The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-20
Troops Enter
Italian City
Elba Taken
lRv Assoclat.h Pre..l


Americans storming the defense
ring OF hills around Cherbourg In
a general offensive were reported
today within five miles OF the great
port wheH up 10 $4,000 trapped
and disorganized Germans were
targets OF a deadly artillery bar
rage.
While i05-millimeter HoWltzers
and i55.mm Long Toms intensi.
fled the siege. more than 100
American heavy bombers hurled
fiery destruction near half doz-
en- German cities and the Pas-de.
Calais robot launching coasts. OIL
plants around Hanover. Hamburg.
Magdeburg and Polite close 10 Po-
land were bombed along with plane
plants near Brunswick and tank
depot near Magdeburg. Great bat
Ties were reported. stockholm said
II OF the planes landed In Sweden.
Finland neared an exit from the
war AS the Russians htarted she'll
ing her second city OF Vilpurl.
Perugia In Italy was entered.
Elba surrendered.
For some reason. the German
command said mo major fighting
was In progress on the Cherbourg
peninsula. The enemy's positions
ringing the port arc strong. HIS
garrison Is large and apparently
well supplied. The Allied corridor
across tho peninsula cutting off
the port was eight to i6 miles wide.
Bricquebec. II miles below the
harbor city OF $4,000 fell virtually
unscathed. The ninth division
with many fresh reinforcing units
pushed into Rauyille La Bigot. six
to seven miles southwest OF tho
goal. valognes was being flank
ed; Montebourg was engulfed and
left surrounded far behind
More than 1000 moro Germans
surrendered.
Matter OF Hours
How much blood must be paid
for the coveted port will be decid.
ed in hours. for 1t Gen. Omar
Bradley will learn the real strength
OF the German positions and
whether the foe can swing his
great naval guns to landward.
The reward will be immense:
Cherbourg will nourish the Allies
French front and solve in large
measure the enormous hazards OF
supply over the open beaches.
Moreover, the destruction OF 90 900
to $4,000 Germans would be Grip
ping to the whole enemy defense
scheme in northern France.
Britons on the Allied left captur-
ed Tilly-surseulles again. II miles
west OF shelled Caen. and pushed
on a mile and a half to Hottoi.
Gen. Montgomery was methodical-
ly building up Overwhelming force
for a big push
Terrible Weather
In terrible weather with a 50
mile gale churning the channel
into frothlng waves. Allied air pow
err nevertheless supported the land
drives, but the heavy bombers
were directed mainly against Ger
many and the Calais rocket launch
Ing coast. The Germans reported
violent air battles over the Berlin
area, Stettin. Hanover and
Brunswick The Pas-de Calais area
was bombed twice yesterday. but
the Germans still hurled their 70.
bot aerial torpedoes into England.
British defenses were getting their
measure.
The Russians were reported by
the London News Chronicle to have
fought into the suburbs OF Viipur.
At midnight, the Moscow com.
munique placed the Red Army ten
miles away. Bombers sank Is
ships trying to flee. ~ news
paper said the Russiany shortly
would dictate terms" 10 Finland.
In French Hands
All Elba was in French hands
and so were 1,s00 captured Ger
mans. The Allies in Italy drove
into the communications and cul-
tural center OF Perugia (pop: So.
500 70 miles southeast Of Flor.
ence and IS miles north OF Rome.
The British crossed the Tronto
River on the Adriatic IS miles
south OF Riminl.
The French radio az Algiers said
the Germans had transported large
quantities OF poison gas TO Hun.
gary TO use against the Russians,
expected shortly to open their de-
cisive offensiyes In southern Po-