Mediterranean Algiers Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 17, 1943, Algiers, Algiers                                Vol. I no. 112, Friday september 17, 1943 u. S. Army daily newspaper one franc soviets take vital port of  City Falls after five Day russian seige London sept. 16�?soviet troops today captured the great Black sea port of novo Rossik after smashing land and amphibious attacks marshal Joseph Stalin announced in an order of the Day which once again sent Moscow a Victory guns a coming. Novo Rossik 200 Miles Southeast of Rostov in the Kuban fell alter a five Day siege. Its capture came As a stunning Surprise because until today the soviets had not mentioned the offensive. The City had been in German hands since september 1942. Late last Spring the russians forced their Way to within a few Miles of the port but were halted by fierce German counterattacks. The Battle line in this sector remained Static for months v Ith Only slight patrol activity on both sides until the soviets suddenly opened their Swift offensive this week. The first news of the new soviet attack on novo Rossik came from the German communique yesterday which told of an amphibious Landing on the City followed by severe House to House fighting for the important port in the Western caucasus. For months the nazis have held Only a narrow Bridgehead in the Kuban area where their troops were completely Cut off from any escape except through the Black sea to the Crimea the rumanian coast or the Southern. Ukraine. Novo Rossik is More than 600 Miles South of Bryansk. The nazis Clung to their precarious hold on the Blae sea coast in Hopes of launching an attack a someday in the future on the Rich oilfields of the Southern caucasus. As the summer offensive spread to the new area German and rus j Sian forces last night were still locked in heavy Street fighting for Possession of Bryansk and the soviet drive on Kiev increased in continued on Page 2 borrow a copy the acute newsprint shortage in North Africa has made it necessary for the stars and stripes to reduce its daily editions from four pages to two and to reduce the total number of papers published. It will be a help if readers will arrange to share their papers so that there will be enough copies to go round. Every Reader is urged to borrow a paper instead of buying one whenever  crack lae defens allies one mile from Jap base 5th army moves Forward in first offensive thrust it _ Naaf throws powerful 8th# advances attack at nazi defenders Southern Allied South Pacific Headquarters. Sept 16�?australian troops have pushed to within one mile of the principal Ai drome at the heart of the Jap new Guinea base of Lac a late communique from general Douglas Mac Arthurs Headquarters announced today. Three plantations defending the bomb shattered Garrison were seized yesterday. Heath s and Vernon s plantations eight Miles West of lae fell to american airborne troops pressing Down the Markham Valley. Another american Force took Whittaker a Plantation Only five and a half Miles West of the base. Correspondents reported that Jap resistance is stiffening in the lae sector. Maj. Gen. Francis Puller who commanded the 41st division in some of the hardest new Guinea fighting declared however that signs of cracks were evident in Jap morale in the new Guinea and new Britain sectors. As the lae struggle neared a Climax Allied air forces struck at bases further afield. In a sweep along the new Guinea coast North of Padang they found 30 enemy barges in Hansa Bay and left most of them destroyed or severely damaged. In the Solomons Allied heavy bombers with Strong fighter escort struck at a Bougainville Island Airfield destroying 16 enemy planes on the ground and knocking seven More out of the air. Off the coast of Bougainville Island an Allied bomber scored direct hits on a Jap destroyer. Allied Force Headquarters sept. 16 a Allied bombers yesterday sea bed the germans in the Salerno a Lea with More than three times the weight of bombs the nazis Ever loosed in a night on London during the autumn Blitz of 1940. It was the second Day of the great Allied air offensive against Ute German stronghold around Naples. Repeating almost target for target and plane Foi Plant that record Perfi Mance on tuesday the Northwest african air Force again sent every combat aircraft at its disposal against Tho germans on the rim of the scimitar shaped Allied Bridgehead. The operation yesterday at the very least equalled that of tuesday when according to an official spokesman. Quot vastly More than 1.200 tons of bombs were  takes fascist Lead in the two raids on Rome july 19 and August 13. A total of 1.200 bombs were dropped and approximately 4.850 tons were dropped on Pantelleria in the seven Days immediately prior to the islands surrender. Our bombers including