Current Events July 23, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JULY 23 1943:

A lightning American advance across western Sicily resulted in the

capture of the two great Axis airdromes of CasteJvetrano and Sciacca

yesterday and brought U.S. columns within 15 miles of the north coast—

virtually isolating the three biggest towns of Palermo. Trapani and Marsala.

The attack on Italy was carried directly to the mainland yesterday when the

British fleet bombarded Cotrone, in the Gulf of Taranto, Reuter's correspondent

with the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean reported.

  THE STARS AND STRIPES

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

                 New York, N.Y.—London, England Friday, July 23, 1943

Yanks Take Two Airfields, Plunge North

U.S. Forces 15 Miles

From North Coast;

17 Towns Captured

Italian 26th Div. Gives Up Almost as Unit;

Germans Fire on Surrendering Italians;

British Gain Near Catania

A lightning American advance across western Sicily resulted in the

capture of the two great Axis airdromes of CasteJvetrano and Sciacca

yesterday and brought U.S. columns within 15 miles of the north coast—

virtually isolating the three biggest towns of Palermo. Trapani and Marsala.

In Washington Undersecretary of War Robert P. Patterson disclosed last

night that the spearheads of the American drive had reached the outskirts

of Marsala, on the extreme western tip of the island, and the port's fall

was imminent.

In all, 17 towns fell to the Allies during the day, most of them to the

American steamroller. Italians made little attempt to resist. Their 26th

Assietta division surrendered almost enmasse. Allied headquarters confirmed

the report that the Germans were firing on Italians walking forward to surrender.

And the Italians, in turn, continued to shoot German officers, Allied headquarters

said.

                                        Eighth Army Inches Forward

British Shell

Italy Mainland

Near Taranto

Foe's Fleet Fails to Halt

Sea Attack on Route

Of Reinforcements

The attack on Italy was carried directly to the mainland yesterday when the

British fleet bombarded Cotrone, in the Gulf of Taranto, Reuter's correspondent

with the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean reported.

For five minutes early yesterday cruisers

hurled shells into the harbor area causing a number of fires.

Unchallenged by major units of the Italian fleet during the Sicilian invasion,

the Navy defied an ostensibly strong squadron based at Taranto—95

miles northwest—and drove into Italy's instep to shell the town and port on the

coastal road and railway to the lip of Italy's toe. Italian vessels refused to venture

out of Taranto.

The bombardment, which had been foreseen in informed London quarters,

apparently was intended to cut one of the routes by which the Axis is sending

reinforcements to Reggio for transhipment over the Messina ferry to Sicily.

Germans Rushing Troops

Yanks on Edge

Of Munda Base

Solomons Garrison Gets

Heaviest Raid Ever

In So. Pacific

WASHINGTON, July 22—

American troops on New Georgia, veterans of three weeks of bitter jungle lighting, yesterday hurled back strong Japanese counterattacks with many enemy losses, then

advanced to within 1.000 yards of the village's airfield, Gen. Douglas Mac-

Arthur's headquarters announced today.

At the same time United States planes dropped 133 tons of bombs on Bairoko

harbor in New Georgia (12 miles from Munda) in the heaviest Allied raid yet in

the southwest Pacific, and completely destroyed the harbor facilities.

A spokesman at South Pacific headquarters announced today that U.S.

troops on New Georgia were engaged in final battles for Munda against

Japanese troops which arc situated behind strong defensive positions ringing

the airfield but the Americans were making "satisfactory progress."

                                             Jap Artillery Knocked Out

Reds Pierce

Orel's Main

Defense line

Artillery Shelling the City

As Soviets Advance

On All Fronts

MOSCOW, July 22 (UP)—

Russian army forces tonight are fighting their way through the concrete fortifications

of the main outer defences of Orel, and the heavy Russian guns are

steadily shelling the city itself.

The Germans further south have been forced to abandon their main

Byelgorod defense lines, and the Russians are advancing everywhere on this

sector, front line dispatches said tonight. Successive German counter-attacks,

south of Izyum and southwest of Voroshilovgrad, were shattered by the Russians,

who steadily are widening their bridgeheads on the right banks of the

Donetz and Mius rivers.

                                             Planes Attack Behind Lines

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