PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 June 1944, Page 6

PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

FURTHER AERIAL RAIDS.

(N.Z.P.A.* Special Australian Correspondent)

SYDNEY, June 13. American troops, with tank and artillery support, stormed Japanese defences on Biak Island, Dutch New Guinea, on Sunday. Several pillboxes and a large ammunition dump were destroyed. Enemy forces, isolated west of the Alliedheld Mokmer airfield, are now being mopped up. Continued widespread air raids announced in General MacArthur’s communique to-day, include a further strike against Palau, in the Western Carolines, where, in day and night attacks, 24 grounded aircraft have been destroyed. Fifteen enemy fighters were intercepted in the latest daylight strike by Ad-miralty-based Liberators. Two of the enemy machines were shot down. One bomber was lost in a raid on Palau and a second in a raid on Truk.

JAP SHIPS AND PLANES LOST (Rec. 11.50 a.m.) WASHINGTON, June 13. Carrier task forces raiding Japanese bases in the Marianas, sank 13 enemy ships and damaged 16, and destroyed 141 planes m three days. Four of the sunken craft and nine of those damaged were combat vessels, either destroyers or escort ships. American losses were 15 planes and 15 members of the crews. The American surface forces were undamaged. Liberators bombed Truk atoll before dawn on Monday, 38 tons of bombs being dropped on the airfields and seaplane base, says a Pacific Fleet communique. Venturas bombed. Nauru and Ocean Islands, and attacked gun positions and barracks on Ponape Island. MaloeJap and Wotje atolls, in the Marshalls, were also bombed. EIGHT MORE SHIPS GONE (Rec. 2.30 p.m.)~SYDNEY, June 14. Four 1000-ton cargo vessels and three coastal vessels have been sunk by Allied bombers at Geelvink Bay, in Dutch New Guinea. A 2000-ton vessel was severely damaged and probably sank. The captured Mokmer .airfield on Biak Island, Geelvink Bay. is now operative tor Allied aircraft American ground forces are again continuing their drive westward against Borokoe airfield.