PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1944, Page 6

PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

WIDESPREAD BOMBINGS

WASHIImGtON, Sept. 12. A Pacific Fleet communique also reports that carrier aircraft, attacking the Palau Group on Saturday, dropped more than 80 tons of bombs and .fired numerous rockets. Anti-air-craft emplacements and other defence installations were attacked on Angaur, Peleliu, and Koror Islands, and numerous fires were started on Koror Island. A destroyer and a cargo ship, believed to have been heavily damaged in previous raids, were again attacked. Army Liberators bombed Paramushiro on Saturday and Navy Liberators attacked Paramushiro again before dawn on Sunday. Mitchells discovered and bombed a convoy underway near Paramushiro on Saturday. Liberators hit runways and air facilities on Iwo Jima with 37 tons of bombs on Saturday. Seven to 10 enemy fighters were intercepted, five or six of'them being destroyed. A naval search aeroplane bombed and strafed a small tanker west of Iwo Jima, leaving it in flames and probably sinking. Single aeroplanes bombed Pagan Island on Friday and lighter aeroplanes attacked rtota island on Saturday. There was no interception at either place. Mitchells bombed airfield defence installations on Ponape on Friday, and Liberators hit an airstrip and anti-airciaft gun positions on Nauru Island on Saturday. Further neutralisation raids were carried out against enemy-held positions in the Miarshalls on Friday and Saturday. Liberators, Corsairs, and Dauntlesses hit gun positions, ammunition dumps, and bivouac areas on Wotje, Mili, and Jaluit. DEFENCE OF MANCHURIA NEW YORK, September 12. A -‘New York Times’s” correspondent at Washington says: There is a growing belief in naval circles neie that Japan will attempt to continue the war from Manchuria after she is invaded and defeated in the homeland. Authoritative sources have indicated that the Japanese already are planning a last-ditch stand in Mancnuria, and preparing means for moving as much of their resources and their army as posible to Manchuria. Naval sources disagree with some diplomatic observers who think that .Japan might sue for peace after Germany has been defeated. Naval Gircles point out that Japan has had over 12 years to consolidate her positions in Manchuria, which has a number of advantages in defensive strategy, both in terrain and natural lesoirces. Already, however, Super Fortresses are bombing industrial objectives in Manchuria, so that they inust be considered far from immune. Military and naval observers turlhcr point out that it is logical, to assume that American forces will soon move on again, judging from the tempo of attacks on Paleu, Yap, Halmahera, arid the Southern Philippines. BOMBINGS CONTINUED. (Rec. 1.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 12. Battleships and cruisers shelled the Palau .Islands, on. Monday, reports a Pacific Fleet communique. Aircraft dropped 120 tons of bombs on buildings. gun positions and coastal defences on Eabelthaup, Peleliu and Angaur Islands, i\ small cargo vessel was .sunk and another damaged, and 150 rockets were fired at defensive positions on Sunday ancl_ Monday. A single plane bombed fwojima. Our aircraft bombed Pagan on Sunday. Liberators dropped 72 lons of bombs on Truk the same day, and the neutralisation attacks on the Marshalls were continued.