MACARTHUR'S BOUND

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 152, 26 December 1944, Page 5

MACARTHUR'S BOUND

AIMED AT JAP ASR POWER WASHINGTON, December 24. "The reduction of Japanese air power in the Philippines was one of the main reasons for the acceleration of General I Mac Arthur's campaign," says the United Press correspondent on Leyte. "It appears that the day of complete American domination of the air is not far off. It can now be revealed that the Americans never had more than local air superiority during the first six weeks of the campaign, and even their local power left much to be desired at times.

"The Japanese then had more than 100 aerodromes within striking distance of Leyte. The Americans had only one .that was usable in the then current rainy season. The Japanese had many times more planes than the Americans simply because we did not have enough aerodrome space to bring reserves from the rear. "Now we have reached a point where we can expect to chase the Japanese air force from the Philippines or reduce it to impotence within a reasonable time. The Americans are building additional fields on Leyte and Mindoro." Admiral Nimitz told a Press conference today that he did not want to give an impression that the Japanese navy was completely defeated, but remarked that it had not been able to stop the American advance. "We may expect bitter opposition from the air as we advance towards Japan and come within range of the shore-based aircraft," he said. Thousands of Filipino guerrillas arej taking the offensive against the Japanese throughout the more than 7000 islands comprising the Philippines, says a United Press correspondent in the Philippines. The guerrillas are moving from their mountain retreats to the coastal areas, capturing airfields, seaports, and other outposts which thej enemy is no longer strong enough to defend. Some enemy garrisons have already collapsed from lack of food and ammunition. ,It now appears to be unnecessary for American troops to land on more ihan half-a-dozen islands. The guerrillas are capable of mopping up on the thousands of smaller islands, though the task will admittedly prove slow. ADVANCE ON LEYTE. General Mac Arthur's communique today states: "Enemy planes ineffectively attacked our ground positions on Mindoro, and seven were shot down. The Seventy-seventh Division, pressing i westward on Leyte, is rapidly closing on Palompon. Our fighters supported the advance with bombing and strafing, and the enemy resistance was weak and sporadic. "We are capturing great quantities of enemy material, including hundreds of vehicles, : trucks, tanks, heavy and light artillery, thousands' of tons of ammunition,' and construction equipment. Mopping up in the battle areas has been continued." -