The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-24
Yank Troops Sever
 Appian Way Twice
NEA Telepaoto.
Continued from Page D

rom rage v
 from the AnHio beachhead, dis. closed that tark-led and specially trained American troops had ad' vanced in bitter fighting to cut the ancient Appian way in the Cisterns sector.
 British Radio
 CThe British radio reported that the Americans held more than { mile of the Appian way just below Cisterna, German Bastion anchor ing the defenses before the north. east corner of the beachhead, arie one U. S. unit was within half mile of the town square.)
 GA German war correspondent was quoted as reporting that tht thunder of guns in the beachheae battle was heard clearly in Rome but "the people are calm.o
 Within Q few hours of the launching of the beachhead of- fensive at dawn yesterday, the Americans forged ahead 2,000 yarGs into strongly fortified German po- sitions.
 British beachhead troops on the northwestern flank struck out Mon- day night in e diversionary move preliminary to the main American offensive, their tanks and armol crossing the Moletta river emptytne into the sea some three miles be- hind the last announced Allied po- sitions there.
 Lieutenant General Mark Clark's U. s. units of the Fifth Army beach head force chopped their way through concentrated network oi mine fields and barbed wire, aiming the main weight of their assault In the Cisterna direction.
 300 Prisoners
 By noon yesterday they had rounded up about 300 prisoners, and headquarters announced today that the total Allied bag of German cap- tives since the start of the Italian offensive 13 days ago had mounted to well over 7,500 on all fronts.
 Besides cutting the Appian Way, the American vanguard reached the Rome -Terracina railway north- west of Cisterna after fierce tank and infantry battles.
 Front dispatches said the Ger mans were massing tanks and in- fantry for an expected counter-at- tack southeast of Cisterna in an ate tempt to smash back the Amer. jeans and guard their transport line which with the Via Casilina some IS miles beyond comprises the chan nels for withdrawal from the main front.
 American infantry, crashing into the strongest force of the German 14th Army encircling the beachheao with powerful tank support, drove beyond their first days objective within @ matter of hours.
 Combat Teams
 Combat teams, led and support ed by tanks and tanks destroyers as well as 8 thunderous artillery barrage, battered through the mine fields and forced the enemy out oi his foxholes in savage fighting.
 Stunned by the smashing impact of the onslaught, one German pla. toon which was by-passed by the American arfnor insisted on sur. rendering to two infantrymen fol- lowing the tanks.
 The beachhead offensive, launch ed under cover of a massive bofil- bardment by American battleships planes and artillery, still was SUD- ported by those striking clements.
 The results of the sea lombard ment of the German positions were described as satisfactory" in q communique revealing that Allied cruisers pumped more than 4,OO0 rounds into the enemy lines.
 On the main front, the capture of Monte Alto, ii miles north oi Terracina. brought the Allies with in 2I miles of the beachhead and 47 miles of Rome.
 Monte CrOce Taken
 Besides Monte Alto, the Major General Godfrey Reyes coastal forces took Monte Croce, dominat- ing Terracina. and nearby Monte Stefano.
 All along the southern part of the main front the Allies pressed their drive westward while bitter fighting ragged in the upper area of the Fifth Army front where the NaEif strove to stem 8 thrust across the Liri Valley from the Pico-Monte- ieucio area.
 Terracina, the German coastal anchor. was threatened from both north and east after the fall of the dominating heights above 1t.
 In the rugged country north oi Terracina the Americans corked . four-mile tunnel in which several hundred Germans were believed trapped.
 The capture of Pico and Lenola by American and French forces opened the way for new advances on the Fifth Army front. Lenola, on the Fondi-Vallecorsa road. feil late Monday after strong resistance by clements of the German e4th Infantry division.
 Pico Captured
 Pico was captured the same day, giving the Allies possession Of a strategic village at the southern edge Of the Lirl valley. German tanks, self~propelied guns and in-