Fall Of City Is Imminent Yanks Advance
Allied reports from North Africa describe heavy fighting near Catania Sicily as British Eighth Army presses the edge of the city. American forces seize Agrigento a key inland junction while Canadian troops move toward Caltagirone and the axis retreat concentrates around Catania. Montgomery's forces break German armor blocks and tighten the grasp on eastern Sicily with airfields in reach.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Belman Morin
North Africa
Eighth Army
Flaming
Catania
Sicilian
Agrigento
Agriento
Licata
Porto Empedocle
Lentini
Scordia
Bernard L. Montgomery
Sicily
Caltagirone
Ger
Soviets Close On Orel As German Attacks Repelled
The Red Army pressed toward the city of Orel with gains near Kursk while Soviet forces repelled fresh German offensives. Reports from Moscow say heavy artillery within range of key supply hubs and large tank and air losses for Germany mark the intensified drive, with gains also reported in the Caucasus and around Novorossisk.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Associated Press
London
Red Army
Orel
Moscow
Bryansk
Red
Russia
Caucasus
Novorossisk
Five Yank Divisions Under Patton In Sicily
North Africa July 17 reports four veteran divisions and one new unit under Lieut. Gen. George S. Patton Jr. in the American seventh army fight in Sicily. The 45th division, many from Oklahoma and the Southwest, leads the assault under Maj. Gen. Troy H. Middleton. The 1st Division under Maj. Gen. Terry Allen has borne heavy losses at Kasserine Pass and advances at Fl Guetar and the Bizerte drive. The 82nd Airborne under Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgeway provided key assault components in the early North Africa operations. The full story of their Sicily descent, planned three to five hours before the landing, remains to be told.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
North Africa
Sicily
Seventh Army
George S. Patton, Jr
Oklahoma
Southwest
Troy H. Middleton
Terry Allen
Kasserine Pass
Tunisia
Fl Guetar
Bizerte
82Nd Airborne Division
Matthew B. Ridgeway
Britain
Four Warships Among Vessels Sunk By Yanks
Allied command in the Southwest Pacific reports over 200 US airmen struck at Buin Faisi harbor on Bougainville, sinking seven ships including a cruiser and two destroyers while downing 49 Japanese planes in a 20 minute strike. Additional attacks targeted New Georgia near Munda with Dauntless dive bombers and fighters, and 30 tons of bombs fell on Salamaua and Lae on Huon Gulf.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Allied
Southwest Pacific
United States
Japan
Solomons
Tokyo Express
Buin-Faisi Harbor
Munda
Buin-Faisi
Gougainville
Bougainville
New Georgia
Bairoko
Inda
New Guinea
Pacific
Salamaua
Lae
Huon Gulf
Attacks On Kiska Japs Stepped Up
Washington July 17 Navy reports stepped up pressure on Japan's Kiska Island garrison. An American warship launched an assault on Gertrude Cove while naval guns, four raids by Lib erator and Mitchell bombers and Lightning fighters followed. Foggy conditions and repeated bombardments suggest ongoing efforts to soften defenses ahead of a potential landing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
North Pacific Command
Japan
Kiska Island
Kiska
Gertrude Cove
Kiska Harbor
Navy
Amchitka
Gerrude Cove
Allied Military Government To Rule Sicily Invasion
Allied Military Government of Occupied Territory AMGOT lands in Sicily hours after invasion. Gen Sir Harold Alexander serves as military governor with Maj. Gen. Renneul de Rodd as chief civil affairs officer and Brig. Gen. Frank J. McSherry as deputy. AMGOT aims to restore order, aid civilians, curb fascist influence, and govern through local officials with no political intent.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sicily
Harold Alexander
Lord Renne
Rodd
Frank J. McSherry
United States
Charles Poletti
New York
Dwight D. Eisenhower
AMGOT
Typical Case of AMGOT Tasks After Destruction
In a typical case AMGOT might move into a town partly destroyed by fighting with no utilities functioning and hundreds of hungry homeless people. Epidemics would threaten, medicine and food would be needed quickly, buildings converted into hospitals, a police force formed to combat looting.
