Current Events July 12, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY:

Private reports from Italy tonight said that- Premier Mussolini presided

at. a cabinet meeting this morning, that Fascist

party expulsions were continuing, and that Germany;had taken no .steps to send reserves into Sicily.

American and British air-borne troops, striking \.

back .at the Axis in the same manner in which Germany \

once terrorized her foes, landed in Sicily by parachute

and glider, hours before the invasion by Allied ground

forces, it. was disclosed officially Sunday.

There were more than 2,000 vessels involved in the landing operations

in Sicily.

The. .Sicilian armada thus became the greatest by far in

all history, .more than doubling t h e 850 warships a n d merchantmen,

which comprised, the invasion fleet for North Africa

last fall.

             San Antonio Express

                 San Antonio, Texas Monday Morning July 12, 1943

ALLIES DRIVE INTO SICILY

Three Airfields Captured

Axis Resistance Smashed;

More Troops Reach Africa

Allies Strongly Established Along 100 Miles of

Sicily's Southeastern Shores and Make Contact

With Paratroops Dropped in Interior, While

Beating Off Weak Enemy Attacks

By Associated Press .

BERN, Switzerland, July 11.

Private reports from Italy tonight said that- Premier Mussolini presided

at. a cabinet meeting this morning, that Fascist

party expulsions were continuing, and that Germany;

had taken no .steps to send reserves into Sicily.

A dispatch published here also said that Mussolini

and King Vittprio Emanuele had made a point of

being seen publicly in Rome where "the atmosphere

was heavy."

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH! AFRICA,

July 11.—Three airfields have fallen to .the

Allied invasion forces, including the American parachutists

and British glider troops, which tonight still

were striking inland without major resistance after

solidly establishing a 100-mile bridgehead in" south-

eastern Sicily.

Paratroops and Gliders

Precede Allied landings

Beaches of Sicily

'Air Transports Take Americans and British to

Objectives; Losses Reported Small; Bombers

Strafe Island Throughout the Day;28 Planes Lost

"ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH AFRICA,

July 11.—American and British air-borne troops, striking \.

back .at the Axis in the same manner in which Germany \

once terrorized her foes, landed in Sicily by parachute

and glider, hours before the invasion by Allied ground

forces, it. was disclosed officially Sunday.

By EDWARD GILL1NG

Special War 'Correspondent Represent-

ing the Combined British Press

(Distributed by Associated Press)

AN ALLIED FORCE 'COMMAND. POST, July II.—

There were more than 2,000 vessels involved in the landing operations

in Sicily.

The. .Sicilian armada thus became the greatest by far in

all history, .more than doubling t h e 850 warships a n d merchantmen,

which comprised, the invasion fleet for North Africa

last fall.

It. was. a stupendous task to t a k e these great convoys

through one of the narrowest channels to their destination,

so that each, ship should arrived at its scheduled landing

beach at the right minute.

Weather made -the task even a more gruelling' one for the

personnel1 of the landing craft, most of whom were young and

inexperienced. It was an outstanding performance to get such a force

ashore without any real. mishaps.

An American Naval Force covered the landing of Ameri-

can troop's' and' on' the" beaches where the Americans, landed,

there was 'a very heavy swell but t h e i r assault' troops all

were put ashore on time.

It .is now confirmed that no contact was made with-enemy

surface .vessels.

The only thing seen by our ships was a small group of

Italian E-boats-which' promptly made

off at high speed, when

they saw the Allied navies. General Dwight' D. • Eisenhower

today paid tribute to the work ~ of the 'Allied navies in

the-landings.

Munda Base

Ready for

Wiping Out

Japanese Cut Off

From Supplies

And Assistance

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS

IN THE"" SOUTHWEST' PACIFIC; July 11.—

Cut off .from ; its supply 'port, pounded by bomber's, blasted

by artillery' and 'menaced from two directions by United

States .troops, Japan's air base garrison: at 'Munda on

New Georgia appeared today to be faced with ultimate, annihilation.