June 27, 1944; CHERBOURG ENTERED IN FORCE:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 27, 1944:

In a driving rain which failed to extinguish the fires smoldering in the rubble of Cherbourg, American troops entered the city in force yesterday all the way to the waterfront and fought from house to house to clean out the last few fanatical Nazi defenders.

BULLETIN

Marshal. Stalin announced the capture of Vitebsk- last night in a special order

of the day. He said two army groups "carried the town by assault" after encircling five Nazi divisions.

New York, N.Y.—London, England—France Tuesday, June 27, 1944

Organized Resistance

Ends; Victors Smash

Clear to Waterfront

In a driving rain which failed to extinguish the fires smoldering in the rubble of Cherbourg, American troops entered the city in force yesterday all the way to the waterfront and fought from house to house to clean out the last few fanatical Nazi defenders.

All organized resistance in and around Cherbourg ended yesterday morning, said a dispatch from U.S. field headquarters, but .small German pockets continued to offer violent battle in some areas. And the Germans on Cap de la Hague, northwest of Cherbourg, shelled the western part of the city heavily to harass the occupying troops.

Although the Americans moved into the city and German propagandists, admitting its loss, put in a feverish day attempting to minimize the defeat, there still was no formal reply by the Prussian commandant, Gen. Karl Wilhelm von Schlieben, to Lt. Gen. Omar N. Bradley's demands for an unconditional surrender.

Diehard Nazis fought on to the death in little groups of six to 20 in concrete pillboxes along the beach and in houses and other buildings. U.S. tanks helped the infantry mop up these nests. 3,400 Prisoners Seized

The satellite troops surrendered by the hundreds, however, and more than 3,400

prisoners were taken in the 24 hours up to 6 AM, bringing the count for the

whole Normandy campaign to more than 20,000. One U.S. regiment took 300 captives in 30 minutes.

Vitebsk Falls to Russian Army

5 Divisions

Trapped by

Soviet Push

BULLETIN

Marshal. Stalin announced the capture of Vitebsk- last night in a special order

of the day. He said two army groups "carried the town by assault" after encircling five Nazi divisions.

Smashing forward toward the Baltic with overwhelming power, the Red Army yesterday cut off the White Russian fortress of Vitebsk and its garrison of five Nazi divisions, seized half the city in bitter street fighting and simultaneously

widened jsix great gaps along 200 miles of,- the enemy's "Fatherland line" in a giant offensive that Moscow reported had cost the Germans 16,000 dead in three days.

The War Today

France--Americans enter Cherbourg in force all {he way to water front . • • all organized German resistance ends but defense pockets hold out in fight,' to death. .Fort du Roule taken by| storm . . . British gain in attack on Caer sector.

Russia--Red Army captures Vitebsk, traps five  divisions pushes on to out flank rest of Hitler bastions in White Russia. . . . Moscow says 16,000 enemy killed in three days.

Pacific—Japs lose 747 planes, 30 ships sunk 51 damaged two probably sunk in attempting to defend Marianas and Bonin Islands,

Adm. Chester W. Nimitz announces. . . .Capture of Jap strongpoint on Saipan

Island reported.

Italy--_Allies occupy west coast port of J Piombino, 38 miles from Leghorn.. . . Fifth Army strikes toward Siena as Eighth battles for Chiusi, Nazi strongpoint in central mountains.

Air Force--Vienna reported raided by, Italian .based U-S heavies as weather grounds British-based war-planes.

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