Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-04-15

German bastion which has
held out for weeks against the
Russians in Southeastern Po-
land, has been captured by
the Red Army, Premier Stain
announced today in an order
of the day.
MAP and Pictures on Page A-4J
BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, April 15.-A power
full Red Army land force has
pinned the Germans to a narrow
strip of coast around Sevastopol
the Crimean naval base, and has
converged to within sight of hills
on the outskirts, while Soviet
planes and warships are pouring
fire into the enemy'at the docks,
correspondents reported
today.
The huge port Vas assuming the
aspect of a giant exploding ammuni-
ton dump as Soviet airmen para
lyzed the traffic of enemy ships
and Soviet torpedo boats and guns
from the Black Sea fleet blasted
directly at embarkation points, a
Pravda dispatch declared.
Torpedo boats sank many ships
and the harbor was Uttered with
their wreckage and with German
and Romanian bodies, the account
said.
(This dispatch, saying that am
n1unition stores were being de-
stroyed, indicated the Germans
were attempting a Crimean evac-
uation, and that Soviet forces
were striking powerfully to break
it up.
c"Soviet seamen and airmen
are preventing any attempt to
rescue even a small part of the
enemy's Crimean forces. Yester-
day nearly every ship attempting
to leave the ports still in German
hands was either sunk or severely
damaged" said dispatch from
the Crimea relayed from Moscow
by CHS Correspondent James
Fleming.)
Panic Is Mounting.
The Pravda correspondent sale
panic was mounting among thu
enemy. and that he had counted
$50 dead Romanians and German.
along less than a mile of highwa,
between Simferopol and Sevastopol
He said the enemy had tried tx
sack the Crimea, loading many Graf
with pillaged goods, but forgot then
IN their haste to get away, Just al
they forgot their tanks and guns.
Moscow dispatches to London de.
clared 500 more towns fell and IL 00(
prisoners were taken in the Crimes
yesterday with an entire division Of
perhaps $4,000 men destroyed. The
six-day offensive has netted $1,000
captives, the Soviets asserted.
Vanguards of Gen. Feodor I. Tol.
bukhin's 4th Ukranian Army were
within 10 miles of the outskirts OF
Sevastopol after selling Bakhchis.
aral in q l7-mile drive down tn.
Central Crimean railway from Sim
feropol, the dispatches said.
Nazi Force Cut Off.
Another 4th Army force rammee
southeast through the Southern
Crimean hill country Is miles ane
captured the port of Alushta, Al
airline miles across the lower end O.
the peninsula from Sevastopol, ane
only Is miles northeast of tn,
strongly fortified port of Yalta, &
Russian communique recorded ir
London said.
Seizure of Alushta cut off a Ger.
man force retreating down tn,
coastal road from Feodosiya to tn,
northeast and closed the trap or
the German and Romanian troop.
herded into the Sevastopol sector
Inc other end OF the trap was an.
chored on the west coast 20 mile!
below Yevpatoriya, dispatches re.
ported.
TolbukhinA right flank swept
down the western coast through Ak
mechet and took Karadzha, on the
Westernmost tip of the peninsula
Saki, IS miles north of SevastonoI
also was seized, Moscow said.
Four Boats Sunk.
Four boats damned with Axis
troops trying to escape across the
Black Sea to Romania were sunk
the communicate said, adding:
Soviet sailors and airmen are
cutting short all enemy efforts tt
save at least some of his Crimear
(Gae pITSCTn Dooo 49,