The Charleston Gazette
Charleston, West Virginia, Saturday Morning, February 20. 1943.
Yanks Form New Line
On Tunisian Hilltops;
Reds Continue Gains
8th Army Aid
Being Awaited
Montgomery's Big Attack
Believed Imminent
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, Feb. 19.— (AP)—
American armored forces stabilized their new line on the Tunisian
mountains near the Algerian frontier today while the
violent drive by Marshal Erwin Rommel that had carried him
more than 60 miles slacked off to mere skirmishing.
The announced withdrawal of French troops from Pichon, about
40 miles north of the Faid pass area where Rommel began his thrust
on Sunday, indicated that the central section of the Allied front was
being moved back to stronger defensive
Positions on the west side of the Ousseltia valley.
U. S. Reversals
Teach Lessons
LONDON, Feb. 19.-(INS)-
Col Edson D. Raff, commander of American paratroopers in Tunisia,
today minimized importance of the American reversals in the
Sbeitla area.
In London for a brief visit. Col. Raff pointed out at a press conference
that the German-captured airfields are on the edge of a' desert,
where the terrain is level and easily adaptable for landing fields
"Our losses will soon be made good, he said, as American engineers
can quickly replace the lost airdromes with new ones.
"The lessons learned have been extremely valuable," Raff said,
admitting that jnost of the American and British troops in Tunisia
were far from battle-experienced.
They are readily adapting themselves, however, the paratroop
commander said, predicting that the Anglo-American troops soon
will be the equal of the more experienced Axis soldiers
Advance 25 Miles
West of Kharkov
Main Railroad, Highway
Geared of Enemy
LONDON, Feb. 19.—(AP)—The
Red army has cleared the last German soldier from the Kursk-
Kharkov railroad and highway with the seizure of Oboyan, and
has pushed on 12 miles due west of Kharkov in its continuing
sweep toward the Dnieper river, a special Moscow communique
recorded by the Soviet monitor said tonight.
Jap Airfields,
Ships Blasted
Heavy,Medium Bombers
Strike in Solomons
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
AUSTRALIA, (Saturday), Feb 20—(AP)-Four Japanese merchant
ships have been damaged by Allied bombers in a raid on Buin on
Bougainville island in the northern Solomons, the Allied high command
announced today. "Our heavy and medium bombers
struck in a co-ordinated night attack on enemy shipping and airdromes,"
said the noon communique from Gen. Douglas MacArthur
headquarters. -..
"Attacking from extremely low altitudes in the face of strong ant-
aircraft fire, our heavy units score direct hits with 500-pound bomb
on four enemy cargo ships aggrating 27,000 tons. One vessel of
9.000 tons received two direct hits and was left burning from bow to
stern; another of 7,000 tons was struck twice, resulting in fire and
heavy smoke pouring from the side; a third of 8,000 tons was at-
tacked twice; a fourth of 3,000 tons had a direct hit and was damaged
by other bomb explosions within ten feet of the hull. In addition
ships and searchlight positions were heavily strafed. Our medium units
bombed the airdrome supply dumps and dispersal bays at Kahili and
the balance of the island and the seaplane base, causing heavy explosions
and| fires visible for 30 miles. There was no attempt at
interception. All our planes returned.
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