PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1945, Page 4

PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

MORE U.S.A. SUCCESSES

WASHINGTON, April 25

A general advance on Okinawa, in the Riukius, and attacks on Japanese shipping and ocean bases are reported in a communique from Admiral Nimitz’s headquarters. The communique says: — “Troops of the 24th Army Corps made a general advance on Okinawa on Tuesday, resulting in the capture of Kakuzu, a town in the centre ot the island, and an important strongpoint al Hill 178 on the left flank. Our ground forces were supported by heavy naval gunfire and aircraft low level attacks. The enemy delences,.at Tanabaru were in process of being reduced as our troops continued to advance to-day. Marines continued to patrol northern areas of the island yesterday and to-day. “Carrier aircraft attacked airfield installations in the Sakishima Islands yesterday. Search aeroplanes destroyed a small cargo ship, sank six fishing craft, sank a whalirig vessel, and damaged a small cargo ship east of Kyushu yesterday. Corsairs and Hellcats attacked the Palaus, and marine bombers and fighters struck at runways and other installations on Yap yesterday and to-day. Airfields in Kyushu and Shikoku, the two most southerly of the Japanese home islands, have been attacked by 2.50 Superfortresses from the Marianas. This is the first time that Shikoku has been bombed by Superfortresses. General MacArthur has announced that American troops have advanced 16 more miles in the eastward drive in Mindanao, in the Philippines. They have reached the hills west of Davao. Guerrillas, with American air support, have captured Vigan port and airfield, and also Bantay.

AUSTRALIAN CAPTURE.

MELBOURNE, April 26. Maprik, a key Japanese base in the Torricelli Mountains of Northern New Guinea, has been captured by Australian troops. The enemy have thus lost one of their most valuable pivotal positions, since from Maprik tracks radiate north through the mountains to the coast and south to the Sepik River. The Australians’ \ success culminated a week’s bitter fighting along strategic approaches to the base. Separate infantry Spearheads rushed desperate Japanese resistance from strong entrenched positions. The capture of Maprik gives the Australians another emergency air strip and control of a Government administrative centre. In their advance on Maprik, the Australians had to contend with difficult country. A.I.F. EQUIPMENT. CANBERRA. April 25. Bitter exchanges occurred in the House of Representatives during a debate on equipment for Australian forces fighting in the South-west Pacific Island campaigns. The Prime Minister. Mr. Curtin, denied that there was any justification for allegations that the Australian forces were inadequately equipped for these campaigns, or for allegations that these operations should not have been undertaken. Mr. Curtin quoted from a report by the Acting-Min-irJer for the Army, Senator Fraser, which stated that such shortages of equipment as did exist, mainly of mechanical equipment at Aitape, Ne\V Guinea, were due to the worldwide shinning shortage. Opposition members strongly criticised the Minister’s report. They Naimed that it ignored testimony of frontline troops, and experienced war correspondents. The Commander-in-Chief of Australian Forces. General Blamev. was severely criticised by the Opposition speakers.