TARLAC FALLS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21619, 23 January 1945, Page 3

TARLAC FALLS

U.S. DRIVEINLUZON ’DROMES - TAKEN 58 MILES OFF MANILA

ENEMY WIPES OUT TOWN (10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan, 22.

The road and rail centre of Tarlac on Luzon Island was seized on Saturday by twin American columns which struck 13 miles down Highway 13 from Santa Ignacia and a similar distance down Highway 3 from Paniqui, says the United Press' correspondent.,,. One force of General Krueger’s veterans, who are still meeting only light Japanese resistance. then veered 10 miles east-south-east from Tarlac in order to capture La Paz, only 58 miles from Manila. That column was also 14 miles westward of Highway 5, which is the last; Japanese link between northern and southern Luzon. Other forces moving eastward on a 12-mile front below Baguio were 18 miles from the highway at three points.

The Americans are on the march eastward and southward on a 70-mile front stretching from Rosario to La Paz.

The Associated Press’ correspondent says that the Americans now have five airfields on Luzon, namely Lingayen, Carmen, Rosales and two at Tarlac. The spokesman at Allied Headquarters said that an American column, after seizing Tarlac, is presumably rolling on towards Clark Field, 22 miles southward.

Japanese Fire All Buildings

The Columbia Broadcasting Service's correspondent on Luzon reports that Tarlac, with a population of 17,000, has been completely wrecked by the Japanese and is now one of the most desolate ruins in the South Pacific. The Japanese put a torch to every building before the main body of Americans made contact with them. The Japanese sprayed the buildings with gasoline, applied torches and used dynamite. The Japanese destroyed their own headquarters and also the high school. They looted stores and took every living animal. “We have captured Tarlac,’’ says General MacArthurs communique. “Our forces moved rapidly in two columns from Santa Ignacia and Paniqui to seize this key road and rail centre of the central plains with two adjacent aerodromes. Simultaneously, we seized Victoria La Paz eastward. On the left tlank our forces, sweeping south, reached the outskirts of San Menuel and crossed the upper Agno River near Cantamaria. East of Carman, our units pushed forward eight miles through Rosales and Balungao to San Leon. In a futile night counter-attack on Moncada, the enemy was bloodily repulsed.

Enemy Planes Caught On Ground “Our fighters in a surprise lowlevel attack against Tugeugarao airfield, destroyed 15 enemy planes on the ground. Medium bombers and fighters continued the interdiction of central communications, strafing traffic near Malolos, covering the road net leading to Manila and attacking railway installations at Santa Rosa and San Pedro. Heavy bombers attacked Kennon highway between Rosario and Baguio, destroying bridges and starting landslides. Air patrols supported the ground operations. A lone enemy fighter was shot down near our positions.

“Heavy bombers dropped 10G tons of bombs on enemy installations on Fabrica aerodrome on Negros Island. Medium planes bombed wharf and supply areas northward of Bacolod, starting fires among warehouses.

“Our patrols on Leyte Island, pursuing enemy remnants in the hill north-westward, killed 610 of the enemy and captured seven.

“Long-range air patrols scored a direct hit on a large vessel in a convoy off Amoy. They also started fires at Heito and Okayama and air bases at Formosa.”