Evening star., 1944-07-16
Leghofh Now Within
U. 5. Artillery Range;
Fall May Be Delayed
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated Pre6s.
ROME, July l5.-Doughboys
brought the great port Of Ii
vorno Leghorn) into artillery
range from the mountain posi-
tions 31a miles away today and
in a sweep along a 25-mile front
occupied all-important heights
% miles from the Arno River
guarding Florence and Pisa.
1T appeared that Livorno, poten.
tial base for a grand assault on the
Gothic Line above Florence anc
Pisa, could not be held much long.
er by the battered German 14tt
Army, now in full retreat.
Advances were general along ths
160-mile front except in the center
where British Sth Army artillery
was banging away at the bottlenecl
Olmo Pass, barring the way tt
Arezzo. This highway center on the
road to Florence was In sight oi
advance elements.
Naxi Positions Hopeless.
German positions south OF the
Arno appeared hopeless. and it was
possible the enemy's retreat would
not halt until he had drawn back
as much as Is miles at some points
to the heights northeast Of Pisa
across the Arno.
Doughboys following the with
drawal moved up the coast to with
in 3lz miles of Livorno at one point
last night.
There was possibility the 5th
Army might postpone occupation of
the big port until the enemy is
cleared from the high ground
northeast Of Pisa. from which Ger
man guns could lob shells into Ii
vorno and make the use of its docks
difncult.
This strategic high ground, as will
as historic Pisa, was threatened as
German defenses crumbled in the
Era River valley.
Americans Overrun Pecciof.
Americans here overran Peccioli
only 8 miles from the Arno, and
a gain OF another 4 or miles
would put 1t. Gen. Mark w. Clarks
forces at the edge OF the broad Arno
valley only IL to Is miles from Pisa
Belvedere, about the same distance
away, also fell.
Closer to the coast American
troops also captured Chianni, and
the French on the right kept pace
by pursuing the enemy northwaro
from Poggibonsi, a junction of five
highways which they took yester.
day In q celebration of Bastille Day
The American column mounting
the heights overlooking the Arnc
seized Ghizzano, % miles east OF
Livorno. while another American
force took Villamagna, Is miles west
Of Poggibonsi
The 9th Army pushed up to within
2 miles of the road junction OF
Citta di Castillo in the Tiber River
valley. occupying the villages oi
Santa Lucia.
British Straighten Lines.
Farther east, the British straight.
ened their lines with an advanc,
through Gualdo Tadino to Fossats
di Vico, q miles northeast of Pc.
rugia.
Italian troops on the Adria til
front occupied Cineoli, "a mile
southwest of the port OF Ancona
and the village of Strada Z mile.
beyond Cingon.
Italian partisans kept up thei
blows at communication lines ant
a captured enemy document said re
Inducements were ambushed ant
| forced to fight even before the,
were deployed."
Prisoners taken by the 5th Arm,
since the beginning of the ofYensiv,
May IL now exceed $4,000 and tn,
9th Army has captured more thar
10 900 others.
1t was oficially announced tha
the Germans were wantonly shell
ing the picturesque town of Sal
Gimignano, although it was neve
considered 4 military objective b,
the Allies and was captured by tn,
French Thursday in an outfiankint
| movement without harm.