Three Die In Train Crash At Whitesburg Kentucky
NORRISTOWN TENN July 17 A fast Eastbound Southern Railway freight train on a siding collided with a Westbound freight ten miles from here at Whitesburg killing possibly three Knoxville men and injuring three one critically The dead include H E Long conductor Knoxville and Cr Wise brakeman Knoxville as crews search for Engineer O A Yarnell missing after the crash The locomotive and cars were hurled from the tracks into nearby parked vehicles and houses
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Norristown
Tenn
Southern Railway
Whitesburg
Knoxville
O. A. Yarnell
H. E. Long
Morristown
Cr. W. Wise
Maine
Russians Condemned to Death for Treason in Krasnodar Incident
Eight of eleven Russians charged with high treason for the murder of Soviet citizens by German forces during the Krasnodar occupation last fall have been condemned to death by hanging. The remaining three received 20 year prison terms. One woman was among the condemned.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Krasnodar
Caucasus
Moscow Radio
Furious New Attacks Hit Messina Strait Lifelines
Allied air forces closed week one of the Sicilian invasion with heavy daylight and night attacks on San Giovanni Bari Reggio Calabria and Vibo Valenta targets. Bombers Liberators Mitchells and Marauders supported by Wellingtons and fighters struck docks rails and ferry lines before large fires flared. Allies reported 163 Axis planes shot down at the cost of 69 Allied aircraft.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hwest
Germany
Air Force
Virgil L. Emerson
Ames
Iowa
Bastille
France
Daniel DE Luce
North Africa
Mediterranean
Sicily
Africa
Middle East
San Giovanni
Vibo
Valentia
Reggio Calabria
Bari
Vibo Valentia
Crotone
Messina
Italy
Italy Fails To See Peace In Accepting Allied Ultimatum
London reports from Stefani state the Italian press printed the Roosevelt Churchill ultimatum and Mussolini warned that defeat would leave Italy with only their eyes to weep. Tribune de Geneve notes Italians face one choice to resist invasion and hold the allied position, otherwise risk turning Italy into a European battlefield under intensified German resistance. Swiss Journal De Geneve says Italy is tired of war with broad discontent but no unifying opposition, while Rome broadcasts insist surrender would not guarantee peace and that Berlin remains the British and American aim.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Stefani
Roosevelt Churchill
Italy
Mussolini
Uvice
Owirs Ulspatr
Tribune de Geneve
Europe
Journal de Geneve
Rome
Hitler
Berlin
Italians Surrender in Sicily Welcome U S Coffee Looted by Troops
Italian soldiers surrender in Sicily as rations C and K boost morale. Prisoners are fed like Americans in the field, with coffee delighting them after two years of coffee shortages. Some captives are moved toward North Africa or the United States as supply concerns grow. Civilians increasingly show welcome to the Allied forces days after landing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
H. R. Knickerbocker
Associated Press
Sicily
North Africa
United States
Canada
United States Army
USAAF
Sicilian Escape of Major General Middleton Reported
General Middleton narrowly escaped injury when a hostile plane dived on his car during the Sicily campaign. Lieut. General Patton said the pilot did not fire after recognizing Middleton’s insignia and the plane flew away.
Invasion Casualty List Shows Small Early Losses in Sicily
Report from the Seventh Army front in Sicily states that initial casualties for ground troops airborne and air forces were surprisingly low. Observers note effective naval gunfire and air support plus guerrilla actions behind lines. Some Italian troops reportedly surrendered willingly, awaiting arrival of Allied forces.
Convicted Textile Worker Faces Life Term in Slayings
In York South Carolina a 34 year old textile worker, Y Blackmon, was found guilty in general sessions court of murdering his wife and her second husband, J W Brooks of Columbia. Judge A L Gaston imposed a life sentence. Blackmon testified he killed the pair after his wife did him wrong. He shot one, then slit the wife’s throat and stabbed Brooks 38 times. Defense plans appeal to the state supreme court.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
York
S. C
General Sessions
Y. Blackmon
J. W. Brooks
Columbia
South Carolina
A. L. Gaston
Chester
State Supreme
Blackmon
Brooks
Also Mentioned on This Page
Yanks
Sec
U. S
Amsterdam
Bridget
Conn
Seaside Park
Robert Davis, Jr
Robert Davis
Rocky Mount
N. C
David Lee Carson
Davis
Lannie Turpin
Marina Village
Kursk
Orel-Kursk
Patton
Rendova
Rendova Island
Central Solomons
Tareee
Branc
Fascist Party
Messina Strait
Fenses
Baron Wolfram von Richthofen
Nfred von Richthofen
Cafe Expresso
Expresso
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