Current Events September 17, 1943; Victory at Salerno is won:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY SEPTEMBER 17, 1943:
—Detachments of the British 8th army were reported tonight by-the United Nations radio at Algiers to be only 18 1/2 miles from the 5th army bridgehead In the Salerno area.

The American 5th army uncorked a surprise offensive today, blasted a gap In the Nazi lines and stabbed deep Into enemy hill defenses overlooking the securely-held Salerno bridgehead.

The 8th army's commander, Lt Gen. Mark W. Clark, announced that the Initial objective has been achieved—"our beachhead is secure"— and he promised that side by side with the rapidly-approaching
British 5th army his men would' occupy Naples, Rome and other northern Italian cities.

The French underground was notified by Radio France at Algiers today that the "zero hour" for the liberation of their nation Is near. "The supreme struggle for the liberation of France is about to begin," the broadcast
declared.

Forty-elght Japanese fighter planes have been shot down In an air battle at Wewak. New Guinea. Gen. MacArthur's headquarters announced today. Wewark Is 325 miles northwest of Lae where nearly 400 planes have been destroyed there during the past six weeks.


             The Charleston Gazette
               Charleston, West Virginia. Friday Morning. September 17, 1943.
    5th Army Counter-Blow Sends Nazis Into Retreat;
               Patriot Guerrillas Seize Chief Yugoslav Seaport

Clark Declares
Victory Is Won
At Beachhead
Now Awaits 8th' Army
For Drive to dear
Italy of Foe
NEW YORK, Sept. 1—(INS)
—Detachments of the British 8th army were reported tonight by-the United Nations radio at Algiers to be only 18 1/2 miles from the 5th army bridgehead In the Salerno area.
By Pierre J. Huss
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, Sept. 16.— (INS)—
The American 5th army uncorked a surprise offensive today, blasted a gap In the Nazi lines and stabbed deep Into enemy hill defenses overlooking the securely-held Salerno bridgehead.
The 8th army's commander, Lt Gen. Mark W. Clark, announced that the Initial objective has been achieved—"our beachhead is secure"— and he promised that side by side with the rapidly-approaching
British 5th army his men would' occupy Naples, Rome and other northern Italian cities.
                                            Pour Through Breach
Declaring that "In a matter of hours" the 8th army would Join the battle, Clark pledged that the American and British forces would free Italy from German domination."
French Warned
To Be WatchingFor 'Zero Hour
LONDON, Sept 16.—(INS)—
The French underground was notified by Radio France at Algiers today that the "zero hour" for the liberation of their nation Is near. "The supreme struggle for the liberation of France is about to begin," the broadcast
declared.
Pierre Laval, the broadcast warned, is preparing to hand over "whole sections of the French population" to the Germans. Go Into hiding:," underground patriots were warned. "Be ready for the zero hour."

Allies Capture
Three Islands
In Aegean Sea
Italian Division Revolts
As Menace to Nazi
Flank Grows
LONDON, Sept. 18 (AP)
Split, Yugoslavia's mo.it Important seaport, has fallen to guerrilla patriot armies after two days siege, a Yugoslav communique said tonight.
The communique, Issued In the name of the Yugoslav army of liberation, said the Axis garrison of the Adriatic seaport was believed to have surrendered in the last 4 hours.
The guerrillas were reported attacking Ogulin. 30 miles Inland from the Adriatic in northern Yugoslavia. Guerrillas already hold a large part of the Susak-Zagrob railway in that region cast of Fiumo(??)..
German motorized divisions attempting
to pierce the Yugoslav lines near Klin were reported driven off with 300 killed and 500 wounded.
                                              Bergamo Division Joins Allies
The Italian Bergamo division was said to have surrendered and the Italians, wishing to fight alongside the partisan patriots against the Germans, were reported mustered into a -Garibaldi division."
The Allied menace to the German's Balkan flank apparently was still a distant threat, although the day brought word that Allied forces had thrust Into the Aegean sea to occupy three Islands off Turkey
and Greece—Samos, Co.s and Lero. Croat Guerrillas Cut Kail  Madrid dispatches said concurrently that Croat Guerrlllas under the command of Allied officers had cut four principal German-held railway* running out from northern Yugoslavia to Hungary, Rumania and Italy.

Allied Airmen
Down 48 Japs
New Guinea Nipponese
Lose More Ground
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, (Friday), Sept. 17.—(AP)—
Forty-elght Japanese fighter planes have been shot down In an air battle at Wewak. New Guinea. Gen. MacArthur's headquarters announced today.
Wewark Is 325 miles northwest of Lae where nearly 400 planes have been destroyed there during the
past six weeks.
At Lac, Allied forces have seized Malahang anchorage less than two miles from the center of that big
enemy air. base.  The anchorage Is near the prized airdrome of the same name. Australians have been driving steadily along the coast toward Malanang since they landed cast of Lae early this month.
American and Australian troops, moving toward Lae from the west, overcame strong enemy resistance on the Markham road and Inflicted heavy losses.