The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-24

Six German divisions were over- Whelmed in the first Yank surge across the Roer, as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower hurled armored and in- fantry divisions of the U. s. First and Ninth armies into the narrow offensive front.
 Official reports said enemy re- siStance, softened by continuous drumfire of bombs and shells, was relatively light and that American casualties were small
 There was still no evidence that the Nazi retreat had become dis organized, however, and it was ex- pected that the opposition would stiffen within the next few hours as the advance drilled into their main defenses behind the Roer.
 Juelich Falls
 Juelich, 9 miles west of Cologne and probably the toughest German stronghold on the Roer, fell to the Ninth Army after a fierce street battle. Remnants of the enemy garrison still were hold out inside the towns walled, moated citadel this morning, but the tide of battle already had swept out beyond them and their elimination was only & matter of time.
 It. Gen. William H. Simpsons 9th Army Spearheads also captured Glimbach, Gevenich, Ruhricn. BoSS lar, Seigersdorf, Hanbach, Korren- zig and Baal on the east side of the Roer above and below JueIich.
 At Baal, the Tanks Uere 3 1-2 miles northeast of Linnich and the same distance southwest of the Nazi base at Erkelenz. At Ham, bach, they were on the edge of the Staats forest and barely 19 miles west of Cologne.
 The deepest penetration beyond the Roar was believed to have been made by armored columns pushing out past BoSlar.
 It. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges First Army troops also were making good progress on the southern end of the offensive front, centering around Dueren. Hard fighting was in progress in the eastern half of hat city and field dispatches said of the eaSt-bank sec- ion was held by the Tanks early ,oday.
 A mile northwest of Dueren, the Americans stormed into Birkesdorf md were battling die-hard Nazi runners from house to house. Two niles farther to the northwest, they ;aptured the twin villages of Stam- neln and Huchem, 20 miles east Of Cologne.
 All along the attack front the two American armies were moving teadily forward, closing swiftly on
 north-south ridge where the Ger nans were expected to make their Irst real stand.
 Thousands of Allied warplaneS it the Germans front and rear with ombS, rockets and gunfire yester- ay, and SwarmS of raiders followed trough in perfect weather this to bomb and strafe every hing on wheels in the broad Col- gne Plain.
 So furious was the aerial assault lat giant four-engined bomberS ere reported sweeping down to tree 'p level to shoot up Nazi tanks and larching troop columns.
 Returning pilots said the whole ologne Plain was aflame from the emendous artillery and air bom- ardment. Rail and road lines were 1t at scores of points and the area as reported filtered with the reckage of German armor and anSport.
 The Germans were trying fran- cally to swing their reserves into le threatened front, and recon aissance photographs showed great asses of men and material flowing rough Cologne toward the battle les.
 Enemy Badly Hurt But there was ample evidence that e enemy, despite four months of
 (COntinued on Page 2)