The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-06-10
Planes of Every Type Are
Thrown Into About
Offensive By Allies
NAVAL FORCES HAVE
frightened BLOCKADE
Drive Against Europe on
in Earnest as Surrender
of PanteIleria Is Asked
BY GEORGE PALMER
United Press Staff Correspondent

UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
Allied Headquarters, North
Africa, June 10. - (UP) =
Allied air fleets ploughed
through increased but still
ineffective Axis opposition
Wednesday in a powerful Of
fensive designed to knock
out the Italian stepping stone
islands of Pantelleria, Sicily
and Lampedusa. Thirty-six
more Axis airplanes were
destroyed.
Airplanes OF all types battered
eight mile-long Pantelleria after
the italian garrison had rejected a
demand for unconditional surrender.
Twelve enemy planes were shot
down when increased fighter oppo-
sition was encountered, making
two day toll Of 10 over the island.
Fifty U. S. Liberator bombers from
the Middle East command dropped
$50, 900 pounds Of bombs on the
Sicilian airdromes of Gerbine and
CataWia, destroying an estimated
"a airplanes aground, damaging
others and "churning" the target
area with explosives.
Blockade frightened
Allied Naval forces frightened the
blockade of Lampedusa and Pam
telleria. "a London dispatch quoted
the Italian radio as saying that
Lampedusa was "encircled" by the
Allies)
Reconnaissance photographs mean
while showed that one italian Lit
torio class battleship had apparent
ly been damaged in the June 5th
raid on Spezia by U. S. Flying Fort
resses.
The Spezia raid found three Ital-
ian 35,000-ton battleships in the
harbor area, damaged one light
cruiser and hit another ship, accord
ing to earlier Photographic surveys.
Today the first information given
otu regarding the damage to the
Dattleships said merely that 1t ap-
peared that the bow of one had
been damaged and that identifica-
ton markings on the worship's deck
had disappeared.
Many Planes in Raids
A m eri lean Flying Fortresses
Mitchells, Marauders, Bostons, Bal
timores, Lightnings and Warhawks
took part in the renewed Shuttle
service" offensive against Pantalleria
the Fascist naval bastion which pi-
lots have reported was almost
blasted out Of the water by the COM
bined air and naval bombardment.
A formation Of 20 Nazi ME-109s
attacked one flight OF Lightnings
and the Americans shot down five
enemy planes, with It. Daniel Ken
nedy Of Greenleaf avenue. Med
ford, Mass, accounting for three.
One American plane was missing
after yesterdays operations.
The steady blasting of the enemy
outer defenSes was regarded as the
beginning Of the offensive that even
Lually will maize all out attacks on
southern Europe but the Algiers
newspaper Echo De Alger in front
page III llCIc pointed OuL JldL LIS
current phase Of operations is mere
ly a prologue,
European Offensive Launched
The offensive against Europe al.
ready is underway with the demand
for surrender of Pantelleria, the
newspaper said, but it may be that
the italian island will be reduced
soon by blockade and lombard
ment rather than invasion.
Even though Pantelleria did not
reply TO the demand for surrender
1t is probable that this rock without
water. which serves as a submarine
base, will be reduced by blockade"
1t added.
London newspapers today repeat
ed belief that invasion operations,
against the Axis were imminent and
the Daily Express said that Official
news" OF the landing on Pantelleria
was expected today, although official
sources failed to support such specu-
Continued On Page a.