CLEARING LEYTE

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 November 1944, Page 6

CLEARING LEYTE

ENEMY’S LAST STAND

’PLANES SINK TRANSPORTS WASHINGTON, November 4. “In the 10th Corps sector on. Leyte the 24th Division has commenced a land and over water assault on Pinarnoboan, seven miles west of Carigara, at the northern end of the narrow Ormoc corridor,” says General MacArthur’s communique. “The enemy has prepared hasty defensive positions in the hills fronting . the plains north of Ormoc, and is endeavouring to protect his last remaining foothold on Leyte. An enemy counter-attack near Capoocan was bloodily repulsed. “Our fighters continued their low level strafing attacks against enemy motorised convoys north of Ormoc, forcing the continual dispersal of troops and vehicles and effectively preventing organised movement along the highway. The enemy lost heavily in armoured vehicles, trucks, and artillery landed as part of his latest reinforcements.

“Night infiltration attempts by enemy, parties west of Damagi were readily repulsed. Enemy air attack was limited to persistent night harassing raids against shore installations, causing moderate damage. One enemy fighter was shot down.” The landing of Japanese troops and tanks on the west coast of Leyte from four big merchantmen.' 5 apparently for desperate attempts to break the Ormoc pocket, was announced by General MacArthur in an earlier communique. “The 24th Division has advanced the 10th Corps sector to Culasian Point, five miles west of Carigara,” said the communique. “Elsewhere our units are establishing intermediate bases and lines of communication. The enemy has landed troops and motorised equipment from an escorted convoy of four cargo ships at Ormoc Bay. Our Leyte-based fighters, in spite of interception, dive-bombed the convoy, sinking two transports. These fresh enemy troops, attempting to break out northward, were surprised by our air fighters, who destroyed 30 trucks and two tanks. The enemy continued night harassing attacks, causing minor’ damage. Five aeroplanes were shot down by flak and five by our aeroplanes. We lost one aeroplane.” WIDESPREAD RAIDS. WASHINGTON, November 5. General MacArthur’s communique reports widespread attacks by bombers and fighters. In the Philippines fighters attacked the Negros and Cebu aerodromes from tree-top height, destroying 57 aeroplanes on the ground and probably destroying 10. Ten aeroplanes were shot down in aerial combat. Four American aeroplanes are missing. “Medium units dropped 57 tons of bombs on the Davao aerodrome on Mindanao,” adds the communique. “Fighter-bombers damaged an 8000ton transport at Jolo and buildings at Tawitawi.

‘’Bombers carried out a successful night attack on Macassar, in the Celebes. Thirty-six tons of bombs were dropped on the 'waterfront, resulting in large fires which were visible for 90 miles.

“Talaur and Sangir Islands were attacked, enemy aerodromes and defences being hit. Our aeroplanes sank a 1000-ton freighter and eight barges. “Medium and attack bombers dropped 36 tons of explosives in Babo (in Dutch New Guinea), hitting the runway and dispersal areas. Others struck at the Wewak pocket. Medium and light bombers and fighters bombed enemy-occupied plantations in New Ireland, starting fires near Rabaul and destroying huts.” / JAPS. ATTACK CARRIERS.

Japanese bombers attacking American carrier task forces and bases in the Marianas damaged several American warships and slightly damaged the airfields on Saipan and Tinian. This is announced in a Pacific Fleet communique, which says: “On the night of Novmeber 1-2 nine enemy twin-engined bombers, presumably from bases in the Bonins, bombed and strafed Saipan and Tinian. Three enemy raiders were shot down. Our personnel casualties were four killed and one injured when enemy aeroplanes crashed on one field. Minor damage was suffered on both airfields. “An enemy reconnaissance seaplane attacked Peleliu Island on October 31. It was shot, down by a Hellcat. “One of the 3rd Fleet carrier groups was attacked by enemy fighters. and dive-bombers on November 1. Some damage was inflicted on several ships, and light personnel casualties were suffered. Six enemy aeroplanes were destroyed by flak. Four others were shot down by our -aircraft.

