Evening star., 1944-02-18
Japanese Report GroundFig
At Truk After HeavyU.S. Attack;
Allies Shell Casino for 6 Hours
Germans Heud-on
Assaults Hurled
Back at Anzio
Py the Associated Press.

Py the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
Naples, Feb. 18.-Allied troops
moving up under cover of a six
hour barrage from hundreds OF
guns, one of the most intense OF
the Mediterranean war, attacked
the town of Casino and the
slopes of Mount Casino before
dawn this morning.
At the same time Allied headquar-
ters announced that American and
British troops on the beachhead be-
low Rome, with the aid of one of the
greatest air umbrellas ever raised
in this theater, had beaten back
head-on attacks made by the Ger
mans in an effort to drive the Allies
into the sea at any cost.
The attack on Casino and Mon
astery Hill was with the benefit of
a deadly hail of steel which switched
like whip from the town to the
mountain and back again where the
Germans were holding out in pill
boxes in the torn and battle black
ened houses and around the ruined
Monte Casino Monastery.
Troops Attack Town.
The fire from these pillboxes pre-
vented the initial attempts to oc-
cupy the crest of the hill Just after
terrific bombing by Flying Fort
reSses and other aircraft which lev
elled the ancient abbey Tuesday.
Just before the barrage ended
troops went into the attack against
the town, where they have been
inching forward for nearly two
weeks in close-quarter combat in
the streets and where they al
ready held approximately third
of the city.
The violent cannon fire seemed like
a prelude to an all-out attack by
American infantry which has been
checkmated at Casino more than
a month. Once it falls. the gateway
to the Liri Valley leading to Rome
is preached irreparably and the
Yanks will be astride the Via CAST
lima.
Nazis Attempt Frontal Attack.
In the fighting around the Anzio
beachheSd, the Nazis attempted a
frontal attack straight down the 10
mile stretch of road from Corro-
ceto to Anzio, apparently willing to
take enormous losses to carry out
Adolf Hitler's demand that the
British and Americans be driven
off their springboard.
But they we're met by the terrific
smash from Allied air might, in
hundreds of Flying Fort
resses and Liberators.
ShoWering the enemy with thous-
ands of anti-perSonnel and fragmen-
tation bombs and other missiles, the
big bombers attacked all along just
behind the Germans front.
Clearing weather permitting the
air forces to take off in strength
also saw SWarms of medium and
lighter bombers roaming the battle
area and plastering the enemy al
most at will.
Allied airmen carried out 1,5OC
sortles, a record number.
Bitter Fighting Rages.
Although this had the effect OF
pinning down German armor and
infantry, bitter fighting still was
raging along the beachhead.
Besides making his main effort
down the Via Anziate toward Anzio
the enemy also struck in the Cis-
terna area. Two regiments pene-
trated into Allied lines, but Allied
headquarters said the American
British position was re-established
by prompt counterattacks.
At other points, too, German
thrusts were repulsed before any
breakthrough was achieved.
AS in launching their offensive
Wednesday morning, the Germans
supported their drives with intense
artillery fire. and sent larger than
usual formations of their air force
to support the drive; sending out 18s
sortieS.
Nazis Bomb Troops.
In some cases these German air.
men broke through the Allied sky
patrols and bombed Allied troops.
American heavy bombers flew al
most double their previous record OF
close support sorties, however, while
(See ITALY, Page ABB