The Evening Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • 1

1 THE WEATHER Fair this afternoon. Clear and cooler tonight and Thursday. Detailed report on Page 33 Vol. 69 No. PAID CIRCULATION MAY 345,943 Sunday 268,914 BALTI3IORE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1944 Entered as second-class matter 7nn 38 Pages 3 Cents Wmm (p A WW cU Some Of Beachheads Linked, Nazi Onset At Caen Repelled London, June 7 (JP) DNB said in a Berlin broadcast today that an entire Allied air-borne division has been landed on the western coast of the Normandy peninsula.

By J. W. Gallagher Supreme Advance Command Post, Allied Expeditionary Force, June 7 (P) Allied troops have struck inland in France in heavy fighting, repulsing Nazi counterblows near Caen, nine miles from the coast, after clearing the enemy from all their landing beaches and linking up some of the beachheads. Reports from the Cherbourg peninsula showed "decided improvement" at midday, and the Allies are making "consid 4. estates A erable progress on the whole front" despite bad weather and swells through which landing craft were forced to navigate.

More Signal Corps invasion photos on Pages 2 and 3. FIRST LANDING IN NORMANDY In this first ground picture of landing operations in France to reach the United States, American infantrymen are shown wading ashore through the surf off Normandy under cover of naval shellfire. Note heavy First Assault Wave Near Cherbourg Saw No Nazis In First Hour Bv Howard Whitman er, representing the combined American press. Distributed by the stiffening resistance, a headquarters officer said. Both sides dropped air-borne troops into the flaming battle front, with fresh Allied parachutists and glider troops pouring down early today from a sky train 50 miles long.

Caen is at the base of the Cherbourg peninsula and southwest of Le Havre. (A broadcast by the anti-Nazi Atlantic underground station in Germany, heard by NBC in New York, said that Nazi forces had given up the town of Bayeux, six miles inland on the Cherbourg peninsula and 16 miles northwest of Caen, after a night battle.) Beachheads Along 50 Miles Of Coast Headquarters said reports from the front showed improvement by midday after being "disappointing" early this morning. Although the initial beachheads which the Germans said extended over more than a 50-mile stretch have been cleared and some linked with those near by, a few may still be under German artillery fire. Air headquarters declared the Allied air forces in mammoth support of the invasion had flown more than 31,000 sorties between June 1 and last night. Wholly unconfirmed reports said penetrations as deep as 12 miles had been made.

Headquarters said that word early this morning indicated that Allied forces had accomplished less than scheduled, but that later word made the situation a cause for neither pessimism nor optimism, but "sober satisfaction." Nazis Reported Rushing Up Reserves Heavy German counterattacks may be expected, and Berlin said Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was rushing up reserves of the German 7th and 15th armies. Sky-borne Associated Press first wave as a part of a demolition team of 22 combat engineers carrying explosives to destroy the barricade. They had been carefully briefed as to its precise location and just how to breach it. "We crossed the Channel in an assault transport and were put overside in a Higgins boat for a 10-mile run to the beach," Johnny said. "1 was scared on the transport but once we got into the little landing craft and started toward the beach I forgot all fear.

We were all soaking wet and almost seasick. As I saw the beach loom up ahead I was so mad I just wanted to get in there and fight." Timed To Perfection Johnny and his buddies said that the bombardment which preceded the landing w-as "magnificent." Bombs thundered down so thick and fast that it seenfed impossible for anything to survive under them. So perfectly was the operation timed that the Higgins boats hit the beach within a minute after the last bomb fell. A few of the Higgins boats hit Destroyer, E-Boat Battle Viewed From Plane By Peter Gladwin Representing the Combined Allied Press. Distributed by the Associated Press Nazi Opposition Gains, Says Bv Mark S.

