PALAU INVASION “GOING WELL”

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24368, 21 September 1944, Page 5

PALAU INVASION “GOING WELL”

Japanese Evacuate Civilians FIRM HOLD ON PBLELIU (N.Z- Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. U. 30 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Sept. 20. “United States marines control virtually the entire island of Peleliu, s#yj the correspondent of the combined American radio networks jn the Palau Group. "Only the northern tip of Peleliu remains in enemy hands and it does not present a very serious problem.” , A United States Pacific Fleet communique says:— “Marines made further gams on Peleliu on Monday, securing the town of Ngardolok and bringing most of the eastern coastal area under control. There is no significant change in the American positions in the centre and along the west coast. Fighting from pillboxes, trenches, and other fortifications, the enemy continues to offer stubborn resistance. , . , “Army troopt now control two-thirds of Angaur Island, , . “United States marines have silenced the Japanese artillery which has rained shells on our airstrip from ‘Bloody Nose’ ridge,” says the United Press correspondent on board the United States flagship!off Palau. “The Japanese are putting up a bitter fight from caves and pillboxes built into the sheer coral cliffs. They are dying by the hundred in these escape-proof gopher holes. The marines also suffered casualties, although incomparable with Tarawa or Saipan, The admiral took the flagship in so close that she came within rifle range, the whistle of shells could be heard, and marines could be seen smoking the Japanese out of the jumbled pillboxes. Thousands of tons of shells and bombs were poured into the Japanese defences. It appears likely that more than half the garrison was wiped out, and the stench of decaying bodies is already heavy on the beachhead. “On the fourth day the enemy had still not had a single aeroplane in the air, and the only evidence of outside counter activity was two barges and a sampan, which appeared at the northern end of the island. Our naval airmen smashed them." The Tokyo official radio has stated that the Japanese Navy has completed the evacuation of civilians from -the Palau Islands. The evacuation convoy Included cruisers and destroyers escorted by aeroplanes. The radio claimed that the Americans had lost ona cruiser, one destroyer, one submarine, one minesweeper, one ship of an unknown type, 60 landing craft, 150 tanks, and 26 aeroplanes. “Small artillery and observation aeroplanes have begun to operate from the Peleliu aerodrome, which is one of the biggest captured from the Japanese,” says the correspondent of the Associated Press. “Japanese artillery has now been knocked out. but mortars are still operating, Marines, fighting through a honeycomb of coral ridges, discovered Japanese soldiers shackled hand and foot in observation posts and defence positions to ensure that they would not retreat. It is estimated that there are 40,000 Japanese in the northern Palau Islands, but the enemy is powerless to reinforce Peleliu and Angaur because of American air and sea control.” RECONQUEST OF PHILIPPINES “ TASK FOR GENERAL MACARTHUR” WASHINGTON. Sept. 19. The United States Navy’s'part In retaking the Philippines will be to support the campaign by General MacArthur’s forces, said the Commaqder-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet (Admiral C. W. Nimitz), in a message to the American Legion Convention in Chicago by radio from the Pacific, The Associated Press points out that this is the first official announcement from the Navy High Command that the reconquest of the Philippines would be General MacArthur’s task. Admiral Nimitz said that , the capture of Palau would: (1) isolate the Japanese in the Carolines, rendering Truk almost useless; (3) place the American forces in an improved position to strangle communications between Japan proper and the conquered territories of New Guinea and the Dutch Fast Indies; (3) remove « formidable obstacle to the eventual return to the Philippines, giving the Navy a base from which to cover and support General MacArthur’s Philippines campaign. ' ' Admiral Nimitz added: “While the Japanese have no room for optimism, Americans have no room, for overoptimism. Each new eastward advance increases the supply problem- The closer we approach Japan the tougher and more compact become the enemy defences. We have not yet come to grips with the main bodies of the welltraiiied Japanese army. Furthermore, the Japanese navy, though mauled, still poses as a threat to the success of our operations.” Admiral Nimitz issued a warning that victory in Europe would not immediately provide the Allies with all the means of quickly overthrowing Japan. LITTLE OPPOSITION AT MOROTAI “PHILIPPINES INVASION NEAR” (Ree, 10.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, gepL 20, The Japanese have not yet made any serious attempt to oppose the Amenpan occupation of Morotai Jslgiw, 370 miles south of the Philippines, or the construction of airfields there, Antiaircraft fire shot down the second enemy aeroplane over the beachhead when bombers ineffectually attacked a convoy of landing craft bringing the first Royal Australian Air Force personnel ashore. Forestalling any concerted raids on the beachhead Allied bombers are maintaining neutralising blows on the airfields of Ceram and Celebes, Landbased medium-bombers started fires on Buayan airfield and the pier area of Mindanao (Philippines), which, the Tokyo radio says, has been attacked by 90 carrier-based aeroplanes. American reports stress the growing belief in authoritative circles that the invasion of the Philippines is near, ALLIED PROGRESS IN BURMA KANDY. Sept, 19. "Crossing the Manipur river, in the Chin Hills area of Burma, troops of the sth Division, advancing along the Tjddim road, have regained contact with the enemy,’’ says a South-East Asia Command communique. 'Tn Arakan our artillery and patrols were active. One of our aircraft is missing from various activities throughout Burma. FORECAST ON DEFEAT OP JAPAN CANBERRA, Sept. 20. The defeat of Japan about 12 months after Germany’s capitulation was forecast to-day by the Australian Army Minister (Mr F. M. Forde). He had been asked when the Army might be expected to vacate certain Melbourne parklands which were occupied by troops. “Although the war news is very encouraging. the struggle is not yet over,” he replied, “After the defeat of Germany I believe it will take at least a year of concentrated eflfott tp y>hg about the defeat of Japan.”