The Wrangell sentinel., 1944-06-09
French Towns Fall To Allies As Big Invasion
 Force Moves Inland
CBy Associated Press)

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS AL LIED EXPEDITIONARY FORGE - Allies invaded northwest France Tuesday morning, establishing a beachhead in the area defined as Normandy between Caen and Cher bOurg Steel muz2les Of American and British battleships and a can opy of an estimated 11,O00 sky-rul- ing planes protected the eager Am erican Briton and Canadian troops of Gen Eisenhower's supreme com mand as they streamed ashore be- tween midnight and 2:25 a m. eastern war time, and were soon smashing away inland and digging in several divisions.
 Plane and glider-borne troops landed behind the German lines iB thousands to establish offensive pockets. Four British divisions land ed by air and the main assault went across 70 to 11O miles of Ghe Eng fish channel in 4,O00 ships plus several hundred landing craft. II was the greatest amphibious oper- ation in history.
 Prime Minister Winston Church i'll, who made the first officials an nounccment for Great Britain. said: Everything is proceeding according lo plan - and what a plan"
 More than GAO naval guns, rang Ing from four to 1G inches in size bOmbarded the beaches ut the enemy strong points as the Allied landing forces swept ashore.
 Major strike was made al Caen on the Normandy shore between the mouths of the rivers Seine and Wire.
 The surprise attack was made through a rolling ocean and clouds, through which the Allied air forces flew 11,000 aircraft. almost every Irype. in the grand invasion of Eur ope during which they bombed and strafed miles of the Normandy beaches. flying inland to break en- emy communications
 Churchill said actual tactical surprise had been attained. adding i've hope to furnish the enemy a succession of surprises during the course of the battle which is now beginning and will grow constantly in scale of intensity for many weeks to come"
 Shore batteries were largely quelled and underwater obstruc- tions proved less dangerous than feared.
 Landing also was made at Le Havre so miles across the channel from the British coast as Allied naval guns softened it up with bonn bardment
 As the landing forces took off from England, Gen. Eisenhower told his men i've will accept nothing ex- cept full victory over the Ger mans
 British Gen. Montgomery, who anticipated in the Dunkirk retreat and then went on to make history in Africa, is commanding tn IL lied ground troops
 Forty-eight hours follow ng tA9 first landing. the Allies Ia, -"- tablished their beachhead. had 2 = etrated to a distance of 12 -.N E at several points and were con.inu. ing today to pour troops into the area, apparently without great op- position.
 GOering's famed Luftwaffe was offering no where near the air re- sistance that had been anticipated. The first air forces met but little resistance but it was stepping up today, although the Allies were said to be in complete control of the air
 Correspondents. more than 200 of them. covering the gigantic in- vasion reported the "impenetrat- able" German west wall was not as strong as the Germans had attempt ed to lead the world to believe. Captured German prisoners in some instances were said to have admit ted the Americans and British are too strOnp for us now