RAIDERS ACTIVE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21606, 8 January 1945, Page 3

RAIDERS ACTIVE

GREAT J3WEEPS VISIT TO~FORMOSA DARING CARRIER STRIKE (U a.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 7. Widespread attacks by Allied aircraft are reported in General MacArlluir’s latest communique. Medium units of fighter-bombers carried out extensive sweeps southward of Manila. Concentrated attacks on the marshalling yards at Losbanos resulted in the destruction of 100 freight cars and one locomotive. Three railway bridges were destroyed or damaged in other key positions. Medium bombers and fighterbombers swept tlje aerodromes on Negros, destroying 10 enemy planes on the ground. Heavy and medium bombers destroyed buildings at Libby aerodrome, near Davao, on Mindanao, and hit runways and dispersal areas at Zamboanga. Heavy units dropped 96 tons of bombs on Puerto Princesa aerodrome, Palawan, hitting a runway and destroying at least one bomber on the ground. Heavy bombers concentrated 69 tons of bombs on Miri aerodrome and barracks and supply in Borneo, destroying a plane on the ground. Patrol planes harassed installations at Tarakan, Brunei Bay and Sandakan. with good effect. Large explosion's destroyed buildings in Sandakan shipyards. Medium units of fighterbombers carried out intensive strikes against aerodromes in the Medado area, Celebes, dropping 83 tons on runways and dispersal areas. Large fires were started. Five enemy planes were damaged. The Americans lost one fighter. Air patrols hit shipbuilding yards on the Bangaka Islands. Heavy units of fighterbombers dropped 93 tons of bombs on aerodromes and defence and supply facilities on the Moluccas and Ceram air strips.

Carrier planes, in a daring and punishing two-day assault on Formosa and Okinawa, destroyed 111 and damaged 220 planes and sank 27 and damaged 68 enemy ships, says a Pacific Fleet communique. Air opposition was ineffective.

Task force ships bombarded harbour installations on Chichi Jima and Haha Jima, set fire to Okimura town, and sank a Japanese ship westwards of Haha Jima. The enemy shore batteries returned meagre fire, inflicting minor damage to the task force ships.

The U.S. Navy has reported a direct hit and probably six hits with heavy bombs on a large Japanese carrier by a Martin Mariner flying a night mission in southern Celebes. The carrier lost speed, but did not catch fire. The extent of the damage could not be ascertained in the darkness.