BATTLE ON PLAINS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 14, 17 January 1945, Page 5

BATTLE ON PLAINS

U.S. PUSH ON MANILA

PROVES EASY

(By Telegraph—Press, Association—Copyright.)

NEW YORK, January 16. The American troops advancing towards Manila are meeting1 virtually no opposition, said an army spokesman on Luzon. On fhe eastern flank, however, the Americans are at present locked in a bitter struggle with Japanese in the foothills of the Benguet Mountains, below Baguio. ! Late dispatches from the front report that American patrols are more than 30 miles inland. There are indications that the Japanese might not defend Manila, but withdraw into the mountains of northern Luzon, rather, than risk destruction in a tank and infantry battle on the open plains. Earlier, General Mac Arthur announced that the Americans captured San Miguel de Camiling in a six-mile advance beyond the Agno River. General Mac Arthur in his communique reports that the Americans continue to advance in all sectors. Their right flank forces, moving in parallel columns from Mangatrew and Bayambang, reached San Miguel de Camiling in Tarlac province, 28 miles inland from Lingayen. "We took Catablan, and our patrols are pushing on to Ordenta on the main highway through the central plains," adds the communique. "Our units on the east flank are attacking a strong enemy defensive position on the RosarioPuzorrubio line." PROSPECTS OF FIGHT. The "New York Times" correspondent on Luzon says that strongest prospects of solid Japanese resistance are on the centre and extreme northern flank, where the Americans are pushing towards Rosario, a communications and supply base guarding the approaches to Baguio and San Fernando. Thus far infantry contact has been nominal and casualties light. Order is now emerging from the usual invasion chaos on the beachheads, in spite of intermittent shelling by large Japanese guns in the hills. Supplies, troops, and armour are moving to the front day and night. Everyone is wondering where the Japanese air force is. There has been virtually no actiyity in the last three days. The Americans have yet to undergo bombing and strafing; but their aerial supremacy will be increased by the development of the Lingayen airfields. The southward lunge towards Manila on the right flank is the eye-catching development of the campaign, but military interest centres on the patient and unspectacular progress in the hills jutting out to the plains from the east. The Japanese are fighting a smart war in the hills, relying more on artillery than infantry to slow the advance in the lower foothills. One American division in the first four days overran at least a dozen guns either wrecked by U.S. naval gunfire or by army artillery or abandoned. The guns were cleverly concealed and cunningly used. Some were entrenched in caves along the hill slopes, emerging to fire and then withdrawing. JAP ATTACK PROMISED. The National Broadcasting Corporation picked up a Japanese broadcast stating that a full-scale Japanese attack was expected to develop in Luzon at any moment. The broadcast stated that fierce fighting was in progress on the western wing in Lingayen Gulf and claimed that Japanese airmen were continuously attacking American convoys in the gulf and elsewhere. "Our heavy and medium attack bombers continued their strikes on the enemy's communication lines throughout central Luzon," says General MacArthur's communique. "We bombed and strafed troops and supply concentrations and destroyed supply and bivouac installations at Tarlac. Large fires were started. Other bombers struck Clark airfield and aerodromes in the Batangas and Manila areas. Four enemy planes attacking our shipping were destroyed. We sustained some damage. i "Mopping up continues in north-west Leyte. "Night reconnaissance bombers started large fires at Heito air base on Formosa. Medium units patrol planes struck installations on Cape Mangkalihat and on the east coast of Borneo. Direct hits left a barracks and warehouses blanketed with flames."