The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-04
YOUTHS
 WITH TANK UNIT
Outfit Credited With Kill. ing 400 Nazis in Italian
 Offensive


 olas M. DeZinno, son of MT. and Mrs. Michael Dezinno. 1913 West Main street, are members of the 752nd Tank Battalion, which is credited with killing 14O0 Germans, capturing ASA others, knocking out II tanks and disabling three others and destroying 21 pillboxes, Al vehi- cles and 63 guns.
 The outfit, now in the Apennine Mountains before the Pc Valley. has been in the line with the Fifth Army about 300 days since it was | indoctrinated in battle near Fondi. Italy. last spring It has expended 55,000 rounds of ammunition in combat, including 1O5- -millimeter, 76-millimeter and 75-millimeter | shells.
 In one of it's first actions, the 752nd helped seal of German pocket in which 600 Germans were taken prisoners.
 Soon afterward, the tankers en- tered Rome with some of the first Allied troops to reach the capital.
 The tankers' fighting between Rome and the Arno river was characterized by vicious skirmishes at close quarters, between 30 and 100 yards, with enemy infantrymen. The armor was able to reach posi-. tions at such close range to the | Germans because of concealment offered by heavy undergrowth fami- liar in that part of Italy in the summer.
 The outfit engaged in particular ly fierce battles in Roccastrada, Cecina, Rosignano and Leghorn. The 752nd exchanged shellfire with the enemy in narrow alleys and through windows and doorWays in Rosignano for seven days.
 Operating well in advance of the infantry, the 752nd attacked a heav- fly fortified hill north of FirenZuola at 8 o'clock one morning. Three hours later the last German gun position on the summit had been wiped out. The outfit held the hilltop for four hours, until the in- fantry caught up.
 The 752nd was activated at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and trained at Fort Lewis, Washington, and Camp Young, California. Further train. irg was received in England. It personnel operated an armorec force training school in Tunisis and, later, an armored command training school few miles soutl of Naples, Italy.
 Lieutenant Colonel Hyman BruSs Van Nuys, California, commands th1 tankerS.
 A Ninth Air Force Bomber Base France-Sergeant Michael A. Tran. ci had become accustomed to scan- ming the skies for enemy aircraft after completing 20 missions but when he had to fire up to hit g three story factory recently it was a new experience for the B-2t Marauder radio operator and gum ner from New Britain and Water bury, Conn.
 This action took place wher Ninth Air Force Marauders bomb ed g. vital railway bridge east o1 the Rhine and then dived down to tree-top level to strafe German railway lines
 T scored hits on the factory, the tower and several freight cars Sgt. Tranci revealed. We went through the yards with eleven guns blazing and with such terrific speed that Jerry machine gunners failed to scare a hit" he said.
 Sgt. Tranci is a member of the 322nd Bomb Group "Annihilators, and wears the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters for his work with the Marauders thus far Born in Italy, Sgt. Tranci at- tended school in Sicily before his : parents immigrated to the United States. He was employed by Blake 7 Motors at Torrington, Conn.,, be- fore he entered the army in June 1922 He left for overeas service in August, l944.
 His parents, MT. and Mrs. P Tranchida, live at AZ Pennington avenue, New Britain, and his wife Mrs. wien F. Tranci. at 165 South Main street, Waterbury.
 Bremerton, Washington - David P Lovallo Motor Mchinist's Mate Third Class, USNR, of Waterbury Conn, is now stationed with the Ship Repair Unit which is in train- ing at the Puget Sound Navy Yaro in Bremerton, Washington. His wife, Ann, is residing in Waterbury at 123 Edson avenue.
 Lovallo was born in Waterbury and is a graduate of Leavenwortf high school of that city. Prior tC his enlistment in the Navy's Shil Repair Unit in New Haven, Conn. in December, 1943, he was employed by the Waterbury Tool Company | as machinist. He was given hi :, basic training at Bainbridge, Md before reporting to the Fudge
 Sound Navy yard for advanced training in October, 1914
 The Ship Repair Unit program trains Naval personnel to do the re pair and overhaul work which keep , combatant vessels in fighting trim During the training period, thu Navy men work with civilian em
 ployes in Naval establishment - where many classes of vessels ar undergoing actual repair. Througl "SRU" training. the Navy men gail working knowledge and exper I lence which enables them to func n tion efficienctly as repair uni Il when they go to advance bases t = repair Navy ships.
 c Pvt ROhert McPhne will short 1