Watson Sunpcpcrs Military Correspondent London, June 7 (By Cable) In creased enemy opposition, which had been expected by our invasion chiefs, has been developing steadily at numerous points along our front in Normandy, Once more headquarters authorities warn against overchtcrful con elusions from the German failure to meet us in force on the beaches St the very outset and state that extensively cited "lack of opposi tion" dealt only with the very first phase. It is now admitted that there was heavy fighting on the beaches and very heavy fighting proceeds at this moment. Coast Guns Resume rire Even some enemy coastal batteries which seemed to be practically silenced have resumed fire and are once more under bombardment from our ships and heavy guns. Our initial good fortune, in brief, was largely due to the Allies al most complete control both of sea and of air over the Channel which enabled the first torrent of the invasion to roll up to the beaches with minimum losses. The enemy could not know where our main attack would be and cannot yet know that this is the only attack or the main attack.

Hence, Field Marshal von Runstedt had to delay moving reserves up to any particular area at the cost of Uncovering another. Foresees Counterattacks If he determines that this attack Justifies a large counterattack by his own forces, there is no doubt that his counterattacks will come by land, by air and quite possibly by submarines lurking in the Bay Biscay. It is the assumption that the enemy cannot know the extent of cur operations at any particular ppot. which is responsible for the official communiques continuing refusal to mention any place names in the Cherbourg-Le Havre vicinity to which the German radio, for exactly opposite reasons, makes continuous reference. Flow Of Supplies Continues Both Rangers and Commandos, specially trained for the speed, altrtness and endurance which beach operations require, are included in the assault forces as, we now know, were over a thousand planes of air-borne troops.

Fortunately. Allied sea control Is not yet questioned by the enemy and the Channel weather is somewhat belter, with waves about three feet high, so that the flow of supplies and reinforcements can continue on a grand scale. The longer this can be kept up without submarine interference, the more swift and thorough will be the supremely important work of building up our maximum strength on the beaches against enemy resistance, which is already here and must be expected to increase from now on. In case of violent enemy assaults on our cross-Channel communications, the navy's ability to protect the flow of supplies could yet be heavily tested. Air Chiefs Confident Air authorities speak with continued confidence, noting that during the full 24-hour period from dawn to dawn our planes of all torts conducted 13,000 sorties.

A striking picture of the thoroughness of their protection is afforded by a summary showing that in a square of 60 miles each way. presumably in the vicinity of Havre and Cherbourg, our protective air patrol was maintained constantly at 200 planes, quite aside the ru.sh of 2.000 sorties over Continued On Page 3, Column 1J Watson 5,000 Sorties Cost But 16 Planes London, June .7 W)-Allied air forces have lost 70 aircraft in this theater since the in-vasion started, today's announcements showed. Various announcements gave this breakdown: Serenteen Allied fighters. 12 American C-47 troop carriers, 12 American CG-42 gliders, 13 British heavy bombers, 6 American Thunderbolt fighters, 4 American Havocs, 2 American Lightning fighters, 2 American medium bombers, 1 RAF Beau-fighter, 1 American heavy bomber. By Lee McCardell Sunpapers War Correspondent! Ninth Air Force Headquarters in England, June 7 Ninth Air Force aircraft, including Baltimore-built Marauders, have flown more than 5,000 individual sorties in close support of the Allied expeditionary armies within the first 24 hours of the invasion.

From all of these operations landing air-borne troops and escorting, covering, bombing and strafing attacks only 7 bombers and 8 fighters are missing. Marauders and Havocs flew five major operations during the day. dropping more than 1.800 tons of bombs. It can now be revealed that the Marauders that spearheaded the attack took off in a driving rain early yesterday morning and flew through a heavy cloud bank that would have washed out ordinary operations to deliver the first bombing blov on coastal gun installations in the Cherbourg peninsula as the first Allied tanks were landing. Bomb At 3,000 Feet Attacks were made at altitudes as low as 3,000 feet, the lowest level at which Marauders have dared to go in over enemy territory since the bombers costly attacks on the invasion coast last year.

Low scudding clouds forced pilots down to this level in order to mz'ie sure that bombardiers could lay their bombs on the targets. They couldn't miss yesterday. Last night Marauders destroyed a wide bridge leading to the coast. A German truck and a staff car crossing the center span as the bombs went down disintegrated in the blast. More Marauders attacked military warehouses and roadblocks near Caen, a few miles from the front lines.

