JAP. FLEET BOMBED

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 March 1945, Page 5

JAP. FLEET BOMBED

MANY SHIPS DAMAGED 475 PLANES DESTROYED (Reed. 1.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 20. •Admiral Nimitz announced that American carrier planes moved north-eastward on Monday and attacked the principal units of the Japanese Fleet, inflicting crippling, damage. They also shot down 200 enemy aircraft in the inland sea area. American aircraft losses were light and not a single vessel was lost. Fifteen to seventeen Japanese warships were damaged including two battleships. An additional 275 planes were destroyed on the ground. JAPANESE CLAIMS NEW YORK, March 20. The Tokio radio says Japanese aircraft continue to attack the American task force, which comprised five groups of warships, including 15 carriers, when first sighted last Sunday 300 miles south of Shikoku. The radio claims that Japanese pilots on Monday sank two warships and shot down 137 task force aeroplanes. The Tokio radio said that 1100 American carrier planes attacked Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu for three hours on March 19. Sixty planes struck Kobe in two waves, concentrating on ships anchored in the harbour. JAPANESE ADMISSIONS NEW YORK,- March 20. The Tokio radio in one of the frankest broadcasts yet made, said the raid on March 10 started fires which devoured whole districts. The opinion is expressed that the damage caused by fires is greater than the heaviest raid against Germany. “During the night we thought the whole of Tokio had been reduced to ashes.” The announcer said that the American carrier task force in the latest raid penetrated to within 60 miles of the mainland. He added that for the first time for more than a week there were nc American planes reported over the homeland to-day (Tuesday).

PANAY SURPRISE LANDING PLANES DESTROY SHIPPING

WASHINGTON, March 19. General MacArthur in his latest communique stated: “We landed on Panay Island in the Philippines. Our Fortieth Division, with naval and air support, seized a beachhead at Tigbauan, on the south coast of Panay, 14 miles west of the capital, Iloilo. Our troops accomplished a complete tactical and strategic surprise. They went ashore practically without loss. They immediately drove inland four miles towards Cordova, and eastward along the coast seven miles in the direction of Oton, which is midway between the beachhead and Iloilo. They are raoidly closing in on Iloilo city.' Forward elements of our Fortythird Division entered Panay four miles south-east of Maybancal, on Luzon. They broke up the Morong River Valley against scattered resistance, and are at present within a mile of Panay, four miles north-east of Teresa. ' Our Sixth Division sharply repulsed counter-attacks, south-west of Mount Baytangan. The Thirtyeighth Division in recent mopping-up operations in the Zambales Range killed 2,654 of the enemy. “Our Twenty-fifth and Thirtysecond Divisions have continued converging drives on Balete Pass against increasing opposition. Our aircraft wrecked Cagayan Valley bridges, and gun positions, and sank several small craft in Laguande Bay. “We have landed ’ on Malanaui Island, almost northward of Basilan Island, thereby further securing the southern approaches to Zamboagan, on Mindanao Island. Our forces on the Mindanao mainland, with tanks, nave steadily expanded positions above San Roque and Pasonanca. The enemy abandoned 829 dead. “Strong formations of our oombers attacked' air bases in the western sector of Formosa, destroying at least eight parked planes. Our aircraft attacked enemy shipping oft the China coast, and set fire to and forced the abandonment of a 3000-ton Ireightei transport, and also hit an unidentified class of ship east of Swatow. Other aircraft-struck Jesselton, Talakan, Dandakan, and Sepiggan aerodromes and bivouacs, leaving runways unserviceable; damaged a ie~ finerv near Miri; sank a vessel in Macassar Strait and hit targets m Celebes and the Moluccas. AERIAL OPERATIONS WASHINGTON, March 19. To-day’s communique from Admiral Nimitz’s headquarters says: — Oui marines on Two Jima continue to search out snipers and isolated remnants of the enemy garrison. Fighters from Iwo Jima bombed the airfield and radio station on Chichi Jima, and Liberators attacked Chichi Jima and Haha Jima. Naval search aeroplanes made four rocket attacks on small craft and buildings in the Torishima Group south-east of Paramushiro. Liberators bombed Matsuwa, in the Kuriles, without opposition. A naval aeroplane sank four small craft on Truk, and fighters bombed and attacked Yap. Neutralisation raids have continued against the Marshalls.” INDO-CHINA LONDON, March 19. “Resistance by the French troops in Indo-China is stiffening on the tenth day of the Japanese coup ’ says a French communique. Most ot the French garrisons have been able to break off operations against numerically superior Japanese forces. These French troops have regrouped in difficult country, bringing a serious menace to bear on enemy communications. There has been fierce fighting in Tonkin. French forces put up a successful resistance, repulsing all Japanese assaults in_ spite of a crushing numerical inferiority.” “PARIS, March 20. General de Gaulle announced that French troops in Indo-China captured Tienhen, north-east of Hanoi, vvhich is described as an important victory. They inflicted heavy losses. The French also scored a success at Moncay. MACARTHUR AS COMMANDER. WASHINGTON, March 19. The magazine “United States News.” says that General MacArthur has been chosen as Supreme Commander of the Allied armies-which will invade China and Japan. Admiral Nimitz will command the operations preceding the landings. BOUGAINVILLE OPERATIONS

(Rec. 1 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 21. Enemy resistance is stiffening everywhere on Bougainville Island and a critical phase for both Australians and Japanese has been reached in the campaign. The Japanese realise that any further withdrawals will place the Australians in a position to sneed up their advance. The resistance and terrain are such that in the south beyond Puriata River, our advance is restricted to a few yards daily. Each slight gain, however., brings- us closer to the Hongorai River, and the enemy's larder. When we get that, the enemy will begin to starve. Meanwhile, our forward companies are being subjected to constant artillery and mortar fire and <=harp attacks on the flanks. " On the northern front the Japanese have indicated that they will not

leave Soraken without a bitter struggle. They are digging in on a feature known as Horseshoe KnoL But the aerodrome, at one time the centre of Japanese activity in Northern New Guinea, has 'been captured by Australian troops. U.S.A. NEW AIRCRAFT. (Rec. 10 a.m.) . NEWPORT NEWS, March 20. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Artemus Gates, speaking at the christening ceremony of an aircraft so new as not yet seen in combat, said it will be a combination not pleasant for the Japanese warlords’ contemplation. He added that midway it has heavy armour, intricate watertight compartments, and improved damage control, constituting great strides in the direction of invulnerability. SPAIN AND JAPAN. LONDON, March 20. “Franco’s Government, whose pol-' icy continues to be inspired by plain expediency, is flying a new kite.” says the diplomatic correspondent of “The Times,” in referring to a suggestion from Madrid that Spain might declare war on Japan. “This report was put out mainly for American consumption,” says the correspondent. “There' have recently been indications that General Franco is trying to curry favour with the Americans, but it is scarcely to be expected that the Washington State Department will be unduly impressed by a twelfth hour decision to declare war on Japan now facing defeat.”