SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 September 1944, Page 6

SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

DOMINATED BY ALLIES JAP. PLANES WITHDRAWN (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent! SYDNEY, September 10. Forecasting heavy new blows against the Japanese, General MacArthur has announced that the Allied air forces now dominate the southern Philippines. His statement follows the third raid in six days on Mindanao. No enemy aircraft in the air or on the ground were sighted during the latest attack, emphasising General MacArthur’s earlier announcement that the Japanese Air Force had been driven from its airfields in Southern Mindanao. Previously the Japanese have strenuously resisted initial air attacks on their vital bases, but this policy seems to have lapsed in the Philippines. In six days they have allowed 22 ships to be sunk or badly damaged and ground targets hit with 350 tons of bombs, offering only weak fighter opposition to the first two raids made on September 1 and 2. In the latest attack on Wednesday Liberators and Mitchells dropped 113 tons of bombs, leaving air bases near Davao a mass of flames. On Thursday Liberators made a smashing attack on the dock area at Manada in the Celebes with 150 tons of bombs, destroying oil (stocks and inflicting heavy damage. Three freighters or about 1000 tons were sunk and four others seriously' damaged in attacks reported in General MacArthur's week-end communiques. A number 01 coastal vessels and small craft were also destroyed, in widespread air operations throughout the South-west Pacific. RAID B? FORTRESSES DAMAGE IN MANCHUKUO WASHINGTON, Sept. 10. “A large task force of Superfortresses to-day in daylight attacked from bases in China important industrial targets in Anshan, Manchukuo,” says a 20th United States Army Air Force communique. “The mission was led by Major-General Curtis Lemay, the new commander of 20th Bomber Command. The weather was sufficiently clear for visual bombing, and on returning the pilots reported that they observed good results. “Although the reports of this mission are not quite complete, none of our aeroplanes is believed to have been lost as a result of enemy action, and none is known to be down in enemy territory on the return flight. Fighter interception was reported to. be weak. Thus far our gunners claim to have destroyed six fighters, probably destroyed nine, and damaged 11. Flak over the target was weak to moderate.”

“Appraisal of the damage in the Superfortresses’ attack on Anshan indicates numerous hits in the target area,” says a later 20th Air Force communique. “The crews of the last aeroplanes to reach the target area report that the objectives were obscured by clouds of smoke. One of our aircraft is missing, presumed lost. All other aircraft are accounted for. Revised reports show that our gunners shot down seven enemy fighters, probably shot down 10, and damaged 11.”

The Tokio radio claims that Japanese aeroplanes on Friday night followed the raiding Superfortresses to their base at Chengtu and attacked as the bombers were landing. Six were shot down, six set on fire, and 28 damaged. Six Japanese aeroplanes are missing. An Associated Press correspondent in China, says Japanese aeroplanes raided the Superfortress base but failed even to hit the runways. A Japanese communique says that more than 100 Superfortresses took part in the raid on Anshan. “The largest force of Superfortresses yet used without loss attacked Anshan and the surrounding area, concentrating against chemical explosives factories, says the correspondent of the Associated Press in Western China. “The bomb load was the largest for each aeroplane since the beginning of the Superfortresses’ attacks. On returning the airmen said that the Japanese had not increased their fighter defences or ack-ack since the July raid. Evidence of the damage done in July was clearly visible in Anshan, where repairs had just begun. “Diversionary raids were made against railway yards at Sinsiang, a road and rail junction on the PeipingHankow railway west of Chisien. JAPAN’S WAR AIMS NEW YORK, Sept. 10. In an address to the Diet, broadcast by the Tokio official radio, Prime Minister Koiso said that Japan was driven into the war by the United States Pacific policy of aggression. Japan’s fundamental policy was to give every nation its proper place in the sun. Japan’s war aims, summarised were: (1) Fighting for defence; (2) Fighting for emancipation: (3) Fighting for the establishment of peace; (4) Fighting for the elimination of monopoly. . According to Tokio Official Radio M. Shigemitsu told the Diet that present realistic interest dictates that Japan and Russia shall remain neutral countries towards each other. He added that it was Japan’s intention to keep on friendly terms with Russia.