the mighty fortresses ran the route to Salerno in relays. The last fortress formation of the Day was Over its target at Eboli at 1950 hum sit targets Fah Gea from toe railroads and highways of Torre an Nunziaio in the Northwest to communications lines near Croton in the Southeast. In Between All types of bombers and ground Straf ing fighter planes attacked enemy troops tanks convoys ammunition and Supply dumps communications and gun positions. Again yesterday enemy fighter opposition was negligible and virtually no flak was encountered. Of the 24 enemy aircraft seen five were shot Down by p-40 War Hawks mentioned for the first time As taking part in the Battle of Salerno. Four of our aircraft were missing. Sailors spell trouble for Jerry runners by Ralph h. Major or. Special to the stars and stripes it with the 5th army near Alerno sept. 12  a Lavy Beach party sailors Are Rais i no hell As guerrilla fighters in he italian Hill country near Here. Fighting in groups of threes and oms these Seli named a a Navy commandos have sniped at German machine gun nests captured Erry soldiers at several Points lid Are writing a new chapter in Javy Shore warfare. �?�1 suppose you might Call it a private War a Seaman in Clifford Christian of fort Lauderdale �?��?Tla., said. A a we landed on a Day in the Beach and just kept on oing. We paired off and headed or the  dodging Large German units my knocking out it Nemy machine in emplacements with their regulation my rifles the Dungaree Clad sailors romped Inland to i Small town. The three Lone seaming men a Christian Seaman so Clyde Daughtery. Of Branford 1a., and Seaman 2c Gilbert care of Baltimore strode Down the Nain Street and calmly observed hat everybody seemed to have Eft. Half an hour later they re-1 ated the first army scouts crept nto town and were welcomed by he sailors. Things started to get Dull then hey said so they drifted South and found a bivouac area with six germans sitting Down to it breakfast. Five germans surrendered but one made a Little trouble and had to be eliminated. The captured Jerries were turned Over As prisoners to advancing soldiers and the unhampered Beach party Crew moved further Inland. Several Miles ahead of army scouts the Little Trio out of breath and exhausted pulled into an italian Hill town which formerly had been the seat of Havy nazi artillery spots. Here again they found no resistance so they proceeded through town and Slung their Musette bags under a tree and pitched Camp for the night. The next morning they had wine milk bread and eggs for breakfast thanks to grateful italians. No novices in guerilla spot to spot slugging the Beach party boys trained with the american 1st division landed the first troops in Sicily and even went out on prisoner Hunting expeditions in North Africa. A a we Haven t got any particular name except Beach party a a they claimed a Little sorrowfully Quot but the army a started calling us Navy commandos reckon that Moniker a a about As Good As  Benito Mussolini has resumed supreme leave snip of lasers or in Italy a if a broadcast from a German radio station can be believed. An Anonymous announcer who declared he was speaking for the sex Duce read a message to the italians in which Mussolini called upon All fascists dismissed by the Bado Iio government to resume their former posts and named Al Lesandro Pavolini an obscure fascist Hack a a temporary Secretary of the Republican fascist  the use of the new term a a Republican fascism a appeared to indicate that the fascists who have linked Vittorio Emmanuele to marshal a Doglio so a treachery a no longer regard Italy As a kingdom. The whereabouts of a a Republican fascism so resurrected Leader remain undisclosed. According to Neutral sources he is now in Germany and has had a conference with Adolf Hitler. Dub the German news Agency has released a comparatively full account of Mussolini so Rescue in terms calculated to wring fascist hearts. According to dub he was found on la Maddelena Island off Sardinia living in a room which looked like a a a prison  there were no pictures on the Wall and the sex Duce had been sleeping in a a miserable Camp  Mussolini dub said. Was a a standing upright in the Middle of the room his hand lifted in greeting a when the German Rescue party entered. He a a trembled with rage when told of Italy a surrender. If the German account can be credited Mussolini a Ora tical style was unaffected by confinement. Reputedly his first words were a the italian people have been saved by my  for the first time in several Davs there were rumours that the ital continued on Page 2 Hume i say Tojo resigns san Francisco. Sep. 16�?unconfirmed rumours say that japanese Premier Hideki Tojo has resigned As a result of Italy a surrender and grave Jap defeats in the Southwest Pacific. Some Point has