The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-06-17
Capture Important
 Road Junction Of St. eNehou
BY VIRGIL PINKLEY

(OnIteu EEess war NVEkeSpVM0pMSy
 Allied Supreme Headquary terS, London, June IT. 1 (UP) - American assault troops, already well across the enemy's last railway and main highway from Chers bourg, pushed to within seven miles of the west coast of the Normandy peninsulG today as an official report disclosed that 15,883 Anneri- cans had been killed or wounded in the first II days of the invasion.
 The Americans captured the inc portant road junction of St. Jacques de Nehou, 4.3 miles northwest uk St. Sauveur-Le Vicomte and l-z miles from the west coast, this morning after a night-long attack and pressed on in an effort to com- pjlete the severance of the pensin- sula and the isolatoni of Cherbourg, United Press war correspondent Henry T. Gorrlel reported from the front.
 St. Sauveur-Le Vicomte, through which pass the inland highway ana, railway from Cnerbourg, fell onlyl yesterday as It. Gen. Omar N, Bradley'S infantry and arInor steadz-i ly broadened and deepened theiei wedge across the desperately-resist-l ing enemy's flank.
 Gorrell reported from the front ira France that American casualties on. French soil since D-Day had been, announced as 3,2e3 dead and l2,600 wounded. Octually, he said a higher percentage of casualties had been anticipated.
 Gorrell said Bradley told core respondents at his field headquar-. ters that the Allied position in Nor- mandy now was absolutely secure: largely because of the guts ana valor of our troops"
 q can't see how the enemy car kick us out" Bradley said. @f
 Guns Roar
 Even as he spoke, his guns and planes from the Allied air forcez were sweeping the enemy's wesl coast highway, the Germans lagtl secape route from the north, with shells and bombs, giving promise of early encirclement of tens uk thousand of Nazis holding out be- tween St. Sauveur and Cherbourg.
 The capture of St. Jacques de Nehou, less than IS miles south Of Cherbourg, put the Americans we'll along the road to the west coagts port of Carteret and within five miles northeast of the west coast highway
 Another American column wRs even closer to the west coast high- way on the approaches to La Haye- Du Pitts, six miles south of St. Sau- veurle Vicomte. At last reports. this force was only little more than three miles from La Haye-Du Pitts, through which pass both the west coast and inland highways and the west coast railways.
 Withdrawals
 Still another American threat to the enemy's north-south routes ap- peared to be developing before the communications centers of Lessays five miles south of La Haye-Da Puits. Thunderbolt pilots returning to England from raids in the Lessay area reported growing indications's that the enemy was preparing for 6 withdrawal toward Coutances. lz miles farther south.
 Maj. Gordon w. Fowler of Newark N. J., said general enemy traffic in the Lessay area appeared to ba south rather than toward the front
 Trucks, horse drawn vehicles and big vans loaded with supplies con- stantly were rolling toward Co1- tances," he said. Tanks and arTria ored vehicles. however, still wezs deployed along roads and field1f with guns toward the enemy as t6. preparing to cover 6 retreat"
 Gorrell reported that Montebour9A 14 miles southeast of Cherbourg on7 the main east coast highway tQi Paris, was re-captured by the AmeE~s jeans yesterday after e street batties but headquarters spokesman sai4 the Germans still held part of tho ruined town.
 Gorrell wrote that the fall o9I Montebourg cleared the Paris Chex- bourg highway to . point east cn Valognes. 10 miles south of CheKvS bourg, and told of watching engins- CTS dynamiting buildings and clear@ ing rubble from the highway below