LEYTE MOPPING-UP

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 December 1944, Page 5

LEYTE MOPPING-UP

JAP. LOSSES HIGH WIDESPREAD AERIAL RAIDS WASHINGTON, December 13. “Our ground forces on Leyte Island are mopping up Japanese troops caught in the mountains east of the Yamashita line by the junction of our columns on the Ormoc sector,” says General MacArthur’s communique. “Scattered elements are fighting desperately to free themselves. Enemy losses ai-e extraordinarily high. From Ormoc we are beginning to apply pressure northwards along the Yamashita line. Our pressure from the north has continued. “Three small enemy ships loaded with troops attempted to land in Ormoc harbour under cover of darkness, apparently unaware that we held the town. Shore fire promptly sank the ships with all on board. “Air activity has been light. We shot down five enemy aeroplanes. _ Air patrols destroyed a 3000-ton freighter east of Mindoro. “Patrol aeroplanes attacked waterfront installations at Sandakan (Borneo), set on fire the shipyards, hit the docks, and sank oi' damaged five coastal ships. Fighters set on fire refinery buildings, six large oil tanks, and two reservoirs at Tarakan. Many casualties were inflicted by strafing barges laden with personnel. Heavy bombeps dropped 50 tons on the Kendari and Tiworo aerodromes and bivouacs, cratered runways, and set on fire buildings. Strafing sank small craft to the south-east, m the Celebos. Fighters and patrol aeroplanes bombed enemy bivouac ana supply areas in the Halmaheras, and destroyed buildings. Heavy units dropped .18 tons of bombs on supply dumps at Cape Chafer, and stai ted fires and explosions.” JAPANESE LOSSES. (Rec. 12.25 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 14. General MacArthur reports that the Japanese lost 82,554 men m the campaigns on Leyte and Samar Islands. The American losses were 10,409. , , , The 77th Division has advanced one mile north of Ormoc. 91 JAP. PLANES DESTROYED (Rec. 1.55 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 14. Carrier planes destroyed 9r Japanese aircraft in new blows on naibour installations at Luzon Island on December 13, says a Navy announcement. Attacks on Iwojima continue. COMMUNIQUES CRITICISED NEW YORK, December 13. The “Herald-Tribune,” in an editorial, says: The capture of Ormoc encourages a hope that the end of the campaign in Leyte®lsland is now close. Unfortunately, that hope would be stronger if it were not for the imaginative over-emphasis—-verging, at times, on poetic licence — with which General MacArthur’s communiques are wont to report his successes. Already, for example, the estimated 40,000 Japanese who were reported as trapped on Monday and Tuesday, have faded into much vaguer estimates. General MacArthur’s pronouncements from the beginning of the campaign have consistently painted a picture which has been much more rosy than the reality. The inevitable result is that one is forced to receive them with reservations. The first Leyte communique on October 20 last announced: “We have seized the eastern coast of Leyte. This operation at one stroke has split into two the Japanese forces in the Philippines.” But it was days before any sizeable stretch even of the eastern coast was actually in our control. Now, .six weeks later, the splitting seems largely to have been theoretical. Nowhere have the communiques conveyed any sense of the real grimness of this struggle which has absorbed more American divisions than there were landed in North Africa, and the end of which, after six weeks, is still, at best, only in sight. Perhaps this sort of thing is necessary in the more flambuoyant atmospheres of the East, -but it is subject to a law of drastically diminishing returns. MR. STIMSON’S ESTIMATE. (Rec. 12.25 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 14. Discussing the Philippines situation, Mr. Stimson said: We wrecked nine enemy reinforcements convoys, wherein the enemy lost at least 39 transports, 28 warships and 30,000 men. RAIDS ON JAPAN OVER OPTIMISTIC CLAIMS NEW, YORK, Dec. 13. “Published estimates of the damage wrought by Superfortresses in Tokio reveal that over-optimism is not shared by the airmen, who point out that weather conditions permitted little photographic reconnaissance, for which reason they are unable to assess accurately the bombing results,” says the Saipan spondent of the “New York Times.” “A too liberal use of adjectives in American newspapers may give the impression that the destruction caused is greater than the tonnage of bombs dropped could possibly accomplish. “The war industries clustered in the Tokio area will not be knocked out in weeks or months, and may never entirely be put out of operation. Descriptions of Superfortress operations by high officers of the United States 21st Bomber Command are worded conservatively and as accurately as limited observation permits. None is more anxious than Bri-gadier-General Hansell to prevent the public impression that the destruction of the enemy war machine is an easy task which can be accomplished quickly. A tremendous development is planned for Superfortress operations from the Marianas, but the land area is comparatively small. The acquisition of new bases like the Bonins would help only a little. Therefore, the promised 1000 aeroplane raids on Japan—still possibly a .year away—must involve hitting from several directions.”

