The Wilmington morning star., 1945-01-08
Four-Mile Surge Results In
Recapture OF Key Cross.
,ss. roads Town
SUCCESS OFFSET
New German Offensive
Erupt On Both Sides Of
Western Front 1
Ry JAMES F. McGLiNCY
United Press War Correspondent

United Press War Correspondent
PARIS, Jan. T. (UP) -
Armored task forces of the U.
S. First Army severed one of
the two German lifelines
through the Belgian bulge at
three places Sunday and
plunged within seven miles of
the second amid growing
signs that the enemy forces
in the tip of the salient, in
Guiding three panzer divi-
sions, would fight to the last
rather than withdraw.
The surge of nearly four miles
resulted in the recapture of the
key crossroads town of Baraque
De Fraiture, four and one-haf
miles southeast Of Grandmenll,
and carried within 10 miles of U. S.
Third Army troops who already
were Smelling the second enemy
supply road, running through Hout-
falize, along much of its length.
This biggest success of the Ar
DENIES counter offensive was off
set by new German offensive erup-
tons on both far-flung flanks OF
the western front.
FUSE BRIDGEHEAD
With a comparatively small force
of 900 infantrymen and five to
eight tanks, the Germans had fused
their Rhine crossings above Stras-
bourg into a bridgehead five miles
wide by eight miles deep, then
expanded a mile southwark to
within seven miles of the key AL
satan city.
Tanks also bolstered companion
German drive down from the Wis
sembourg Gap which now had
penetrated six miles into France
on a five-mile front within II miles
of Haguenau. That key road juno
ton as well as Strasbourg was now
endangered and Alsatians, fearing
third German occupation within
27 years, were reported streaming
west i'm evacuation of both cities.
In Holland, the Wehrmacht threw
a bridgehead across the Mas in
the Venlo sector and was reported
continuing to build up its forces
on SchouWen Island, north of the
Schelde passage into Antwerp, de-
spite harrassing Allied air attacks.
This was one of the few areas
where the air forces were able
to operate Sunday, being grounded
by snowstorms and overcast on
other sections of the front.
In addition to three panzer divis-
ion of possibly 10000 men, the Ger
mans in the western part of the
bulge included several infantry di-
visions. They were not isolated yet
as their chances of escape narrow
ed hourly they showed no inclina-
ton to withdraw and tank attacks
against British forces near the tip
OIL lne Sd1ent were intensified.
CUT ROAD
A task force of the Third U. s.
armored division cut the st. With
la Roche lateral road at Baraque
De Fraiture and was joined in a
drive south of that junction by
units of the Second Armored Di-
vision The Third also had cut the
coad with capture of Regne, two
and one-haf miles east of Baraque
De Fraiture, and tanks of the Sec
md had crossed it at an unspecified
point on the west side of the juno
ion.
Units of the Third also had team
I'd with the 82nd Airborne Divi-
sion in the capture of Lierneux,
i've miles east of Granmenil, and
Ierleumont, one mile southeast OF
4ierneux, and with the Both In
antry in the taking of Lavuax,
our miles south of Stavelot.
Pounding on in a doWnhill drive
across the waist of the salient,
rrnored columns moved within
light miles Of Houffalize and within
even miles of the Germans last