Current Events July 14, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JULY 14, 1943:

STARS AND SRIPES

Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations

New York, N.Y.—London, England Wednesday, July 14, 1943

Americans Counter

Fierce Tank Attacks;

Air Blockade Is On

CLEARFIELD PROGRESS

CLEARFIELD, PA., WIEDNESDAY EVENING. JULY 14, 1943

AMERICANS TAKE TWO SICILIAN

AIR BASES AND RAILWAY TOWN

BRITISH FORCES CONTINUE ADVANCE TOWARD CATANIA

Red Army Attacking In

Belgorod Sector; U. S.

Troops Closer To Munda

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

American troops in a great three-pronged advance have

captured Comiso and Ponte Olivo—two of the 10 principal

Italian air bases in Sicily—and the railway town of Naro in a

westward thrust, it was officially announced today.

British forces on the east coast meanwhile continued

their threatening advance from fallen Augusta upon the

great seaport of Catania, meeting only weak resistance,

and the Axis reported fierce fighting inland in the moun-

Comiso lies just west of Ragusa in Southeast Sicily, and

Pontc Olive is nine miles north of the U. S. bridgehead at Gela.

The fall of Naro represents a 15-mile strike inland

n< rthwc«t of Licata, extending the Allied holdings on the southern

coast of the island to the west. Naro is only 12 miles east ot

the city of Agrigfento.

The airfield at Catania, seaport objective of

the swift British Advance up the east coast, was

%orob»rded by war^i^s/the war bulletin said. It

also confirmed capture of Augusta and Ragusa,

first reported taken yesterday.

The British Eighth Army march upon Catania

continues.

Supporting the American drive, Allied warships

also bombarded Porto Empedocle, three miles from

Agrigento on the south coast, and Ponte Olivio.

Stabbing into the narrow Messina Strait, Allied

motor boats engaged two enemy tnotor torpedo

boats, driving them ashore burning, the communique

added.

British troops marched into Augusta today

after a British and a Greek destroyer had sailed

into the harbor Monday afternoon.

Effective counter-measures have been t a k e n

against enemy submarines striking at the huge invasion

fleet, Headquarters said. Axis air attacks have

not interrupted the steady stream of Allied reinforcements.

Roughly one-tenth of Sicily now has been

over-run by the Allies, and they are approaching

the Catania plain where great and decisive tank

battles might be fought.