been Given to the rumours by Tokyo broadcasts monitored by us. Listening monitors repeatedly w lining the japanese Public that a a violent political shifts May occur in Japan. Confronted with any probable political or economic changes a one Tokyo broadcast said a a we must be prepared. Japan now i confronted with an unprecedented give situation which will determine her defeat or Victory must i attain Complete Unity a i japanese broadcasts Are said to reflect special concern Over the acquisition of Italy a Fleet by the allies. Whatever disposition is made of the italian ships the japs Are i keenly aware that with the disappearance of italian naval oppose i tion in the Mediterranean the allies May soon be free to shift no i serous War vessels to the Pacific. 1 Allied Force Headquarters. Sept. 16�?after tour Days of bitter defensive fighting 5th army troops punched Forward in their first offensive thrust in the Battle for the Salerno Bridgehead. Lost ground was regained North of Altavilla in the Southern sector Between the Sele and Colore Rivers. In a congratulatory message to British and american commanding officers it. Gen. Mark w. Clark declared that a a our beachhead is secure and that a a we Are Here to  general Clark added that the British 8th army was a a advancing rapidly from the South and that a a its presence would be Felt in a matter of  latest official communiques reported that British 8th army units have pushed up past Scalea heading northwards towards Capri Only 55 Miles of twisting Beach Road from Garipoli the hindmost hinge of the Bridgehead Battle. So far. The upcoming British divisions have not run int any enemy resistance and their Progress is regarded As a a very a ast a  ranging close inshore along the Hilly Western coastlines. Allied War guns at tanks troop concentrations and Strong enemy gun emplacements. The air Force too maintained its terrific support flying every Type of fighter and bomber Over the Battle area within the past 48 hours either As cover for the ships in the Harbor or on strafing bombing missions. Military observers today admitted that the element of Surprise was almost completely lacking in the initial invasion. The enemy not Only expected an attack it was said but was fully aware of the likeliest beachhead As Well As the effective flying Range of our fighter planes. Knowing this. They also knew in just what strategic positions to Plant their tanks and troops and wait. According to frontline correspondents the allies realized just How Tough the first Battles would be. But the High command counted heavily on the acknowledged Factor of Allied air superiority to tip the Scales. And air superiority is something Allied troops have consistently had. Yesterday As in previous Days enemy fighter plane opposition was insignificant. The heaviest enemy thrust of continued on Page 2 drinks of water on the House now Washington. Sept. In a the a a Short one that americans drop in for now and then will get Shorter and Shorter from now on. Chairman Donald m. Nelson of the War production Board has refused to allow the distilled spirits Industry to Cau even a temporary halt to its production of Industrial alcohol. Requests for lowered production of Industrial alcohol had been made Iii the Hope o rep Len to climber clip Miles. A we Oro hero to stay Allied Force Headquarters sept. 16�?following is the text of it. Gen. Mark Clarks congratulatory message to British and american commanding officers of the 5th army As your army commander i want to congratulate every officer and enlisted Man of the 5th army on the accomplishment of their Mission of Landing on the Western coast of Italy. All the More splendid is your achievement when it is realized that it was accomplished against determined German resistance at the by aches. Every foot of our Advance has been contested. We have arrived at cur initial objectives our beachhead is secure. Additional troops Are Landing every Day and we Are Here to stay. Not one foot of ground will be Given up. General Montgomery a Battle proven 3 h British army our partner in the task of Clearing the germ \ forces out of Italy a is advancing rapidly from the South and in a matter of hours its presence will be Felt by the enemy. Side by Side with the 8th army the 5th army will Advance to occupy Naples Rome and it ther cities to the North and to free Italy from German domination. I am highly gratified by the efficient manner in which the British and american troops have worked Side by Side in Mutual support each being proud to serve by the Side of the other. Their performance has justified the Confidence placed in them by the people of the United nations. They know that we shall drive on relentlessly until our Job is done. I desire that the contents of this letter be communicated to All ranks of your command