The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-03-02
Fight German
Veterans
(NEA Telephoto)
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east answered, but latest reports
indicated the Americans still held
the initiative and were pressing
their attack furiously.
An Allied cbmmunique, covering
the fighting up TO noon yesterday,
said the enemy was exerting pres
sure all along the l6.mile beach,
head perimeter, apparently In an
effort to prevent the Americans from
exploiting their counter-drive.
The main German onslaught burst
against the center Of the beach,
head Tuesday morning, accompanied
BY strong diversionary thrusts at o
number of other points to the east
and west.
Two battalions Of NaSl infantry
men-about 1000 men--Spearheaded
the first assault, many Of them rid
ing into battle astride giant Tiger
tanks, waving their rifles and
screaming Hell Hitler" as they
came on.
Hour BY hour the German
strength built up until at the
height OF the battle three full divi-
sions, possibly 10000 to $4,000 men,
were battering at the American
lines.
Needless OF their own heavy losses,
the Germans crushed through the
American forward positions by sheer
weight Of numbers, gaining almost o
mile before the Americans rallied
for their counter-attack.
The attack went directly through
an American minefeld, and the Maxi
troopers leaped from their tanks
repeatedly TO lift the mines and
clear O path for their arnor.
At nightfall Tuesday the fury
Of the German onslaught began To
spend itself ana the Americans
struck back.
The NaN tanks, slowed by the
mud and unable to diSperse Into the
swampy fields, were knocked off like
clay pigeons as they turned to flee,
and the Americans closed in at bay
onet point to force the enemy IN.
fantry back.
Several German tanks were
knocked out In O heavy burst Of
fire on the American right
flank ut Ponte Rotto, TX miles TO
the southwest Of Cisterna.
Other German forces penetrated
as far as "Dead Woman's Corner" q
small road intersection near Ponte
Rotto, and were slaughtered In Q
bitter nd-to.hand fight.
The Germans also attacked
strongly on the extreme right flank
Of the beachhead southwest Of Lit
toria. But this attempt, too, was
smashed by artillery and rifle fire
and Ill Mails were captured, includ
Ing four officers.
In the ravines and gullies Of the
upper Molletta river, on the Al.
lied left flank, British tanks slashed
repeatedly ct the German lines, in.
flicting casualties but gaining little
or no grounds.
At the height Of the main Ger.
man attack, Tuesday, six German
Focke.Wulf fighters raced In ovei
the center Of the beachhead In an
attempt to machine gun the Ameri.
can Lines. A formation Of Spitfires
intercepted, however, and shot three
OF them down in flames.
Not O single German plane was
sighted over the beachhead yester-
day, but American Warhawks braved
the bad weather TO carry out raids
on enemy positions and road lines
and other raiders struck OF Axis
shipping off the JugoSlav coast. All
Allied planes returned safely.
Raj Wellingtons hammered the
Nazis rear lines around Lanuvio dur
Ing the night and early today, and
1t was disclosed that o few German
raiders strusk ct the Anzio harbor
area Tuesday night, one Of them
dropping bombs In o hospital area
and wounding two medical corps
men.
There was no word Of any major
action on the main 6th Army front
or on the 9th Army's coastal sector
but the communique said patrol
fighting continued on both fronts.