Three FW-190s Bagged Enemy planes gave the Marauders a wide berth. The medium bombers came in at low altitudes, shooting. But three enemy aircraft, FV-190s, were shot down by pilots of "Peck's Bad Boys," a reconnaissance group whose mission was to take pictures, not to fight. Ninth Air Force Havocs bombed railway yards at Abancourt. Ser-queux and Amiens.

Five were shot down by heavy flak. Ninth Air Force Thunderbolts and Lightnings attacked trains, armored units and supply columns. Train Set Afire Fighter-bombers first went out for the shore defenses and camouflaged gun emplacements. Later they also attacked trains, bridges and motor convoys. One fighter-bomber force, led by Major John A.

Carey, of Buckron Beach, carried out fast-glide bombing attacks on a train of a locomotive and 15 cars bound northward for the invasion coast, stopping the train and setting it afire. Meanwhile, paratroopers, air borne infantry, pilots and crewmen Continued On Page 3, Column 4 U. S. General Demoted Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force, June 7 (P) One of America's best known major generals was demoted to Lieutenant colonel and sent home for indicating in advance the time of D-day. The Supreme Command allowed this information to be cabled abroad today after holding it up several weeks for security reasons.

Supreme headquarters would not permit the officer's name to be cabled, lie was one of the commanders of the United Slates Air Force. An army man of long standing, he swiftly felt the supreme command ax after talking indis erectly at a London cocktail party. The conversation was said to have taken place almost two months ago when the invasion was expected almost daily. The general was reported to have said in the presence of several persons: "On my honor the invasion will take place before June 15." His action was reported to security police by a woman guest and General Eisenhower immediately ordered him reduced to the permanent rank of lieutenant colonel and sent home after an investigation. Wolfram Move Blow To Foe By Thomas O'Neill London Bureau of The Sun! London.

June 7 While Allied troops were smashing on to the beaches of France for the invasion of the continent, the Germans sus tained another blow likely to exert early and adverse effects on their military machine as the fight moves inland. All exports of wolfram the hardening element in tungsten steel have been stopped by Portugal, the principal supplier of the German armaments works. Unless stocks within Germany are larger than is believed here, this outcome could be reflected on the battlefield within six weeks in the inadequacy of German armor-piercing weapons. Disclosed By Eden This action was taken by Portu gal at the request of that country's ancient ally. Great Britain, and was first disclosed today in the House of Commons by Anthony Eden, Foreign Minister.

The ban went into effect immediately after the agreement was reached June 5, Portugal avoided a direct slap at Germany by barring wolfram exports to all countries but it is the trefmnacht that will be hit where it hurts. Great Britain approached Portugal under a treaty that has endured since June 16, 1373,. England's oldest alliance and a treaty which could bring Portugal into the war if Britain wished to invoke it. It was the same treaty which led last October to the Portugese grant of facilities in the Azores for the fight against the U-boats. Closely Bound Brought out today for inspection, the treaty showed the extent to which the people of Portugal and the people of Britain are bound to the defense of each other under the oldest, treaty.

The language of Article' 1 of the treaty says: "In first P.ce, we. settle and covenant that there shall be from this day forward between our above said Lord Edward, King of England and France (Edward III), and the Lord Ferdinand, King of Portugal and Algarue, and the. Lady Eleanor, Queen and his consort, successors in the aforesaid kingdoms, and England and Portugal and. the realms, lands, dominions, provinces, vassals and subjects faithfully obeying them, true, faithful, constant, mutur.l and perfect friendship, Continued On Page 3, Column 5J New York Daily News report An Invasion Port, June 7 The first assault troops to hit the beach near Cherbourg did not see a single German in their irst hour of demolition work, during which they destroyed a concrete tank barricade according to a prearranged plan. With dynamite charges, they blasted the barricade so that a tank column could charge through.

Lone Plane Chased The only evidence of the enemy they saw was a lono Messcrschmitt which appeared overhead and promptly fled hen American fighters dived on it. A few shells were lobbed over by German gun batteries after the landing but casualties were described as light. Member Of Combat Tesxt That was the story of one beach-hpad as told bv wounded evacuees who reached this port at 6 A. M. Among them was Corporal jonnny La Cognata, 22, of Brooklyn.

