FIRM HOLD ON MINDORO

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24444, 19 December 1944, Page 5

FIRM HOLD ON MINDORO

Americans Thrust Inland

SIX MILES PAST SAN JOSE (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.15 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. The American advance on Mindoro Island, in the Philippines, is going so well that three days, after landing the invading forces nave penetrated 11 miles inland and are stated to hold a tight grip on the southern part of the island. American troops are six miles beyond San Jose and occupy high ground. On Leyte Island, the Americans have advanced seven miles further along the Ormoc corridor and are within two miles of the headquarters of the remaining Japanese forces on Leyte. The correspondent of the united Press says that San Jose, which has been captured, is a railroad junction on the Magbandor river, with an airfield which places the Americans within fighter range of Manila. The enemy was violently distracted by the carrier aeroplanes’ tremendous day and night attacks against Luzon. “Carrier-borne aeroplanes in four days put 435 Japanese aeroplanes out of action.” says the correspondent of the Associated Press on • board ViceAdmiral McCain’s flagship. "Sixtyone were shot down, 207 burnt on the ground, and 167 damaged. American

aeroplanes also sank 30 ships, including two large transports, and damaged 57 others.” '

A .communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters says:—. “Our ground troops have made several advances of from seven to nine miles on a broad front. Enemy resistance is negligible. The construction of bases on excellent sites is already under way. Twenty-four enemy aeroplanes over our beachhead and shipping Were shot down. Our naval units destroyed a crippled enemy destroyer taking refuge in Pondarocha Bay. . “On Leyte, the -77 th, Division, attacking north of Ormoc, has seized the town of Cogan and a road junction. A further advance has been made by the 7th Division in the mountainous area north-west of Mahmnag.”

TOKYO’S REACTION TO NEW INVASION,

(Rec. 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 17. The Tokyo radio .to-day quoted an editorial in the newspaper, i “Asahi Shimbun,” warning the Japanese that the victor on Mindoro would assume full control of to-morrow’s military situation. The Osaki paper, “Mainichi Shimbuhi” is quoted as saying that the assaulLwas an act of desperation. .“The American leader's fighting spirit and the enemy’s ability to maintain his supply lines cannot be minimised.” it stated.

AUSTRALIAN UNIT IN PHILIPPINES

AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION BATTALION

(Rec. 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 18. > The first Australian unit to take part in the Philippines land fighting landed with the American invasion forces on Mindoro. The unit is the Royal Australian Air Force Airfield Construction Battalion. • . , Together with United States aviation and engineering construction troops. Royal Australian Air Force men have been given the task of converting the new landing area into an Allied striking base. The unit has been associated with most important constructional work carried out in the Northern Territory.

PACIFIC WAR COUNCIL

NO MEETINGS HELD FOR 11 MONTHS

(Rec. 9 p.m.) NEW YORK. Dec. 17. “In spite of increasing emphasis on the war in the Far East the Pacific' War Council, formed early in 1942 to facilitate the exchange of information and discussion of strategy, has been all but liquidated and may , never reassemble,” says the New York “Her-ald-Tribune’s” Washington correspondent. “The council last met on January 12 1944. A White House spokesman said the council was diplomatic rather than military, and the State Department explained that no meeting was called because none of the other nations requested it, “One legation spokesman said: *lll6 council meetings never ampunted to much, anyway. Usually all we did was listen to Mr Roosevelt discuss what had been going on in the Pacific, and we generally already knew what he told us through earlier talks with the military staffs.’

“Another legation official indicated that Mr Roosevelt was far from enthusiastic over the idea of the council when he established it in April, 1942. and he only took the step upon the insistence of other governments. “The Australian Government made known that it expected the council to have a definite voice in Pacific strategy. but evidently this was never the car,a. A feeling is evident in Washington that if the council is to meet only to hear reports of what has already happened there is little point in holding it together.”

SOVIET PLANES SINK GERMAN SHIPS

(Rec. 10.45. p.m.)

LONDON. Dec. 18.

A Russian supplementary communique says the Red Air Force on Saturday night raided the Latvian port of Libau and sank one warship and three supply ships. The Red Air Force also raided four East Prussian railway stations and destroyed 11 locomotives and 45 trucks. Other Soviet aircraft sank a 3000-ton German transport in the Barents Sea.