Evening star., 1944-06-17
Flyer Reports
Signs Of Flight
From Cherbourq
MAP on Page Az
BY the Associated Press.

YUAN GftO, June 1I.-AmeT =
lean troops driving to pinch off
the top of Cherbourg Peninsula
brought the Germans last es-
cape road under hammering
artillery fire today, and a United
States fighter pilot reported
signs of German flight from the
cape and it's great port.
One American column beating
west of Carentan fought within
miles of La Haye du Puts, the
Nazis' last main road junction at
the shortest neck of the peninsula
and forces farther north had cut
Cherbourgs western railway by
seizing st. Sauveur lie Vicomte. Still
other Americans had recaptured
Montebourg, IA miles southeast of
Cherbourg.
Advance 2 to 3 Miles.
The Americans north and west
of ST. Sauveur lie Vicomte have
advanced 2 to 3 miles and estab-
lished themselves astride the River
Douve, it was disclosed later.
This was the only sizable gain
made along the beachhead during
the afternoon.
Even as artillery blasted the Ger
mans last road on their dwindling
western strip of the peninsula, an
American pilot said he saw enemy
trucks and staff cars moving south,
and declared he believed the Ger
mans want to get out OF there, but
our troops are moving in fast as
hell"
Although the pilot reported indica-
tions of possible German evacuation
below Cherbourg, 1t. Gen. Omar N
Bradley at a press conference held
earlier said there were as yet nc
signs the Germans were pulling out
He declared the Nazis might fight Al
long as possible for the port even il
the top of the peninsula were tso-
lated, perhaps moving their troops
out of the powerfully gunned city
in small boats by night to the Chan
mel islands and then to Brittany.
The Americans alone have cap
tured $500 Germans so far and
evacuated them from Normandy, he
added.
May Become \ "Sevastopoi."
Cherbourg threatened to become
another Sevastopol for the Ger
mans, with their escape cut of ex-
cept by sea, as happened in the
Crimea.
On the eastern end Of the battle
front, Allied headquarters declared
strong German attacks were beaten
off east of Caen, and a headquar-
ters officer said two unsuccessful
Nazi counterbloWs in the Eroarn
area, miles beyond Caen, were
extremely costly" to the enemy.
Toward the center, the Allies
punched out local advances despite
fierce opposition between Caumont
and Tilly-sur- -Seulles, this mornings
communique said.
tThe German high command
said Nazi counterattacks had re-
gained the greater part of the
forest area south of Bavent, 3h
miles north of Troarn, and east
of the Orne River)
Bad weather and rough seas
hampered unloading as well as other
operations and made it unlikely that
the Allies would start a full-scale
attack until the weather improves
and they can use their air superior
ity to the fullest.
Try to Penetrate Positions.
In the attacks in the Troarn area
Marshal Erwin Rommel used tanks
and infantry in efforts to penetrate
British positions at Breville and
Escoville, respectively, 7 and AZ
miles northeast of Caen.
1t was disclosed officially that
Gen. Bradley, who is American
ground commander, has two army
corps under his command, the 5th
and the 7th. The 5th is composed
of the 1st, I'd and 29th Divisions
while the 7th includes the 82d and
1Olst Air-borne and the 4th Infantry
Divisions.
American forces which captured
st. Sauveur yesterday after heavy
fighting were busily digging in and
getting set for an expected heavy
German counterattack. The ad-
vance farther west in this sector ap-
peared likely to be slow since the
country is marshy and hilly in spots
and lends itself readily to defense.
Even Greater Threat.
At La Haye du Puts another
American drive posed an even
greater threat to the peninsula
Capture of La Haye would cut the
last main road up the peninsula.
Minor clashes took place con-
stantly around Caumont, deepest
point of Allied penetration.
1t appeared both sides were build
ing up reserve forces for big efforts
likely to come when the weather
improves.
The Allied naval command re.
ported no E-boat activity during
the night, but it was not known
whether this was due to German
losses in recent air and navy attacks
against their bases or rough water
in the Channel
Drive Below Carentan.
One of the American columns
striving to nip off the Cherbourl
Peninsula had advanced miles
southwest of Carentan, and the Ger.
mans were faced with bitter de.
cisions-Whether to counterattacl
with all the strength they coule
muster or to allow their force
massed in the north to shift fo
themselves.
In any case, the peninsula wa
all but cut In two. The German
crisis grew more acute by the hou
I ID I