N. who suffered a slight fracture of the left wrist. Johnny hit the beach with the New Air Blows By Yanks London. June 7 (P) Allied air forces, taking supreme command of the air over invaded France, flew well over 13,000 sorties from dawn yesterday until dawn today in support of assault forces and surged out again this morning in new attacks beyond the beachhead. Last night more than 1,000 heavy British bombers poured explosives upon German reinforcements moving toward the front.

As they returned, American raiders headed out over Dover Strait toward the small portion of France which has been recaptured. Led By Thunderbolts Sun broke through rain clouds as the formations swung out, led by coveys of American Thunderbolt fighters. Night crews found the sky moonlit over the battle area, with patches of cloud. Through clear spots they saw a heavy traffic of ships crossing the Channel in both directions, the ones escorted by naval craft. Over France fires flickered and the air was cut by arcs of.

star shells. 53 Nazi Planes Bagged Never before had the world seen such a mighty demonstration of air power. As resistance in the air began to increase slowly yesterday, 53 enemy planes were destroyed. First enemy air attack on the beachhead was made by 12 JU-88's which attempted a surprise raid under low clouds. Spitfires knocked down four and the Nazis retreated without causing any damage.

The first glider to land yesterday, "The Fighting Falcon," was purchased with $20,000 in war bonds subscribed by Greenvilie (Mich.) students. Mitchells Out At Night In another departure from usual tactics, the RAF's medium Mitchells the same type of ship that bombed Tokyo flew for a second time as night bombers, battering roads, bridges and railways in a large feeder area behind the battle-front. out with them, flew very low to pick out pinpoint targets. Mitchell crewmen reported a great ring of fires at Lisieux and a sinister glow over Caen. The RAF heavies dropped an es limated 6,100 tons last night, con-centrrting their attack on roads 'Continued On Page 3, Column underwater mines as they plowed through shallow water and were capsized, throwing their loads into the wrater, but few personnel was lost, most men wading to the beach.

"Our engineer team found the wall we were to demolish as easily as if we had rehearsed the whole show on this very beach," Johnny reported. Hit By Shrapnel "We planted our charges and blasted the wall without losing a single one of our men. Then zing a shell came over and ex ploded near by. A hunk of shrap nel smacked my right hand and well, I guess my part in the show was over. I was ordered back to the Higgins boat for evacuation." The transport which evacuated Johnny brought the first large load of evacuees back to this port.

On board were survivors of a destroyer sunk by the enemy. One of them said "this invasion was by far the biggest and most spectacular of any we have been on but also the easiest." tions behind the beachhead and impede the reinforcement of German forces attempting to drive back the Allied thrust, for Caen. Destroyers Open Fire As wc flew across the Channel below the low cloud ceiling, underneath we could see a group of de stroyers astern and, farther over. a line of enemy E-boats. We watched the destroyers open fire, but we could not see its effects.

In a few moments the E-boats were hidden in their own smoke screen We flew the entire trip at an alti tude of 3,000 feet, made necessary by the low ceiling of extremely thick clouds. Icing conditions were bad on top. It was a significant indication of the extent of Allied mastery of the skies of northern France that the Mitchells completed this mission successfully and without loss. Spotted By Lights As we crossed, the French coast searchlights picked, us up. I sat waiting for the flak, but Pilot Phil Creeke, of Sydney, Australia.

vveaved up into the clouds and shook off the lights. When we came out of the clouds again we could see away over on the Normandy battlefield. The night was torn with gun flashes and the dull glow of fires. Nearer, great blazing fires marked the path of the bombers which had been over earlier in the night. Caen was burning in the distance.

As we approached our target we could see heavy bombers over Lisieux. We could not see the bombers themselves, but there was plenty of evidence of their pres ence. Bridge Blown Up I saw one terrific explosion as we turned to our own target. It was a railway bridge across a river. On our port side a little town was burning like one enormous bonfire We circled our target while an other Mitchell dropped his bombs.

