Allies fighting as one, Eisenhower asserts
Finds coordination perfect – Canadians advance so fast he can’t reach them
Allied HQ, North Africa (UP) –
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower returned today from a frontline inspection in Sicily and said that:
Allied coordination could not have been better if all the land, sea and air forces had been from a single nation.
Eisenhower visited the headquarters in Sicily of Lt. Gen. George S. Patton Jr., commanding the new U.S. 7th Army, and of other commanders.
He attempted to confer with the Canadian advance commanders but they were advancing so rapidly that he was unable to make contact, being forced to send word to them through the Canadian rear units.
‘Ike’ introduces self
By John Gunther
Somewhere in Sicily, Italy (UP) – (July 12, delayed)
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower stepped ashore in Sicily on his personal inspection of the Allied drive, sought out an officer and said:
How do you do? I’m Gen. Eisenhower.
With those words, the Allied commander-in-chief made his presence known to the astonished troops busy consolidating newly-won beach positions.
Our first sight of Sicily came near Gela just before dawn after a quick, secret voyage across the Mediterranean. It was a scene of great activity. Cruisers were firing on the invisible enemy behind the hills. Their guns cracked, echoed and boomed across the beaches and yellow smoke lifted slowly.
Eisenhower watched the action closely and then, assisted by his naval aide, Cdr. Harry Butcher, held a breakfast conference with Gen. George S. Patton Jr., American commander, and VAdm. Harry K. Hewitt, American naval commander, and other high-ranking officers.
Wishes all good luck
Before we landed near the extreme southeastern end of Sicily, we passed various naval units and to all of them Eisenhower signaled the message:
Congratulations and good luck.
For the most part, the coastal villages looked peaceful and deserted.
Near a tomato patch I saw my first “enemy Sicilian,” a boy about 14 on a bicycle, who waved and grinned.
But it mustn’t be deduced from this that all Sicilians are friendly. Last night three British soldiers on watch had their throats cut.
Gen. Patton, Adm. Hewitt and other officers gave Eisenhower an up-to-the-minute picture of the operations, including a description of how the guns of one U.S. cruiser broke up an Axis tank attack, destroying several tanks, although miles away.
They also told him how one village was literally captured by two destroyers.
Eisenhower was pleased to receive personal confirmation from men who took part that our forces “hit almost every beach on the button.”
He learned how, in the initial stages of the operation in one sector, four Italian lieutenant colonels walked up and surrendered, explaining that the reason they were “caught” was that they were making a “personal first-line reconnaissance.”