Evening star., 1944-06-15
Exact Target Is Not Revealed;
Yanks Make New Gains in West
Advances Scored
Despite Furious
Counteruttucks
MAP on Page A-2.J
Ey the Associated Press.

Ey the Associated Press.
SUPREME ALLIED HEAD
QUARTERS, June 15.-Amer-
lean troops have surged ahead
in their drive in the western
section of the Cherbourg PENN
|sula, Allied headquarters an
nounced today, and Berlin re-
ported that less than 6 miles,
separated the spearhead from
the last communications linking
Cherbourg with France.
The gains were hammered out In
spite of furious counterattacks all
along the 100-mile invasion front
in which the Germans had thrown
about 20 divisions and 600 tanks.
Allied headquarters, confirming
that American infantry and para
chute troops, supported by tanks
had scored further gains west of
Carentan. said Allied soldiers were
holding firm everywhere else despite
the massive nature of the German
counterstroke and were irlfiicting
heavy losses on the enemy.
This was after it was acknowl-
edged that the British at the East
ern end of the line had been forced
to give up Troarn, their anchor 9
miles east of Caen, and VillerS-
Bocage, one of their two advance
points is miles southwest Of Caen.
British Still Hold Caumont.
Further heavy counterattacks In
the Villers- Bocage area were turned
back last evening, headquarters
said, and the British were still
secure in their hold on Caumont,
their other most advanced point,
20 miles southwest Of Caen.
Seventeen German tanks, includ-
ing eight Cotton Tigers. were
knocked out In the fierce armored
battling yesterday, headquarters
said. The other eight tanks were
Panthers armed with 75-mm. guns.
At the western end CT the line the
Americans first moved forward on
q emile front to the Les aablons-
Baupte area, south of Nc Mere
Eglise and only about nIl ffpm
high ground overlooking Id Haye
du Puts on the west coast and rail
line leading to Cherbourg.
The Berlin radio commentator
Ludwig Sertorious, then reported
that they had gained another 31a
miles to the west, reaching PretOt,
which is less than 6 miles from
La Haye du Puts itself.
The Americans also fought their
way back into Montebourg, IA miles
from Cherbourg, and headquarters
said street fighting was in progress.
But the fighting here was fluid and
the Germans in midafternoon
claimed they were again in possess
sion of the town.
Battle in Pont pAbbe Area.
American troops also were en-
gagged in heavy fighting in the Pont
PAbbe area, 4 miles north of Pretot,
and along the road from Monte
bourg to Quineville, on the coast.
The Americans hammered out
gains both in the Pont liable area
and around Quinexille, which repre-
sents the Allied right flank, head
quarters said.
The heavy nature of the fighting
was plainly indicated by the Ger
man high command, which said the
battle is approaching climax" and
growing more violent every day, with
the Allies hitting hard in all direc-
tions to enlarge their bridgehead.
The German communique added !:
Among salvoes of heaviest naval
guns, incessant air attacks and with
freshly brought-up infantry and
tank forces being thrown into action
on both sides, the battle is ap-
preaching a Climax"
(The German uncontrolled Scan
dinavian Telegraph Bureau re-
ported from Zurich, Switzer-
land, that the Germans have
blown up harbor facilities at
Cherbourg.)
Violent Reaction Expected.
Violent German reaction to the
American threat to the Cherbourg
lifeline was expected, and 1t was
likely that further American ad-