PHILIPPINES BATTLE

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 October 1944, Page 5

PHILIPPINES BATTLE

JAP. LOSSES INCREASED

ON SEA AND LAND WASHINGTON, October 28. “American losses in the Battle of the Philippines totalled six warships,” says a Navy Department announcement. They were the aircraftcarrier Princeton, two escort carriers, two destroyers, and one destroyer escort. , The Japanese losses have been amended to five cruisers damaged instead of four, making a total of 27 warships sunk or damaged. The Japanese now admit the loss ol another aircraft-carrier and a destroyer in addition to the loss of a battleship, two cruisers and a destroyer announced by the Tokio radio on Thursday. The Japanese communique also admits that another Japanese carrier was damaged, and 126 aeroplanes failed to return. Amplifying dispatches of the naval battle south of Leyte Gulf on October 25 General MacArthur’s communique confirms the report that the enemy losses were greater than originally estimated. The total enemy naval force that came through the Surigao. Strait' was composed of the two battleships Yamashiro and Huso, two heavy cruisers, two light cruiseis, and 10 destroyers. Both battleships, one heavy cruiser, one light cruiser, and six destroyers were sunk in the immediate action. The remaining two cruisers and four destroyers were badlv damaged and fled. They were destroyed in subsequent air attacks. Many” survivors from the sunken enemy warships have been captured, including the captain of one of the destroyers. The battleships were the Yamashiro and the Huso, both of 29,330 tons, with 12 14-inch guns. The Huso was compuleted in 1915. and the Yamashiro in 1917. Both were reconstructed in 1932-33. Flying Fortresses based in China have attacked Japanese naval units fleeing from the Battle of the Phiiippines°and sank one large transport and damaged other vessels. LEADERS’ ESTIMATES Admiral King, in a speech, said the Philippines Battle had reduced the Japanese fleet “to not more than half its maximum strength.” The Associated Press says that Admiral King was obviously referring to Japanese fire-power and lighting ability rather than the number of warships. The Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet (Admiral Nimitz), in a speech, said the smashing defeat in the Philippines had rendered the Japanese fleet incapable of challenging any sizeable portion or the American Fleet for some time to come. Reviewing the American advance in the Central Pacific, Admiral Nimitz said: “ In the last year we have captured 13 major bases rendered many more valueless, killed 8000 first-line troops up to the beginning of the Philippines campaign, and isolated another 95,000 troops. Nine hundred enemy ships have been sunk or damaged in the last five months and. more than 3000 aircraft have been lost in the air and on the ground. The American Fleet has sustained meagre losses. We have completed a number of essential preliminaries to tackling the main enemy strength. The supreme test will come in the year ahead.” Admiral Nimitz added: “The enemy has been routed completely. He sneaked away as best he could in his battered crippled ships. That is just a taste of what lies in store for him, whenever he heals his wounds and returns for more action. The time will come when our fleet, unhampered by the necessity of guarding troops employed in seizing bases, will seek out the'Japanese fleet wherever it may be and completely destroy it.” Some Washington circles feel that the naval victory in the Philippines has been over-emphasised by the Press and radio, in that the action was by no means a decisive one, by which'the Japanese navy can henceforth be written off. A competent naval observer warned that although the Japanese navy had readied a new low figure, American capital ships would not be able to move in immunity to bombard the strongly-held enemy shore or support the landings. The observer said the danger of mines would not be a hindrance to the American Navy’s pursuit of the enemy into home waters. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says that the Japanese in the next few months are expected to wage a furious battle of repairs in order to get their damaged ships back in fighting trim. Therefore, the logical assumption is that American air power, including Superfortresses, Liberators, and car--I‘iar aeroplanes will exert every effort to damage Japanese naval repair yards.

Rear-Admiral Oldenorf, reviewing the battle of Surigao Strait, said: “I believe that three enemy battleships, five cruisers, and six ' to eight destroyers came within range of my guns. I couldn’t find any evidence that a single one got away.” The United Press correspondent aboard Vice-Admiral Kinkaid’s flagship says that this is the first authoritative indication that the Japanese may have lost three battleships in Surigao Strait alone.'

Rear-Admiral Oldenorf added: “It was the kind of naval battle you ciream about. We had them under crossfire and were able to hit them with guns and torpedoes at the same time. My theory was the old-time gambler’s—never give a sucker a chance. If the Jap was sucker enough to come through the straits I wasn’t going to give him a chance.” Asked why the Japanese attempted such a daring move in narrow waters, Rear-Admiral Oldenorf replied: “We had been supporting the ground, action for several days. The Japanese apparently thought they would catch us asleep and they intended to clean out the Leyte Gull’.’’ JAPANESE STATEMENT NEW YORK, October 28. Dealing with the ground fighting, the Tokio radio said: “The Americans on Leyte Island have given up all hope of extending their bearchead as Japanese reinforcements move up in great strength. The situation in the Philippines has taken a serious turn for the Japanese. The Americans are throwing in all their strength to determine the fate of the Pacific. The enemy’s design cannot be disregarded, and consequently the war situation cannot be viewed with optimism.” " This statement was made by the Tokio radio, which said that the Americans were pouring in reinforcements at a rapid rate. Twenty or 30 American transports arrived yesterday in Leyte Gulf. The Americans had restored all the airfields lying within the Tacloban and Dulag areas and were trying desperately to construct more airfields. The broadcast inferred that the Japanese were outclassed in the air.' It said that an average of 300 American aeroplanes raided undisclosed targets in the Philippines on Thursday and Friday. “Japanese aircraft attacked American ships and landing positions with relentless vigour, but it is obvious that in spite of the great enemy loss of Formosa, the Philippines, and Leyte Gulf an enemy task force of substantial strength is infesting the nearbj 7 waters of the Phil-

