There seems TO be agreement that the six
day battle in mountains and ravines. for the
capture of the German stronghold at the hill
town of Troina. was the hardest fighting that
took place on the island of Sicily, and will
teach most with regard TO tactical operations
A LII AROUND Mt. Etna the German divi-
"A sions made a truly formidable stand
They resisted the loss of every mile; they
artillery superbfy; and as they retired they
demolished every bridge, and mined and
obstructed every road.
For men who knew that they were fight
ing a losing battle, we must pay these Ger
man soldiers the credit of tenacity, courage
and unbroken morale.
The resistance of the German army is the
more notable, because in the final phases Of
the campaign the Luftwaffe failed them, II
had been terribly maued and obviously was
not replaced from the German air reserves.
The number of German planes wrecked on
Sicily is announced by Gen, Eisenhower 10
have reached the figure of 691 planes. while
Allied losses were 274. a ratio of six to one.
In the face of such desperate loss the Ger
man airpanes fled the Sican skies Our own
air arm continued its vigorous and intelligent
cooperation with ground forces quite to
the end
The German soldiers had to fight without
coverage and without such display ef
skilled air assistance, as they themselves
devised and used in Flanders and in France.
where the blitzkrieg was first demonstrated 10
an appalled, world.
This failure OF the German air force in
Sicily represents yve-may- believe its growing
deterioration the face of Allied air achieve
ment.
COME methods still novel to British and
~ American armies were introduced, like the
parachute and glider landings, in the interior
which preceded by some hours the early morn
ing landings on the beach. Intrepid AS was
this performance, its success may have been
only partial for these elements apparently
were soon overpowered
Tanks played part in this great battle,
but not a decisive part, should Judge, except
perhaps in the swift capture of Palermo, for
the mountainous terrain seems to have been
ill-suited 10 tanks. and the constant presence
and skillful employment Of artillery broke
their shock power
Gen. Eisenhower reports the destruction or
capture Of 200 enemy tanks. Berlin claims the
escape of 9S These two figures together rem
resent about the tank strength Of one pan1er
division.
ITO he continued