The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-15
(NEA Telephoto)

1 U. $. First Army tanks and infan- trymen battled slowly down from the Malmedy- -Stavelot line toward St. With.
 Fighting through four-foot snow drifts that frequently logged down their armorod support, Doughboys of the 30th infantry divisions drove Into the streets of Thirimont, sever miles north Of St, With fell back under e heavy counter attack, and went in again to capture half O. the town late last night.
 After three days of slow, costly attack, the Americans had chopped about 5000 yards off the corner of the salient and front reports said German resistance was stiffening hourly The approaches to St. With were said to be ringsd by more than GO dug-in tanks and docking trenches criSs- the wood cd ridges around that highway cen. | ter.
 Six miles west Of Thirimont, oth" CT American forces recaptured Ren" aumont after losing tho town once to an enemy counter thrust and pushed on southward into the Rendehaie woods, nine miles north west of St. With,
 Escape Road Cut
 Farther to the southwest, other First Army forces pushed ahead toward Houffalize with increasing speed, cutting the enemys mair escape road to St. With on both side' of Cheram, four miles northeast ot Houffalize. Mont-Le- Ban, mile west of Cheram, also was taken ir the American advance and at last reports several Tank columns were within about three miles Of Houf- falize from the east and northeast
 Four miles south of Houlsallze, or the highway from Bastoghe, It Gen. George s, Patton's Third Army forces cleared the Nazis from No. vile, but were stalled before the town momentarily by heavy Ger. man artillery fire,
 At the same time, American anc British troops closed in rapidly or Houffali2e from the west and north west, capturing Pisserot, Bertsmenil Borzec, Haboge, Nadrln and WI. brln, lying in an arc four to five miles outside the road Junction.
 British Second Army forces fuscc with U. s. First and Third Army units in the area between tho Ourthc river and Houffalize ane all three armies were chrushlni in on the pockcted Nazi strongpoin at a speed that promised to overrur that town in short order.
 There was no indication that an, sizeabla German force still re- mained along the Ourthe river line where the enemy had been expected to fight q strong delaying action.
 Patton's Thid Army forces wer on the move northward along al ll-mile front extending from si! miles northwest of Bastogne, wher they entered Bertognen to l. miles east, where they captured Benonchamps on the Wiltz river The Americans carved out gains 0 l-2 to four miles all along thei attack front yestreday for one 0 the biggest gains since Patton : counter-drive lifted the siege 0 Bastogne two weeks ago.
 On the AlSace front. meanwhile fierce battle continueu aJ tn edge Of the Hagenau Forest som g miles northeast of Strasbour where counter attacking Americal Seventh Army forces fought a stron German armored contingent to standstill in Hatten and Ritter chofTen.
 Both sides were reported takin heavy losses in street fighting Il the two adjacent towns, but fiel dispatches said virtually all of tn l00-odd tanks and armored car thrown into battle by the Nazi , had been smashed by America gunfire.
 Farther to the south, the Ger mans threw a small patrol acros , the Rhine into the eastern suburb of Strasbourg in a bold attempt | support their bridgeheads north an south of the Alsatian capital. Tn new enemy thrust was reported [ have been disposed Of quick! . and late dispatches said the tw r main bridgeheads still were bein { contained
 Other Seventh Army forces to tn ? northwest made slight progrei ] against the southern wall of tn German Salient below Mitche ] the face of stiff enemy opposition