“Mitchells dropped bombs on Paramusir in tne Kuriles on October 31. Bombing attacks were also made on the Volcanos, Bonins, Chichi Jima, and Iwo Jima. Liberators bombed four cargo vessels at Chichi Jima on November 1, scoring several direct hits. One ship was sunk, one was left burning, and two were damaged. Liberators also bombed shipping in the harbour of Haha Jima. Corsairs set fire to barges at Bebelthaup Island, bombed the airfield on Yap Island, and strafed enemy targets on Rota Island. Thunderbolts launched rockets against supply dumps on Pagan Island.” ENEMY LOSSES HEAVY. “With the end of the Leyte and Samar campaign in sight, the Americans have exerted pressure from three directions, while aeroplanes and P.T. boats attacked enemy evacuation craft,” says the correspondent of the Associated Press on Leytb. “The Japanese air force called on its best flyers to protect the ships removing their ground forces. One group of 75 enemy aeroplanes 'covering a convoy off Ormoc refused io break formation, although 27 were shoe down during an eight-hour air battle. Not a single American aeroplane was lost. “The Japanese pilots were skilful, experienced airmen, and definitely above the average. “Among the fleeing Japanese were the remnants of the arrogant 16th Division, the perpetrators, of the infamous ‘March of death,’ to which the American heroes of Bataan and Corregidor were subjected early .in the war. The Japanese 16th Division was torn to shreds in a bloody fortnight’s battle for Leyte Valley, which ended with Carigara’s collapse on Thursday.” The United States Fighter Group of the Far East Air Forces shot down more than 500 Japanese aeroplanes in seven days in the Philippines, according to ’a statement, by General MacArthur. MANILA-RAIDED. (Rec. 10.0 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 5. The Tokio radio stated that 300 American planes, apparently from carriers operating east of Luzon Island, raided the Manila Clark airfield and Legaspi areas to-day. JAP. NAVAL LOSSES. “FIFTH RATE* POWER.” NEW YORK, November 3. “Japan has been reduced to a fifth rate naval Power by the recent battles off Formosa and the Philippines,” said Vice-Admiral Marc Mitscher, addressing a Press conference

at San Diego, California, on his return to the mainland to-day. ViceAdmiral Mitscher, who is commander of Task Force 58, also said that Japanese naval aviation had practically been eliminated. Nevertheless, in spite of the land, air, and sea victories, the war would slow down instead of speeding up because of the supply problemStatistics of Task Force 58, released for the first time, credited the carrier ' group with destroying 4425 Japanese aeroplanes and sinking or damaging 795 naval and merchant ships between January 29 and October 27 . Of the 4425 aeroplanes destroyed, 2568 were shot down and 1857 were destroyed on the ground. “These are conservative figures, as aeroplanes destroyed on the ground are not counted unless they burn,” said Vice-Admiral Mitscher. “Of the ships sunk or damaged, 202 were warships and 593 were merchantmen. Eighty-eight of the warships were sunk, 25 were probably sunk, and 89 were damaged..” Vice-Admiral Mitscher conservatively estimated that the total merchant tonnage accounted for was 1,425.000 tons. “At least seven Japanese carriers were sunk in the recent wide-scale engagement,” said Vice-Admiral Mitscher. “All they have left is a few battleships, a couple of major carriers, and some baby carriers.” In spite of the extravagant Japanese claims of great damage to the American Fleet, particularly in the engagement off Formosa, Vice-Ad-miral Mitscher declared that.not one American carrier was hit there. Vice-Admiral Mitscher described the Formosa battle as the toughest of the war and the toughest he ever experienced. “They made it a bit difficult for a while,” he added. “The American flyers held an eight to one edge over the Japanese in combat, while the Japanese losses exceeded ours by four to one.”