ANOTHER LANDING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 68, 18 September 1944, Page 6

ANOTHER LANDING

CONFLICT- IN PALAU (By Telocjrapti-Pross Assooiation-Copyrinht) Rec. 10 a.m. WASHINGTON, Sept 11 A message from Pearl Harbour states that Admiral Nimita has announced that United States Army w Ultf/ r°° J ps *?amcd all their ol)Jective s after landing at dawn yesterday Pel^P Ur Isf ltJ ' six miles south of t.elehu, m the Palau group. Re«Kw? was x:elativel y li&ht. Carrier aucrait, cruisers, and destroyers befo Vr P y f«attlCk^ the «^SBS oetore the landings.

-n^l c m^ iP?- s on, Peleliu Islan^ made some additional cains vesW-dav against strong opposition* and ca? tured an airfield at the south end of the island, states a Pacific Fleet pommunique. The enemy launched several strong counter-attacks but was thrown back each time The ntS, was b°g«n by our'forces early'on y,m °l nmg aud wa * Preceded by aerial bombing and naval gunfire it resulted in steady advancSs throu-h nightfall yesterday. Severe fightine to^SHin Carrier Sircraft coS6nuS w glye close- support to the ground xorces throughout yesterday. Enemy troop concentrations, gun nositionY and supplies were bombed Car? S Planes also bombed airfield install! h^P^ B?belthuap (the largest of the Palau islands) and several fires were started by strafing. ftreS a w eil IsLand is defended by probmedium bombers after capture A Pacific communique says: "The nrnvY m Jf a! nd beach"head extends ap! pioximately one • and a half mi fa; along the south-western shore Several enemy counter-attacks, empfovhig tanks, were.thrown back on Thursday oy our ground forces, assisted by strong air _support and naval gunfire '&♦ SUal \ lel on the first day were light, though the landing beaches have been under sporadic mortar and artillery fire. The landings were supported by carrier-based aircraft, which bombed and strafed and launched rockets against enemy • instal ations immediately behind the landiSl beaches, and also heavily bombed gun emplacements and other defence installations at the northern end of the

The fast carrier task force which is covering and supporting the landings by extensive operations throughout the western Pacific is commanded by Vice : Admiral Mitscher, and the am- ?? • 101 ~ tro °Ps are commanded by Major-General Geiger, of the Marine Corps. The initial landings were made by the First Marine Division commanded by Major-General Rupertus. The ships in direct support were commanded by Rear-Admiral Fort."