THE STARS AND STRIPES
Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations
London, England Friday, March 19, 1943
U.S. Troops Take Gafsa and Sweep On,
Big Guns Pave Way
For Capture of Oasis
Without Loss of Men
Eighth Army Begins
Mareth Offensive,
Berlin Says
Smashing 30 miles in a lightning thrust across central Tunisia, United
States forces under Maj. Gen. George C, Patton captured the oasis town of
Gafsa at 12.30 PM Wednesday under a protective cover of American
Mitchells, Spitfires and Airacobras, it was announced yesterday at Allied
Force Headquarters in North Africa.
The attack, preceded by a heavy barrage by 105s and 155s, was made only
a short lime after the hour when German sources said Gen. Montgomery's Eighth
Army launched an all-out offensive on the Axis positions in the Mareth Line.
There was no British confirmation of such an offensive, the Allied communique saying
only that the Army had Unproved its positions.
The Americans recaptured Gafsa without the loss of a single soldier after heavy
artillery and air 'bombardment put the German and Italian defenders to flight.
Only scattered small arms fire greeted the American infantry approaching the outskirts.
Patton Replaces Fredendall
Immediately after occupying Gafsa, the American troops, with some French units,
pushed on six miles east of the city to Djebel Rehariz and Lalla. The advance
placed a strong body of American troops less than 55 miles from the Gabes bottleneck
and 100 miles from the Eighth Army, thus drawing tighter the Allied circle
around Rommel's troops.
Allies Occupy
Base Prepared
For Lost Convoy
Ground Troops Find Jap
Installations on North
New Guinea Coast
ALLIED HQ, Southwest Pacific, Mar.18 (UP)
Allied ground troops in New Guinea have occupied a Japanese base
near the Mambare River, on the north coast, which had been prepared for the
arrival of the Bismarck Sea convoy, destroyed two weeks ago by Allied planes.
The base, discovered when Allied troops were cleaning up abandoned
Japanese positions in the area, included such installations as pillboxes, a hospital
and other equipment, and was large enough to accommodate large forces, and
which, in the words of today's official communique " was doubtless built m
preparation for a future offensive.
Air Offensive Goes On
The Allied air offensive has been kept up by heavy bombers, which bombed the
Rapopo airdrome at Rabaul yesterday, dropping 392 bombs on the runway and
on dispersal areas.
Countless explosions resulted and heavy destruction was caused among enemy
aircraft on the field. The attacking aircraft encountered anti-aircraft nre and
searchlights and two night fighters attempted interception. Despite this, all
Allied planes returned safely.
Two waves of medium bombers attacked the Japanese occupied town of
Langgoer and caused fires and heavy damage among houses, barracks and
workshops in the dock area. Little opposition was put up from the ground.
Daylong Attacks on Kiska
WASHINGTON, Mar. 18 (AP)—Four separate daylong attacks were made on
Japanese installations on Kiska, in the Aleutians, yesterday as Libs and Mitchells,
escorted by Lightning fighters, bombed camp areas and submarine bases, starting
large fires and scoring direct hits on the camp areas. Two enemy fighters
were shot down by Lightnings.
Big U.S. Force
Hits Submarine
Base in Reich
Heavy Fighter Opposition
Brings Down Two
Bombers
Flying Fortresses and Liberators struck heavily in daylight yesterday at the Nazi
U-boat yards at Vegesack, near Bremen, in northwestern Germany.
A strong force of the big four-engined bombers had to fight their way through
heavy " enemy opposition, a Headquarters, ETOUSA, communique announced
last night. Two bombers were reported missing from the operation,
which took a stiff toll of Nazi fighter planes.
Weather was clear, airmen reported, and a large number of bombs were seen
to burst on the U-boat yards. The text of the communique follows:
" It is announced by Headquarters, European Theater Of Operations, that a
strong force of Flying Fortresses (B17s) and Liberators (B24s) heavily attacked
the important U-boat yards at Vegesack in northwest Germany during daylight today.
Weather was clear and many hits were obtained on the yards, which are
principally engaged in the building and repair of submarines.
4 Heavy Opposition
Heavy opposition from enemy aircraft was encountered and many of them
were destroyed and damaged. Two of our bombers failed to return."
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