HAMPERED BY RAINS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 134, 4 December 1944, Page 5

HAMPERED BY RAINS

OPERATIONS ON LEYTE

WASHINGTON, December 3. Rams continue to hamper ground operations on Leyte Island, states General Mac Arthur's communique. American troops have been advancing south of the Leyte River and have bloodily repelled a series of suicidal enemy charges south of Ormoc.

Adverse flying weather limited air action to harassment and patrol activities, adds the communique. Our heavy units attacked Legaspi aerodrome and destroyed several parked planes. Night patrol planes damaged "a tanker off Palawan and a small freighter at Cebu. "Our heavy and medium bombers struck Matina, Padada, and Daliao ■aerodromes at Davao. Our fighterbombers and light naval units attacked Miti. Patrol planes destroyed an enemy coastal vessel at Flores Island." A Pacific Fleet communique reports that Liberators bombed Paramushiru last Wednesday, and Iwo Jim a on Thursday. Some bombers were damaged by flak. Corsairs bombed Babelthuap on Thursday. Marine aircraft bombed and strafed an airstrip on Pagan Island and a barracks area on Rota.

A small force of Japanese bombers before dawn on November 28 attacked Saipan and Tinian in the Marianas A few bombs were dropped without causing damage.