SECOND RAID ON MANILA

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24372, 26 September 1944, Page 5

SECOND RAID ON MANILA

“Enemy Air Force Broken Up” 29 MORE SHIPS SUNK (Rec. 9 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Sept, 24. Carrier-borne aircraft of the 3rd United States Fleet, under the command of Admiral W. F. Halsey, raided the Manila Bay .area of the Philippines for a second time last Thursday. They sank 29 Japanese ships, damaged 20 others, sank or damaged 16 small craft, and destroyed or damaged about 200 aeroplanes. American losses were 11 aeroplanes. The Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific, Fleet (Admiral C. W. Nimitz), in announcing the second raid, said these carrier-borne attacks had disrupted Japanese communications and broken up the enemy air force in the Philippines area. “Carrier-based aircraft, continuing the smashing attack against the northern Philippines begun on Wednesday, took an additional Heavy toll of enemy aeroplanes, ships, and ground installations on Thursday,” says a United States Pacific Fleet communique. “The total destruction in their two-day strike was extensive and the enemy suffered heavily. “The following damage, part of which was previously reported, was inflicted at and near Clark and Nichols fields in the Manila harbour area, and on the Cavite naval base.. During the two-day operations on southern Luzon, 40 ships and six small craft were sunt 11 ships probably sunk, 35 ships, 11 small craft, and two dry docks were damaged, 169 aeroplanes . were shot

down in combat, 188 aeroplanes were destroyed on the ground, 45 aeroplanes were probably damaged on the grouncL and three aeroplanes. were damaged by ships’ gunfire. Extensive and widespread damage was done to buildings, warehouses, railway equipment, oil storage tanks, harbour installations, hangars, shops, stored supplies, and equipment. , “Our own losses in this daring and highly successful strike were 11 aeroplanes in combat. There was no damage to, our surface ships. . “The total revised score for the 3rd Fleet, under Admiral Halsey’s command, now stands at 122 ships and lfl small craft sunk, 137 ships and, 109 small craft damaged, 380 aeroplanes shot down in the air, 508 destroyed on the ground, and crippling damage to airfields and naval establishments. “In addition, 3rd Fleet ships and carrier-based aircraft supported the Palau assault. Our own combat losses were 51 aeroplanes. „ , ; “The operations <of the 3rd Fleet have forced the enemy to withdraw ms forces from former anchorages in the Philippines and seek new refuges in the same general area. The operations have disrupted inter-island communi- ' cations and • have also broken his'air force in the Philijspines just as. the operations of the sth Fleet broke theenemy carrier-based air force in the battle of the Philippines Sea; . The communique reports, attacks against Ghichi Jima, Hana Jima, I wo • Jima (in the Bonijis). Pagan ,lsland, Nauru Island, and enemy-held Marshall atolls. •