Current Events July 24, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JULY 24, 1943:

American armored forces, slicing across Sicily at a speed that stunned

the Italian defenders, rolled into the north coast port of Palermo almost

unmolested on Thursday to cut off the island's northwestern tfp and win

the Allies' greatest victory thus far, invasion headquarters disclosed yesterday.

Russian forces tonight were reported to be shelling and bombing the last Nazi held railway running from Orel. They were only five miles from the line itself, which runs west from Orel to Briansk, and the only remaining routes of escape for the large Nazi

forces still in the Orel area were two narrow roads running southwest from the town.

Liberators from Australia flew 2,400 miles round trip yesterday to blast the

Japanese Naval Base at Soerabaya. inJava, dispatches from Gen. MacAnhur's

Heaquarters said today. So completely were the Japs surprised

that no black "out regulations were in effect and the American planes droned

over the target for an hour and a half, picking out "their targets.

        THE STARS AND STRIPES

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

        New York N.Y, London, England Saturday, July 24, 1943.

Axis Backing Into Sicily's Northeast Tip

Swift U.S. Advance

Captures Palermo;

Catania Still Holds

Foe Expected to Make Stand in Mountain

Line Guarding Area Around Messina;

Allies Control Most Airfields

American armored forces, slicing across Sicily at a speed that stunned

the Italian defenders, rolled into the north coast port of Palermo almost

unmolested on Thursday to cut off the island's northwestern tfp and win

the Allies' greatest victory thus far, invasion headquarters disclosed yesterday.

Palermo's fall, along with the general collapse of the Axis in western

Sicily, virtually narrowed the battlefield to the northeastern tip of the

island.

Capture of Sicily's capital and second largest harbor, with more than a

mile of wharf space and considerable undamaged enemy shipping at the

docks, automatically cut oil the escape of Axis troops along 80 miles of coast line,

isolated the western bases of Marsaja, Trapani, Castellammare and Trapetto and

brought under Allied control all the island's main ai'^elds except those around

Gerbini, near the western end of the Catania plain.

Reds Pound

Last Railway

In Orel Area

Two Narrow Roads Only

Escape Paths for Foe ;

Resistance Stiff

MOSCOW, July 23 (UP)— Russian forces tonight were reported to be

shelling and bombing the last Nazi held railway running from Orel.

They were only five miles from the line itself, which runs west from Orel

to Briansk, and the only remaining routes of escape for the large Nazi

forces still in the Orel area were two narrow roads running southwest from

the town.

In spite of the increasing danger of complete encirclement, the Germans

still hurled in more men in their efforts to hold apart the two arms of the Red

Army pincers, now less than 25 miles apart.

Crack Alpine troops, police troops. and fresh tank reinforcements all were

being used in a last desperate cffon to prevent the Russians from finally cutting

off and wiping out the Orel salient.

Capture of the town of Bolkhov, which cleared up the strongly-fortified enemy

districts north of Orel, was announced in a communique late last night. The lighting

cost the enemy 56,000 effectives, of whom only 6,000 were taken prisoner,

as well as huge quantities of material.

                                                    Nazi Resistance Stubborn

2,400 Mile Raid

By Libs on Java

Surprised Japs Keep Lights

On As B24s Start

Huge Oil Fires

WASHINGTON. July 23 — U.S.

Liberators from Australia flew 2,400 miles round trip yesterday to blast the

Japanese Naval Base at Soerabaya. inJava, dispatches from Gen. MacAnhur's

Heaquarters said today. So completely were the Japs surprised

that no black "out regulations were in effect and the American planes droned

over the target for an hour and a half, picking out "their targets. Fires were

started in refineries visible for 140 miles. No B24 was lost in one of the most

hazardous flights—and one of the longest in any theater of war—whicli brought

Allied bombers to Java for the first time since the Jap occupation last year.

Pilots" reports said other hits were scored in dock areas and railway freight

yards. No night tighter opposition, was encountered but anti-aircraft fire was

heavy.

                                             Pacific's Heaviest Raid