FEW JAP PLANES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 60, 11 March 1944, Page 5

FEW JAP PLANES

"Ghastly Rabaul Scene" Worries

Enemy Correspondent CANNOT WARD OFF ALLIES Rec. 1.30 p.m. NEW YORK, Mar. 10. "Rabaul has become a ghastly, terrific scene with insufficient planes to ward off the constant rain of bombs clay and night," said a Japanese Army correspondent quoted by Tokyo official radio in a home broadcast. "We feel we do not care what happens. Our lack of planes allows enemy aircraft to move freely. One hero told me: 'I often think, perhaps, there are no more planes left in Japan and I worry greatly.' " The correspondent added that «rmvoys attempting to bring supplies meet devastating attacks from the Allies' planes. Heavy, medium and fighterbombers were employed in a raid | on the town and wharf areas of Rabaul, where they dropped 134 tons of bombs. There was no interception, says General Mac Arthur's communique. At Hollandia night air patrols caused a 2000-ton cargo ship to be beached in Humboldt Bay, and left another vessel abandoned and sinking off Artape. Ground forces on the New Guinea coast continue their advance west of Cape Rigny.

American bombers continue to pound enemy positions in the Caroline Islands and the Marshalls, a Pacific Fleet communique reports. Army Liberators on Wednesday attacked aei-odrome and dock facilities at Ponape and ground installations at Kusaie. Army and Marine aircraft, including Mitchells, Dauntlesses, Warhawks and Venturas, attacked four bases in the Eastern Marshalls. Airfields and gun emplacements were the principal targets. There was no fighter interception and flak damage was light.