The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-15
American Forces
Gain In Normandy
Continued from Page y

lighter and faster than the tigers
and carrying one long barreled gun,
On the Normandy Peninsula where
the Americans were trying to seal
off Cherbourg they ran into sitter
resistance in the area Of Pont L.
Able, six miles west of the Caren-
tan-Montebourg road, but to the
south they pushed forward west Of
Baupte toward the west coast rail-
road which Is In effect the Nazis
lifeline to Cherbourg.
Weather Break
The Allies got another weather
break, and combined fleets of fight
ers, fighter-bombers and medium
bombers blasted and raked the Ger
mans along and Immediately behind
the battle lines, while a great force
of American heavy bombers and
fighters smashed at aviation plants,
air bases and transport centers in
France.
Bridges across the Loire and the
key air field at Bordeaux were the
main targets of the Fortresses and
IiberatorS seeking to disrupt Nazi
communications vital to the battle
Of Normandy.
The Allied tactical air force was
getting closer and closer to the
fighting line as the battle developed.
American Marauders hit junction
midway between the British and
German armored forces.
The tactical squadrons concentrat-
ed this morning on road functions
around the Caumont- Villers- Bocage-
st. 10 areas In an Effort to throw
off balance the Germans reserves
moving into the battle.
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower re-
ported in his 10th communique of
the invasion that the Allies were
carrying the fight to the enemy"
on all parts of the front, while the
German high command acknowl-
edged that American, British and
Canadian forces were nov trying
to widen their bridgehead toward
all Sides"
The battle in Normandy Is NOV
ing toward its climax" the German
communique said.
The Germans alone had thrown
500 to 600 tanks up to last night
into the furious struggle raging be-
tween Caen and ST. Lo in the center
of the Allied beachhead and Rich
ard D. Mcmillan, United Press War
Correspondent, reported from the
front that new enemy infantry and
Panzer divisions had been sent into
battle from all parts of France to-
day.
Allied patrols entered Tilly-Sur-
Seulles, IL miles west Of Caen, this
morning and found it a ghost town
Mcmillan said, but he did not dis
close whether the Allies had occu-
pied 1t In force. The Germans re-
captured Villers-Bocage. seven miles
south of Tilly-Sur- Seulles, but the
Allies still held Caumont, seven
miles west of Villers-Bocage.
lilly had been smashed by a
mighty Monty barrage" of hun
dreds Of big guns arrayed hub-to-
hub in great armored square of
tanks, new tactic of Gen. Sir Ber-
nard L. Montgomery, Allied field
commander, and named for him.
Thousands Of Allied planes and a
heavy naval bombardment from big
warships nearly 20 miles away also
were supporting the ground forces
In the climatic battle.
See-saw battles also ragged at each
end Of the bridgehead. American
forces Fought heir way back into
the streets of Montebourg, IA miles
southeast of Cherbourg. and virtu-
ally had encircled the town with
thrusts along roads to the northeast
and the northwest. The Germans
still held Troarn, five miles east OF
Caen, but the British and Canadians
repeatedly thrust into its streets.
Oil Shells
Henry T. Gorrell, United Press
War Correspondent at the front,
said the Germans were using mortar
shells that sprayed the Americans
with flaming oil in an attempt to
halt the penetration toward Valog-
mes, five miles northwest of Monte
bourg and gateway to Cherbourg.
The American thrust west of Car
entan indicated that 1t. Gen. Omar
N. Bradley, was throwing his main
strength into an attempt to seal off
the peninsula for an about assault!
on Cherbourg, 81 miles northwest OF
Carentan and one of Frances best
ports.
Advancing over parallel roads or
a nine-mile-wide front, the Ameri-
cans on the southern flank reached
a point just east of Les Sablons. six
miles from La Haye-Du Puts
through which funnel both the west
coast railway and highway from
Cherbourg.
Presumably overrun in the ad-
vance was the highway town OF
Baupte, two miles east of Les Sab
Ions, but the extremely fluid state
Of the fighting made the situation
obscure.
North of Les Sablons, the Ameri-
cans were approaching st. Sauveurle
Vicomte, Is miles south Of Cher
bourg. The eneny's west coast rail-
-