TWO-DAY FIGHT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21579, 5 December 1944, Page 3

TWO-DAY FIGHT

BATTLE ON SAMAR FILIPINO GUERRILLAS OCCUPATION OF TAFT (11 a.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 4. The United Press correspondent in eastern Samar says that bare-footed and straw-hatted Filipinos, in the first all-guerrilla operation since General MacArthur’s return, drove back superior Japanese forces and occupied the important town of Taft, midway along the eastern coast of Samar, after a two-day fight. The Japanese did not burn Taft as was done to so many other towns, and the patriots found sufficient unmilled rice to feed them for several days. “Ground activity on Leyte is limited to local attacks and patrolling,” says General MacArthur’s communique. "The excessive rainfall continues to hamper all movement. Fighters attacked enemy supplies and communications at Valencia. Light naval units patrolling the Samar Sea damaged a 4000-ton ship off southern Masbate and shot down one enemy plane and damaged another. “Enemv air activity was limited to a night harassing attack and caused no darpage.

| Wide-Range Bombing "Escorted United States heavy units dropped 135 tons of bombs at Puerto Princesa, on Palawan, severely damaged runways and buildings and destroyed four planes in the attack. Bombers struck installations at Dan- | salan, near Lake Lanao, on Mindanao. Our pursuit planes caught 11 enemy planes taking off at Sassa | aerodrome, and destroyed four and 1 probably destroyed another. Patrol planes sank two 1000-ton freighters and probably sank another on the north coast of Borneo and later strafed Kudat aerodrome. “Heavy Australian-based bombers attacked an enemy convoy off Borneo and scored direct hits on a 3000-ton freighter which sank within a minute. "Heavy units with 36 tons of bombs struck Boroboro aerodrome at Kendari, in the Celebes, cratered runways and started fires. Other planes earned out night harassing attacks on several Celebes aerodromes. "Medium units attack pianes and fighter-bombers expended 35 tons of explosives on Hatetabako, Lobobata and Djailolo aerodromes and defences, hit runways, set fire to buildings and destroyed planes. Light units harassed aerodromes. "Four enemy planes bombed our positions at Morotai before dawn and caused some damage. Allied patrol planes damaged nine schooners in Ambon harbour. Medium and light bombers dropped 97 tons of explosives on aerodromes, supply dumps and bivouacs qii Rabaul and Kavieng, started large fires and demolished many buildings.”