Current Events December 27, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY DECEMBER 27, 1943:

Strong forces of 'U. S. Marines, tightening the Allied blockade of Rabaul, swept ashore unopposed at the
northwestern tip of New Britain at 7:45 a. m. Sunday and seized beachheads on both sides of Cape Gloucester, a special communique announced today.

Gen. Nikolai F., Vatutin's army of the Ukraine swept westward on a 50- mile front against the Zhitomir- Korosten railroad today, pressing a new offensive in the Kiev salient which in three days had regained almost two-thirds, of the territory lost in five weeks. Vatutin's drive had ended, a Ger: man threat to Kiev, and had set the Russian forces of the' northwest Ukraine again striking out toward the' pre-war 'Polish border some 75 miles beyond their battle line

American troops nave captured two more strategic Italian heights and today were reported pouring down the Apennine slopes toward the Cassino platform in. pursuit, of German forces falling back along tlhe road to Rome.

 A German communique suggested today that Allied commandos may have begun a series of reconnaissance
landings on the French invasion coast to gather information on enemy dispositions in preparation for the opening of a second front.

 Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, newly Appointed commander of the Allied armies massing for invasion of western Europe, declared confidently today that "we will win the European war in 1944."

 
                         HUNTINGDON, PA  MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1943.

 MARINES OCCUPY
LONG ISLAND OFF
EAST NEW GUINEA
By DON CASW'ELL,
United Press Correspondent
Advanced Allied Headquarters, New Guinea, Dec. 27.—
Strong forces of U. S. Marines, tightening the Allied blockade of Rabaul, swept ashore unopposed at the
northwestern tip of New Britain at 7:45 a. m. Sunday and seized beachheads on both sides of Cape Gloucester, a special communique announced today.
Other Marines, like the main' forces of veterans-tebfe Guadalcanal, simultaneously occupied Long Island, 80 miles west of Cape Gloucester and 80 miles east of the big Japanese base of Madang on the northern shore of New Guinea.
The twin invasions, coming only 11 days after elements of the Sixth U. S. Army landed on the southwest coast of - New Britain, completed the Allied control of the southwestern approaches to Rabaul, 275 miles
northeast of Cape Gloucester. Swarms of Japanese planes roared in to attack soon after the Marines had established beachheads on both sides of a network of airfields on Cape Gloucester, but protecting Allied fighters shot down 61 of them—36 bombers, and 25 fighters — for a loss of only seven of their own.
A small escort vessel sunk by a direct"bomb hit and the damaging of other craft were the only Allied shipping losses for the raids and Gen. Douglas MacA'rthur's special communique jubilantly proclaimed:

 RUSSIANS STREAM
THROUGH 50-MILE
GAP IN NAZI LINES
By HENRY SHAPIRO,
United Press Correspondent
Moscow, Dec. 27. —
Gen. Nikolai F., Vatutin's army of the Ukraine swept westward on a 50- mile front against the Zhitomir- Korosten railroad today, pressing a new offensive in the Kiev salient which in three days had regained almost two-thirds, of the territory lost in five weeks. Vatutin's drive had ended, a Ger: man threat to Kiev, and had set the Russian forces of the' northwest Ukraine again striking out toward the' pre-war 'Polish border some 75 miles beyond their battle line.
At some points on the rim of the new expanding Kiev salient, Soviet forces had driven beyond their most advanced positions before the Nazi command flung its best forces against the bulge in a desperate bid to stem the Russian drive westward.

 U.S. TROOPS SEIZE 2
STRATEGIC PEAKS;
NAZIS FALL BACK
By DONALD COE
* United Press Correspondent
Allied Headquarters, Algiers,
Dec. 27. —
American troops nave captured two more strategic Italian heights and today were reported pouring down the Apennine slopes toward the Cassiiio platform. pursuit, of German forces falling back along tlhe road to Rome.
The tide of a bitter battle in the Mount Sammuoro region of 'the Fifth Army front had turned '''in. favor of the hard fighting Amencans, and they now were pressing] down the mountainside overlook east of Cassino.
Across the Apennine spine in the Adriatic sector, Canadian assault forces wrested two more city blocks from the Germans putting up a. "little Stalingrad" fight in the outskirts, of : Ortona,; .while, Indian troops . captured the village of Villa Grande, two miles to the southwest.

GERMANS SUGGEST
ALLIES MAY HAVE
STARTED LANDINGS
By PHIL AULT
United Press Correspondent
London, Dec. 27. —
A German communique suggested today that Allied commandos may have begun a series of reconnaissance
landings on the French invasion coast to gather information on enemy dispositions in preparation for the opening of a second front.
The communique claimed that a British and French landing party was "wiped out" Friday when it attempted to approach barbed wire entanglements along the channel coast.

Eisenhower Sees End Of
European War In 1944
                                                                    BULLETIN
Washing-ton, Dec. 27. —
Secretary of State Cordell Hull asserted today that the war in Europe can be ended in 1944 provided all peoples of the United Nations redouble their efforts and work in greater unity.
Hull made the statement during his daily news conference. It came as a surprise to correspondents, inasmuch as it was the first time he had discussed future military operations.
By C. R, CUNNINGHAM
United Press Correspondent
Allied Headquarters, Algiers,
Dec. 27. —
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, newly Appointed commander of the Allied armies massing for invasion of western Europe, declared confidently today that "we will win the European war in 1944."

Atlantic City
Shaken By
Explosions At Sea
Atlantic City, N. J., Dec. 27. —
Life along the southern New Jersey seacoast returned to normal today after a Sunday filled with wild rumor and conjecture starting with a series of rumbling explosions far at sea.
The boardwalk, its several piers, hotels and houses were severely shaken by explosion after explosion.
Thousands thronged the beachfront, trying to pierce a low. hanging mist to see what rumor described as a fierce naval engagement.
Fourth Naval district officers in Philadelphia scotched the rumors quickly with the.announcment that the -explosions were a part of "ordinary maneuvers."
Resort residents described th« resultant trembling of the earth and shaking of buildings as similar to an earthquake. When sounds of. the blasts drifted inshore, police and fire headquarters were deluged with .anxious telephone calls.
Police said the excitement was. heightened by Saturday night's Eastern Seaboard air raid alert. The tremors were felt inland eight to 10 miles and along the oastline from Atlantic City to Cape May.