ippines,” added the radio. “Moreover, when considering the enemy carrier strength, together with the number of land-based, aeroplanes along the coast of New Guinea, future conditions 01. aerial war require great caution. land operations AMERICAN MASTERY WASHINGTON, October 28. “Our graund patrols are ranging freely in all sectors of Leyte and enemy resistance is limited to localised ’delaying actions in the Leyte Valley,” said General MacArthur in his communique. “In the sth. Coips sector the Ist Cavalry Division has advanced three miles along, the north coast and entered Caricara Town. Twenty-fourth Division units advancing four miles further in the Leyte Valley are attacking enemy delaying positions at Alangalang. An enemy counter-attack at Santafte was repulsed. “In the 24th Corps sector elements of the 7th Division have driven within a mile of Dagami on the corps’ left flank. Patrols have entered Santaana, Sananadre, and Pangdan on the Marabang River. Minor contacts have been made inland from Abuag ■where we have captured six high calibre enemy coastal defence guns and a motor pool of 40 vehicles. Schools in the liberated areas are being reopened. “An enemy air raid was light ana ineffectual. We shot down 20 enemy aeroplanes, 18 in ail- combat, and two by anti-aircraft fire. On October 26 carrier-based aeroplanes sank an enemy destroyer and severely damaged a light cruiser in the Camotes Sea. Carrier fighters and ships’ antiaircraft guns destroyed seven attacking enemy aeroplanes. One ol our carriers sustained some damage and casualties.” The enemy forces in all areas of Leyte are showing signs of complete disorganisation and disintegration said an earlier communique. The division, commanded by LieutenantGeneral Shiro Maki no, which took part in the operations in the Philippines in 1942, has been thoroughly defeated and the remnants are retreating either toward the west coast or into the mountain ranges parelled to Leyte Valley in the south-west. COMPARATIVE CASUALTIES “At the end of the first week’s fighting. Japanese ground casualties are estimated at 14,045 —virtually half his forces at Leyte. American ground casualties are 518 killed, 139 missing, and 1503 wounded —a total of 2160. Additional Philippines towns and villages include Mryorga, Lanajon, Alegri, Tolosa, Castilla, San Francisco, St. Esperanza, Maliron, and Lucay. Light enemy air attacks against the beachhead installations and shipping have continued. Ten enemy aeroplanes have been shot clown. Advance elements of the 6th Air Force have been brought forward and are operating from Leyte air bases. The Far East Air Force has relieved the naval air carrier force in this area.

“P.T. boats last night sank 10 enemy barges loaded with troops and two coastal freighters at Yormoc Bay, on the west coast of Leyte. “Our ground forces are making good progress on all fronts in Leyte,” the communique continues. “Elements of the Ist Cavalry Division have advanced 10 miles on the north coast, ocupying Balud Barugo, on Caricara Bay.. Other elements of the same division, advancing rapidly up the west coast of Samar, occupied Catbelongan, the capital of Samar Province,. and pushed nine miles further north' with the aid of organised local guerrillas. Practically the entire island of Samar is now under our domination, and a civil government will shortly be organised for the province. The 24th Division has crushed enemy resistance west of Palo and has pushed spearheads six miles into the Leyte Valley at Santa Bay and Pastrana. In the 24th Corps sector, elements of the 7th and 96th Divisions converging on Gagami are within two miles of this former main enemy supply and troop concentration centre. Other 7th Division forces moving southward along the coast have entered Azuyog, 14 miles below Dulag, and are pursuing enemy forces inland from ’ Lake Bito.” AERIAL RAIDS WIDESPREAD. WASHINGTON, October 28. “Patrol aeroplanes over Palawan sank a 2000-ton cargo ship, damaged another and destroyed a float-plane and damaged six in a strafing attack on Puerta Princesa,” says General MacArthur’s communique. “Reconnaissance aeroplanes off the north and east coasts of Borneo sank a small freighter and damaged four. Air patrols bombed the barracks at Manado. Medium bombers, attack aeroplanes and fighters dropped 50 tons in attacks on aerodromes, supply dumps, defence positions and oil installations at Ceram and Boeroe. Patrols over Timor bombed Atapoepoe and the village of Lautem. Fighter bombers attacked Kaimana in Geelving Bay, New Guinea, medium bombers harassed Japanese troops west of Wewak and light bombers struck at bivouac areas in northern Bougainville. Our fighters strafed and damaged a destroyer and a small freighter at Cebu. Patrol aeroplanes damaged a tanker near Palawan. We' lost two aeroplanes. “Medium' units attacked Began on the north coast of Mindanao. Air patrols, sank a coastal vessel east of Sanclakan in Borneo. Heavy units sank a small freighter in the gulf of Bone and set short installations on fire. Fighters and light naval craft attacked Halmahera. Attack aeroplanes bombed occupied areas at Amboina. Medium units struck at supply areas and small shipping at Flores Islands. Patrol aeroplanes over Timor harassed aerodromes at Dilli and Cape Chafer. Attack and fighter aeroplanes bombed Utaron aerodrome and coastal installations on Vogelkop peninsula. Bombers hit enemy concentrations at Wewak and supply dumps and defence positions at Rabaul and south east of Kavieng.” U.S.A. SUPER-BATTLESHIP (Rec. 9.40 a.m.) NEW YORK, October 29. The terrific fire-power of the United States battleship lowa, of 45.000 tons, is shown by her armament. which consists of 149 guns. Her 16-inch guns have a range of 19 miles and fire shells weighing 24001b5. Her 20-millimetre guns fire thousands of shells per minute, and she also has ten batteries of five-inch guns and 40 millimetre Bofors guns, which fire 380 shells per minute. The lowa’s complement is 2300, and she is as unsinkable as any ship can be.