BROKE IN HALVES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21580, 6 December 1944, Page 3

BROKE IN HALVES

HIT BY AIR TORPEDO U.S. DESTROYER LOST LEYTE GULF BATTLE (9 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 5. A large aerial torpedo broke an American destroyer in halves in a furious engagement in Leyte Gulf, says the Associated Press’ correspondent. A great shudder rent the destroyer as the torpedo struck amidships. The ship keeled over to 90 degrees, and went down in two pieces in 55 seconds. The crew clung to rafts! canisters end anything floatable awaiting rescue, which was eventually provided .by Navy Catalinas which pierced heavy weather seeking the survivors.

The captain of the lost destroyer said the ship was under heavy air attack for one hour before the fatal hit, and had been engaging a Japanese destroyer tied up in Ormoc Ray. Five-inch shells hit the enemy in-

numerable times, and the Japanese craft was left helpless and burning. “There was no important ground action on Leyte,” says General MacArthur’s communique. “Despite continuing rains and adverse weather, the ground forces continue to clear enemy positions by-passed in. the mountains eastward and southward of Limon. A complete field battery of 21 machine-guns was captured undamaged in the mountains westward of Dagami. Our artillery supported the infantry and mopped up a series oi' enemy strongpoints.

“Our naval units off the west coast entered Onnoc Gulf, despite air attacks and shore tire, and engaged three enemy vessels, believed to be destroyers, entering the harbour, and sinking one and damaging a second. Six enemy planes were shot down and two probably shot down. One of our destroyers was sunk. The majority of the crew were rescued.” Many of the crew on the Americari destroyer sunk in Ormoc Gulf were rescued by Catalinas, one of which took off with 56 survivors, probably the largest number of persons carried in a twin-enginer plane. The Catalinas were not molested. The Japanese airmen are probably fearful of American fighters in daylight,