The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-01-06
Clear Half of City Which
Bars Road toRome; Royal
AirForceH Hammers Nazis
Russians Push
Deeper Into
Poland


fBy International News Seryice)
Bayonet.w welding troops OF the
American Fifth Army leaped to the
attack on a ten-mile front outside
the Nazi-held bastion OF San Vittore
and today had cleared half the
city OF the enemy.
American and British infantry
men OF Lieut.. Gen. Mark w. Clarks
force smashed into the streets OF
the city which bars their way TO
Casino and Rome. after SELLING
control OF heights dominating San
Vittore
The German high command. de-
termined 10 prevent the Allies from
sweeping beyond San vittore into
Casino which controls a good high
way northwestward toward tho
eternal city. has transformed tho
city into one OF the most heavily
fortified points Of the Nazis tia
lian line.
Preceding the Fifth Army ad-
vance were low.sweeping invader
planes which laid down path
OF fre. Despite the rugged terrain.
the Allied planes raced at speeds
up to 900 miles an hour threading
their way through mountain passes
to paste their targets.
Following up this aerial barrage.
the Allied infantrymen launched
the attack Wednesday morning at
dawn. by noon. front dispatches
said. they controlled half the town.
although they had to ferret out ths
Germans, house by house.
The British air ministry announo-
ed today that heavy bombers OF the
Royal Air Force hammered targets
within. Germany last night, In con-
tlnuation OF a record Allied aerial
pummeling OF the Reich and occu-
pied Europe.
Although the terse ministry COM
I muniaue gave no hint OF the %.
iectives hit by the four-engined
bombers, some observers believed
the Allies may have turned some
OF their attention toward the
French coastal area a. well SIM
gle aircraft also left British bases.
requiring more than an hour 10
cross the Dover Strait toward
France.
The Nazl-operated vichy radio
went OF the air twice, adding
strength to the belief that the o.
cupied nation suffered aerial pound
ing.
Only yesterday. some OF the most
formidable attacks OF the war were
| unleashed against French targets
as well as against the powerful
German naval base at Kiel Enc
my alrfelds at Bordeaux and Tours.
In France. were battered by heavy
bombers Of the L. 8 Eighth Air
Force which also attacked the
Kiel installations FOR the second
time in az many days.
Use Tow Bombs
Strong enemy opposition was en-
countered-with the German ar
force employing tow -bombs, trailed
through the raiding formations by
defending Nazi craft.
Despite the aerial opposition, the
| Flying FOrtresses and Liberators
hammered their targets effectively,
Returning crew members reported
smoke clouds still visible 80 miles
from the Kiel base.
The greatest daylight assault OF
the entire war--or so it was called
by the quasi-ofIicial British Press
sociation-resulted in destruc-
ton OF % enemy aircraft by the
Yanks Twelve Allied fighters and
| rs American bombers were lost.
While German naval and air
installations were being severely
pounded from the west, a mighty
Russian offensive continued to
maui the Nazi forces on the eastern
front.
Still Advancing
Gen. Nikolai Vatutins first Ukra-
inian army hammered relentlessly