Evening star., 1943-11-17
Americans Blast
Nazi Airfie|ds
Near Marsei||e
Troops Regain Port
Of Italian Heights
North of Venufro
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Al
glerS, Nov. 17.-American heavy
and medium bombers in a dou-
ble-ply blow ripped up two Nazi
alrfields near Marseille yester-
day and other bomber fleets
again pounded at German OBJ
Jectives in Greece and Yugosla-
via, it was announced today.
On the Italian land front, mud.
rain and snow begged activities, but
American troops in one brisk patrol
action regained some high ground
on Monte Santa Croce north of
Venafro which they had lost Mon
day.
Flying Fotresses knocked down -
out of 25 to 80 defending German
fighters over the air base at Istres
lie Tube near Marseille, where the
Nazis have concentrated bombers
against Allied Mediterranean Ship
ping. Many grounded bombers were
left in flames, and large fires and
explosions sowed over the field.
The Fortresses hit Istres lie Tube
shortly after noon. Fifteen minutes
later, B-26 Marauders escorted bv
P-38 Lightnings began showering
bombs on the nearby airfield at
Salon. They downed one German
fighter, hit grounded aircraft and
possibly an ammunition dump.
Athens Airfield Bombed Again.
Hundreds of miles to the east,
other medium bombers from Italian
bases again battered the Elevsis Air
field at Athens, starting 10 fires.
Another force of mediums attacked
Slbenlk in Yugoslavia. while
fighter-L 'Nnri hammered a. 300
foot veSSei "a Ancona. Italy, and
a smaller snip near Grottammare.
For the third consecutive day the
Italian front line remained virtually
unchanged. rounding out a week in
which Allied gains have been mea-
sured in yards instead of miles.
SnoWfalls in the higher mountain
areas hampered movement of men
and supplies.
Near the western coast, British
troops intercepted an broke up an
enemy patrol which crossed the
Garigliano River. In another patrol
clash on the mountain road beyond
R!onero in Central Italy. more than
a dozen German prisoners were
seized.
North Of AteSsa, near the Adriatic,
official frontline reports said British
5th Army forces improved their po-
sitions.
Three Allied Planes Lost.
Three Allied planes were lost in
the days air forays
The Fortresses striking Istres le
| Tube rounded out full year since
they first went into action in North
Africa. Half a dozen of them
bombed an airfeld near Bizerte No.
vember Is, 1912, a week after the
Allied landings.
They pounded Istres de Tube yes
terday in considerable force" rain
ing hundreds of high explosives and
augmentation bombs on the field.
boring through heavy fighter and
anti-aircraft defenses. This field
was first attacked by Africa based
/ planes in mid-AuguSt.
Spltfire fighter -bombers returned
again to Albania, attacking bridge
at main road junction near Bleak
south of Durazzo, scoring three di-
rect hits.
The blow against harbor installa-
tlons and the railway at Sibenik in
Yugoslavia was another effective
raid in close support of Yugoslav
guerrillas. From Sibenik the Ger
mans are conducting operations
against guerrillas holding nearby
islands.
The Mitchells struck Elevsis air.
field in Greece with what was
officially termed the aim of further
reducing the enemy air striking
force which is closely based to the
island of Leros." Fall of that
Dodecanese island, however, was
announced in Cairo today.