The Saipan correspondent of the Associated Press says the Superfortresses took Nagoya by surprise after feinting towards Tokio, 165 miles to the north-east. The aeroplanes flew over massed industrial targets, but were slowed down by headwinds at. heights of 3000 to 4000 feet lowdr than usual. These factors, it is be-, lieved. greatly increased the effectivenness of the attacks. Brigadier-General Hansell declared that the mission was successful. Many strikes were obtained on the Mitsubishi’s Hatsudoki aircraft works. The damage was quite extensive, and early indications were that none of the Superfortresses was lost. An Army Air Force spokesman at a Press conference in Washington indicated the possibility of Superfortresses’ blows against the Japanese homeland from Aleutian bases. He said the bases west of Umnak were capable of taking the largest aircraft. GOOD RESULTS REPORTED. /Rec. 11.20 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 14. Many bomb hits were observed on

military and industrial installations in the Nagoya attack, says a 20th Air Force communique. Clear weather aided precision bombing. There was little or no cloud cover. Crews reported good results. Direct hits were observed on the Mtisubishi airciaft plant and numerous burstsjyere seen on areas adjacent .to the mam target. Large fires were visible as the Superfortresses started homeward. One Superfortress has not reported and must be presumed lost. ■ . The Associated Press Saipan cor-, respondent says: Remarkably clear photographs of the Nagoya attack, yesterday, disclosed many, direct hits on Mitsubishi’s giant Hatsudoki aircraft factory. Early photos showed 47 direct hits on the Hatsudoki machine shops and assemoly departments. The pictures also showed that some planes released the bombs too early and set fire to suburbs. A number of bombs dropped harmlessly on the rice fields. However, the general impression from the pictures is that amazing accuracy was achieved, laying most of the bombs in a half-mile pattern on the aeroplane plant from-an altitude upwards of five miles. JAPANESE"”CENSORSHIP MELBOURNE, December 14. A Japanese radio announcer has been heard urging his Government to tell the people the truth. The Australian Ministry of Information’s listening post has picked up a broadcast by Ichiro Tokutomi, in which he said: “Early in the war Japan gained victories too ‘easily and everyone lapsed into complacency. The authorities have been over-cautious in thinking that it was for the good of the nation not to inform the people,.o I a grave situation. After Pearl Harbour America reorganised while the Japanese were fiddling with their toothpicks and going with their belts loosened On the Philippines the- fate ol the war depends. Japan was disgraced bj the fall of Saipan, but regrets about Saipan will not suffice if the Philippines are lost.” AERIAL LOSSES WASHINGTON, December 14. Lieut.-General Kenney has revealed that Japan is losing planes at the ratio of 33 to 1 American loss m the Philippines, excluding planes destroyed on the ground and those destroyed by the U.S. Uavy, says a United Press Leyte correspondent. One factor is the great U.S.A. 49th Group, which is believed to be? about the hottest air unit in the history ol aerial warfare. The Japanese have fanatical courage, but relatively are lacking the training and experience. They cannot react quickly in a jam. General Kenney’s men are not ashamed to retreat in the face of hopeless odds. The ace, Bong, himself, confessed he once had three Zeros on his tail, and he headed for home, flying so low over the water that the propellers left twin wakes. AWARDS TO N.Z. OFFICERS.’ WELLINGTON, December 15. The King has approved a number of awards to officers and men of the Fiji Defence Forces for “gallant and distinguished service in the South Pacific.” The awards include:-. Military Cross (5), Distinguished ConductMedal (2), Military Medal (9), and mentioned in despatches (11). There were also the following six awards to members of the New Zealand forces serving with the Fiji forces: —Military Cross: Major Mervyn Miles Nelson Corner, Auckland. Mentioned m Despatches: Captain Allan Peter Spital, Christchurch; Lieutenant Leslie Archibald Henderson, Roxburgh; Lieutenant Thomas Cuthbert .Scott, Timaru; Lieutenant William Wray Sherratt, Puketapu; Warrant Officer Douglas Miller, Te Kuiti. .