The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-23

man tank and infantry forces were reported concentrating along the northern flank of their salient, ob- viously preparing for another at tempt to break through the Stavelot Malmedy-St. With triangle toward Liege.
 Significantly, headquarters spokesman dismissed the triangle, where American doughboys first halted the enemy offensive, as 8 poor" defensive position.
 The German radio continued to trumpet exaggerated claims oof suc- cess all along the offensive front and asserted that only a small fraction" of Marshal Karl Won Rundstedt's operations reserves have been thrown into the battle thus far. The German drive, they said will gather full impetus in the next few days.
 But American strength also was gathering for the supreme test that both sides agreed could bring the war to 8 swift and disastrous and end for the Wehrmacht or drag it OAA 4O1 1SO41AZ1146 141O11G1lo AAlGO ACAl summer and beyonud.
 Headquarters spokesmen, grimly confident that the Americans would hold and ultimately crush the Ger man offensive, refused to divulge the measures now being taken in and behind the battle lines.
 The German DNB news agency said one counter-blow already had been set in motion on the southern flank of the breakthrough front. DNB said. It. Gen. George s. Pat tons rodgh-riding Third Army tanks and veteran infantrymen were attacking in force at the Ger man flank in major effort to chop off the mailed fist striking toward the Sedan.
 Headquarters refused to confirm or deny the enemy report, which asserted that Patton had been forced to pull his reserves out Of the Saar front to support the staggered First Army.
 The Third Army counter blow, if confirmed, would strike against relatively weak point in the Ger man salient in southeastern Lux embourg, where outnumbered units of the First Army already were battling Rundstedt'5s fanatical Elite Guards to a standstill.
 American infantrymen were dis closed to have fought off repeated German attempts to break through the lower Luxembourg front and capture the Grand Duchy'S capital.
 Tanks Stabilized
 The entire American line was de- scribed as considerably stabilized in and around the border town of Echternach, 18 miles northeast of Luxembourg city, and the forward progress of Nazi Panzer force that advanced five miles past Echter- mach to the Consdorf area was said to have ben stopped cold. United Press War Correspondent Collie Small revealed that Luxem- bourg's capital was saved only by the heroic stand of an American regiment that held 10-mile front .efore Echternach for 49 hours un- der constant attack by an entire German division.
 At many other points inside the swirling pocket overrun by the Germans in their seven-day ad- vance across southern Belgium and northern Luxembourg, strong Am- erican units were holding on grimly to towns and highway defenses that had been by-passed by the NaI tanks.
 German infantrymen pouring into the Salient in the wake of their Panzers were reported storm ing these pockets in great strength, and it was acknowledged that Ann erican losses might run high in that type of fighting.
 One by-passed stronghold in the Luxembourg sown or WiltZ was captured Thursday by Maxi forces following up main armored spear head through Bastogne and St. Hubert.
 Mud and heavy snow were re- ported hampertng the German
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