The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-09-15
Reinforced Troops
Slash Axis Foes
CONTINUED from Page -

the furious ground fighting but by
an unprecedented aerial operation
In which every type Of plane, even
including the big flying fortresses,
were thrown into support Of the
ground troops in stemming the ene-
my counter offensive. More than
1000 sorties were flown in the big
gest day Of air operations in the
Mediterranean campaign as the air
force came TO the aid Of the inva-
sion troops.
Strong Stand
(The German communique today
admitted that the Allies were max
ing q strong stand around Salerno
with the aid Of naval guns, but the
Nad propaganda agencies claimed
that the British at Salerno had
been cut off from the Americans
to the south and that the Allied
position was hopeless. The NaEis,
however, abandoned their claims
that the Allies were evacuating.
London thought the next "a hours
might be decisive.)
Many Of the most powerful Ger
man attacks were made at night
and the beaches were turned into
wild scenes Of battle, with guns and
fires roaring through the darkness
and the sand and hills Uttered with
wreckage. Both sides obviously
suffered heavy losses, q spokesman
said.
Allied spokesman made no at
tempt to minimize the seriousness
Of the situation and the obvious
strength with which the Germans
are throwing everything into their
attacks because the time IN which
they might succeed is growing
short. The Germans were rein
forced, including the 2oth motor
lied division which raced up from
the south, and their numerical
strength is probably equal TO fours.
The aerial operations were an
nounced as the greatest in the his
tory Of the Allied air force, with
everything possible including even
the big flying fortresses thrown di-
rectly into close support Of the
troops battling for their lives on
the bridgehead. Medium bombers
also participated In the unprece-
dented day and night supporting
action as the Allied high command
resorted to the most drastic meas
ures to break up the enemy counter
attacks.
Allied airmen said that the
scenes on the beaches were unde-
Scribable.
1.-THE sky seemed filled with
smoke" Sgt. Bernard Chovinard of
Fall River, Mass, said. Shells were
bursting everywhere. The Germans
were getting their share of 1t. Sew
eral of their buildings we're afire."
The Nazi artillery was throwing
a nonstop barrage of armor pierre
ing shells and high explosives at
the Allied beach positions and AL
lied ships off shore.
Most Powerful
The aerial offensive, which was
the most powerful ever sent in sup
port Of an Allied army, was supple
mented by Allied naval forces.
which moved in close to the coast
and battered enemy gun positions
and tank columns with their big
guns. One Of the u. s. cruisers up-
der vice-admiral Henry X. Hewitt
fired 355 rounds at enemy tanks
and machine gun nests In a day.
There was no question that Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower and his high
command had put aside any thought
Of evacuating the salerno bridge
head and were nghting with every
plane, ship and man they could
throw into the battle.
Although the Allied position seem.
cd to be slightly better than on
Monday night. the battle stu was
raging with great fury. The Ger
mans continued 10 make non stop
eounteF-attacks while their artillery
and small arms laid down an end.
less baFrage on the wTeck-lltteEed
beaches.
6ih Array Battles
Dispatches said that the sth Army
was battling nlagnitieently and hat
20 fag the Germans. uaing elements
OF up 10 five diviaions-.ha6 failed
IN their struggle, despite thelT gains
IN eountef-altaeks.
Frequently. the Americans rallied
70 make eeuntersattacks o. their
oNn 70 restore positions, despite
Ne enemvss advaniago n position
and his ability 20 rainloEce hle eolu
uulna with greater eaae and rapidly,
cine 0agman eommnmlaue today