The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-21

ny NsH Flelo m&r8hal
Gen. Karl Gerd Won Rundsted to
the German garrison at cherboura
ITO hold out 10 the last man" was
reported today by the London radio.
(By International News Servlce)
The eyes OF the world were 10.
cused intently today upon Two key
battles-ono a land action at the
main fertilization OF Cherbourg,
and the other a naval engagement
repeatedly being fought in the
shadow OF Japanese home. based
warplanes.
That the japanese fleet had An
ally decided TO come out had been
announced last night by Adm. Ches.
ter W. NlmItz who said units Of
the enemy navy we're assuming
battle positions between the invad.
ed Marianas Islands and the Philip
pines Early today. the japanese
Domel agency indicated the antici-
pated battle between the Jap and
United States fleets had been Join
ed and was being fought with par
ticular ferocity.
The Domei dispatch. which was
not Immediately confirmed in Al
lied circles, was picked up by Reut-
err News Agency.
Yank Sailors Ready
II appeared likely that the Ameri-
can commanders finally had forced
the laps 10 come out OF hiding.
That the Yank sailors were rea-
dy for any armada the enemy
might send against them was clear.
ly Indicated by Admiral Nimitz
when he told war correspondents
at Pearl Harbor that the enemy
flotilla had been sighted east of
the Philippines.
we don't know the exact size
OF the enemy fleet but Il is
assumed they have everything
that they could bring out" he said.
We are prepared for II, look.
Ing for It and hoping for Il.
We put enough muscle into our
Fifth Fleet to cope with all the
enemy can muster and to mako the
outcome OF any decisive engage
ment favorable to us"
The Fifth Fleet is covering and
supporting American Marines and
Army troops which invaded and
quickly captured the southern por-
ton OF Saipan Island. including the
Aslito Airdrome. Nimitz pointed
out that the defense OF this island
is certainly a most important du-
ty OF the people OF Japan"
Cheering News
Though official details we're lack
ing concerning the reported Pa.
cihc action. there was cheering
news from Allied Supreme Head
quarters regarding the Anglo
invasion OF northern
France.
Gen. Dwight d. Eisenhower's re-
gular communique announced that
troops OF the American Ninth d.
vision were storming the Main Ger
man Notifications defending the
great port OF Cherbourg. The Yanks
we're closing in rapidly for a final
assault to force capitulation OF the
Maxi garrison within the vital porr
at the northern end OF the Gotten
tin Peninsula.
American reconnaissance troops
we're officially placed within five
miles southwest OF Cherbourg. but
frontline dispatches
said the Yanks we're less than four
miles from the city. The advance,
according to headquarters, con
tinued most satisfactorily"
Enemy Thrusts Fail
Along the center OF the invasion
front the Germans launched three
attacks in the vicinity Of British
held Tilly.Sur.Seulles. The enemy
thrusts were held The position
around Hottot-Les Baques. two
miles to the south. was obscure
as very heavy hghting ragged.
Three and one-half miles south
west OF lilly. other British troops
captured the village OF Onchy and
on other sectors OF the Normandy
front there were no substantial
changes.
After German robot planes
again struck at southern England
turing the night. Allied bombers
swept across the channel toward ,
he sites where launching devices
or the enemy flying bombs are
situated. Other formations appar-
entity carried the war into the
Reich, for the German radio said
L. S. bombers we're over Berlin
tself
In Italy, the British eighth Army
advanced four miles north OF the
Italian Industrial and communica-
ions CITY OF Perugia. after over
coming all enemy resistance in that
lily some SO miles north OF Rome.
Heavy rains hampered the ad-
'ance OF the Allies. but both the
eighth and Fifth Armies made
actical gains on the Italian main
and
Red Army Iegions poised for
trusts deeper in Finland proper.
Ifter capturing the port OF VIZ
,uri. And on Biak Island OF Dutch
Sew Guinea, American troops
nopped up enemy resistance pock-
is after teizing the last two enc