Then he went in and let go a stick of 1.000-pound bombs. Weaving our way back to the coast we encountered some light flak, but we were through before the Germans had the range. We crossed the coast in a heavy rain which drove the ceiling lower. Through the murk over the Chan nel I could see the Aldis signal lamps blinking troops were thrown in directly and quickly. The huge forces of air-borne Alliod troops seized key positions and helped throw back Nazi tank-led counterblows.

The Germans likewise rushed in parachutists. For four months the Germans have been building an airborne army for just this purpose, led by Lieut. Gen. Kurt Student who engineered the landings in Crete. Lieut.

Gen. Omar Bradley is commander of United States ground forces participating in the invasion, it was disclosed. Task Forces Fool Germans With Feints The Germans said they beat off new landing attempts near Calais, 150 miles northeast of Cherbourg, but later their reports indicated German coastal guns merely fired at Allied ships in the area, and there were no indications that Supreme Headquarters was trying to invade there. Allied invasion task forces have been sailing in feints past many points, keeping the Germans in doubt where the next landings" would come. In their 50-mile-long aerial train, three waves of United States Ninth Air Force gliders carried "a steady stream of men, equipment and supplies" to forces already fighting inland on Cherbourg peninsula, supreme headquarters said.

The American Ninth Air Force announced 33 hours after H-hour that its troop carrier command had completed its first assignment. The sky trains returned to Britain this morning after almost a day and a half of constant movement across the Channel. More than 900 air-borne sorties were flown in addition to those by the British. Peninsula Strewn With Colored 'Chutes Air-borne troops have seized bridges and roads, and joined sea-landed troops at some points, front dispatches said, and some towns have been captured. The peninsula, aflame with fighting that again was supported by Allied sea and air power, was strewn with colored parachutes of troops and engineers, rations and equipment dropped from the sky.

Two of the reinforcing air waves were tow-plane glider combinations. The German high command admitted that "superior forces" had established beachheads more than 40 miles apart, at the mouth of the Orne river and north of Carentan, and a DNB broadcast said American troops, being steadily reinforced, were engaged near St. Mere Egliae, between. Carentan and Cherbourg near the peninsula's tip. Fires At Lisieux, Glow Over Caen DNB said the Allied bridgehead at the Orne river was about 21 miles wide and six miles deep at points, but declared a thrust to seize the town of Caen, nine miles inland, had been repulsed.

There were consistent reports of heavy fighting at Caen. Mitchell pilots reported a great ring of fires at Lisieux, south of Le Havre, and a sinister glow over Caen, where Prime Minister Churchill had reported fighting in the streets. Allied tanks are moving up to Caen, the BBC said in a broad- Continued On Page 2, Column 1 An Air Base in England. June 7 We. flew over a naval battle in the Channel before dawn today and crossed the French coast to find the country behind the Normandy beachheads blazing with great fires.

The mission of our Mitchell medium bombers was the same as yesterday's to cut communica- Allies Push On Civitavecchia Allied Headquarters. Naples, June 7 (JP) Fifth Army troops pounding after the retreating Germans are advancing rapidly in the direction of Civitavecchia. 40 miles northwest of Rome, it was announced Civitavecchia is the nearest important port to Rome on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The advance on this sector parallels drives north and west of Rome, which had already reached more than ten miles. Nazis Admit Break It was noted that the German communique said the Allies achieved "a major break" in the German lines on the coastal road west of Rome, and had "again launched a big attack" with superior infantry and tank forces.

One column pushing beyond Rome earlier was reported only five miles from Lake Bracchiano. Another column has driven at least ten miles northwest of the Italian capital after crossing the Tiber and still is forging steadily ahead behind enemy rear guards. Drive Close To Sea Patrols probing west from Rome reached points three to five miles from the sea and nearly a dozen miles north of the Tiber's mouth. Only spotty resistance was being encountered by the Fifth Army forces, but the Eighth Army was engaged in brisk battles with strong German delaying forces in the mountainous sectors east of the capital. New Zealand troops captured Balsorano, about six miles north Continued On Page 3, Column 7.