Evening star., 1944-06-02
MAP on Page A-5.J

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Ma
Piles, June 2.-Strong American
tank and infantry forces were
astride the famed Via Casilina
barely 20 miles from Rome to-
day-sealing off the main escape
route from the Germans crum-
bling southern front-and other
Americans spread out through
the Alban Hills after piercing the
center of the NaziS' final line be-
low the city.
Fifth Army troops broke into Vel
letri in the center, on the Appian
Way Is miles from Rome, fighting
fiercely in the streets against the
cutoff enemy garrison. Beyond the
by-passed town, United State in
fantry battled on the Alban heights
within sight of the Eternal City.
Americans severed the Via Ca
silina near valmontone, and the
heavily punished Hermann Goer-
ing Armored Division now is fight
ing a rear-guard action farther
north and west" battlefront dis
patch said.
8th Army Nears Ferentino.
The 9th Army pounding up the
road the Nazis fought so flercely
to maintain as an escape hatch for
their mauled divisions -neared Fer
entino, leaving only Is miles of the
highway in enemy hands, and
French forces closed in from the
west. There was no confirmation
here, however, for an Algiers broad
cast that Canadians had entered
Ferentino, junction of one of the
few remaining branch roads to good
highways farther east.
American infantrymen drove into
Velletri yesterday. All the Ger
mans escape routes from the town
and vicinity have been sealed of.
Two miles to the northwest.
American troops fighting on Monte
Artemisio, in view of Rome's historic
buildings, were meeting very OBJ
stinate opposition" a communique
said.
Dominating Heights Seized.
This force had snaked beyond
Velletri and seized the dominating
heights Of Mounts Peschio and
Artenisio, catching the Germans by
surprise.
(The German high command
declared the dent the Allies
achieved northeast of Velletri
had been sealed off," with heavy
casualties inflicted. Berlin's
broadcast said there was fighting
of very great fiercenesss yester-
day, especially In the Velletri and
Valmontone areas, but that the
Allies had been heidi
The smashing blows against the
Nazi Line guarding Rome also drove
in another wedge by capture of
Lariano, a village on the highway to
Valmontone. miles northeast of
VeIletri.
Sought to Keep Way Open.
Marshal Albert Kesselring had
flung his touted Goering Division
into the line near Valmontone in a
bitter struggle to hold open the Via
Casilina.
Just last Friday American troops
had won Artena, 21z miles below
Valmontone, but it took a week of
fighting to reach the highway.
The British and French to the
Southeast squeezed tighter up the
highway, and the French seized
Ponte di Morolo, 3 miles below the
famous road, west of Frosinone.
Along the coastal flank of the bat
tie for Rome, naval guns again sup
ported the British push, bombarding
enemy batteries near Ardea with
successful results.
Is Prisoners Captured.
The first United States troops
struck into Velletri at Sis pm. yes
terday and on their march into the
town square captured 10 prisoners
Associated Press War Correspondent
Daniel de Luce reported from the
front.
Gwen two days ago German
broadcasts limited Velletri had
been abandoned, but Mr.. De
Luce's dispatch indicated the
Americans still were meeting re-
sistance and had not yet fully
occupied the town. His dispatch
was filed at 8:45 pm. yesterday,
Italian time.)
The Germans apparently still
chung firmly to Valmontone and
Lanuvio and Campoleone, toward
the coast.