AMERICANS MOP UP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21632, 8 February 1945, Page 5

AMERICANS MOP UP

ENEMY IN MANILA WANTON FIRE-RAISING DESTRUCTION IN CITY (10 a.m.) NEW YORK, Fob. 7. “The 37th Infantry and First Cavalry Divisions continued mopping up operations north of Manila. The 11th Airborne Division did the same south of Manila,’’ says General MacArthur’s communique. “House-to-house fighting is in progress in some sectors, while the trapped and frustrated Japanese garrison wantonly sei fire to the down-town business distric along the Escolta, practising general sabotage and destruction without relation to military operations. “Our patrols from Dinalupidan ai’e probing southward along the coast of Bataan. The 43rd Division in the first corps sector repulsed an enemy night attack against positions north-east-ward of Rosario, inflicting heavy casualties. Our forces southward captured San Jose and most of Lupao and are clearing the enemy from positions on high ground near Rizal. The troops attacking an isolated enemy strongpoint at Munoz made steady progress against stubborn resistance. Eleven enemy tanks were destroyed in this general area.” Internees’ Camp Shelled The Japanese began the sporadic shelling of Santo Tomas internment camp on Monday from a relatively distant point, but little damage and no casualties were caused, says the Luzon correspondent of the New York Times. The prisoners calmly pursued their routine occupations and were not even startled when shells were landing close. Eating was much more important. The capture of Malacannan Palace, according to the United Press’ correspondent on Luzon, was achieved by 200 cavalrymen with two tanks which dashed through a Japaneseheld area in time to save the “White House of the Philippines” from Japanese fire-raisers. The little garrison halted all barge traffic on the Pasig River and repulsed a counterattack with heavy Japanese casualties. The garrison has since been reinforced.

Tokio broadcasts said that General Yamashita is preparing to fight a guerrilla war in Luzon in order •to exact a heavy toll from the Americans through protracted warfare, even after the fall of Manila. The radio added that the battle of the Philippines has begun. A large number of Japanese soldiers wore impatiently waiting a chance to have a real fight with the Yankees.

The Tokio radio said that following up the heavy aerial bombardment on Monday the American Navy shelled Corregidor on Tuesday, indicating the enemy’s design to force a -water route to Manila.