Evening star., 1944-06-20
Yanks 4 Miles From Cherbourq>
Capture Va|ognes and Push On
As Bradley Steps Up Offensive
Germans Also
Cleaned Out Of
Montebourg
BULLETIN.

NEW YORK (P.-German
troops cut off at Cherbourg
by the American advance were
warned over British Broad
casting Corp. facilities today
that their position was hope
less and that surrender would
be their wiseSt move. The
warning was broadcast in
German by British officer.
By the Associated Press.
SUPREME ALLIED HEAD
QUARTERS, June 20. - Rein
forced American troops plunged
to within 4 miles of Cherboure
late today in an all-out offensive
Of mounting fury, and also seized
Valognes, 10 miles southeast o1
the great harbor.
The veteran United States 9th
Division spearheaded the deepest
drive directly south of Cherbourg-
a death pocket for perhaps up tt
$4,000 Notwithstanding to st. Mar.
tin lie Grand only 4 miles away.
On the southeast approach to the
transatlantic port, other dough.
boys seized Valognes and pushed 6
mile beyond, and cleaned the Ger.
mans out Of by-passed Montebourg
miles from Valognes.
The Germans were falling bacl
on the inner perimeter of Cher.
bourgs defenses, Associated Pres.
Correspondent Roger Greene said il
a dispatch from American fiele
headquarters. He added the Ger.
mans fell back from Valognes with.
out attempting a major stand"
The power drive directly south ot
Cherbourg carried the 9th Division
battering ram nearly 6 miles north
OF captured Bricquebec.
Drive North of Quineville.
On the eastern coast of the trar
Tightening steadily on Cherbourg
an American column drove 2 miles
north of Quineville.
Montebourg, won and lost by thu
Yanks in bitter street fighting ane
then by-passed in the push t
Valognes, now has been completely
occupied, supreme headquarters said
Toward the eastern flank of tias
long Normandy front, British force,
battling against a wall of Nazi armo,
struck 2 miles southwest Of Tilly.
srr-Seulles and seized Hottot-les.
Bagues. Two NaM counterattacks
aimed at retaking the town were
beaten back.
American forces on the west coast
also made progress north Of Barne.
vile. where the first break-througr
was made, sealing off the top Of
Cherbourg Peninsula. Opposition ir
this sector was reported light.
The Germans have three semi.
circular defense lines around Cher.
bourg, with the biggest stretchins
out miles from the port. 1t. Gen
Omar N. Bradley,s offensive ha.
pierced deep through this line ane
apparently has reached the secone
defense wall.
Port Being Demolished.
Air reconnaissance disclosed tn,
Germans have been demolishing tn,
port of Cherbourg and that it is IL
bad shape, indicating they had Civ.
en- up holding it for very long.
There were indications the Ger.
mans were weaker on the western
side OF the peninsula than in tn,
east. Heavy fighting has ragged ir
the Montebourg -Valongnes sector.
Drawing new strength from othel
sectors of the Normandy beach
head, Gen. Bradley sent his troop
surging northward in what supremt
headquarters called "co-ordinatec
attacks along the entire north front.
Over the heads of the advancins
doughboys American big gun.
hurled streams of shells into Cher.
bourg.
German broadcasts today ac-
knowledged that the Allies had
(See INVASION page AL