PACIFIC OPERATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 May 1944, Page 5

PACIFIC OPERATIONS

MARSHALLS AGAIN RAIDED INVASION PRELIMINARIES RUGBY, May 16. United States planes dropped 240 tons of bombs on Jaluit and other Japanese' bases in the Marshalls on Sunday night in fierce night air assault which probably is the prelude 01. an early invasion of the Japanese atolls, ‘slates a Navy Department communique. __ The United States Navy announced it is ordering an overhaul in the production of fighters because the rate or losses of this type of aircraii nas been much lower than expected. (Recd. 1 rnNGTONj May 16. In a co-ordinated assault by Army, Navy and Marine planes, 240 tons ol bombs were dropped on Jaluit atoll on May 14/15 says a Pacific Fleet .communique. The planes flew 284 sorties attacking at altitudes ra ”Si from fifty to ten thousand feet. Othei aircraft harassed other. objectives in the Marshalls. A Navy Ventura bombed SnimuSh Another search plane dropped four one-thousand lb. bombs on a mediun .sized cargo ship anchored at JI iuk. The airstrip at Puluwat Island wao bombed and strafed. AUSTRALIANS’ PROGRESS. SYDNEY. May 16. Australian troops moving west from Alexishalcn are now half-way to Hansa Bay. They have 40 miles of coastal track. Thej aie nearing Bunabun, formerly a staging base for Japanese barge traffic The Australian advance has jsolated and cut off from the mainland anese troops ol Karkar Island, 12 miles off the coast from Cape Croiselles. TRAPPED JAPANESE SYDNEY, May 16 Allied ’planes continue to bomb and strafe the British New. Guinea coast from Wewak to Hansa Bay The thousands of Japanese trapped in this area are in a hopeless post lion, with Allied forces holding un disputed sea and air control the trapped enemy troops must fignt oi be starved to death. For several days Allied pilots have reported desperate Japanese efforts to lay newlanding tracks for heavy transport ’p’anes at the Boram airstrip at Wewak. These tracks were presumably meant for use by evacuation ’planes. Allied bombers waited until the work was nearing_ completion, and then made an obliterating attack on the new' strips. FIVE JAP. PLANES LOST. ■' (Rec. 1.40 p.rn.) SYDNEY, May 17. Intensified softening-up attacks on Japanese airfields and bases in Dutch New Guinea are being maintained by General MacArthur’s bombers, in a* further strike against the Wakde Islahd-Sarmi area, 110 miles west oi Hollandia. Two hundred tons of explosives were dropped, making a total of 1200 tons in five raids. Several attacks were made against objectives in the Chouten Islands and Geelvink Bay. When strafing Allied fighters were intercepted by 20 Japanese fighters, five of the enemy planes were shot down without loss to ourselves. In British New' Guinea Australian troops continue to advance without opposition to Hansa Bay. The- coast-, al strip extending from Hansa Bay to Wewak continues to be the target for damaging strikes by Allied bombers and fighters, . •