90 PER CENT WIPED OUT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21756, 4 July 1945, Page 3

90 PER CENT WIPED OUT

FORMOSA FUEL WORKS HEAVY AMERICAN RAIDS (10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, July 3. American heavy bombers over Formosa hit fuel supplies and destroyed the Heito sugar alcohol plant, thus completing the destruction of over 90 per cent of Formosa’s alcohol capacity, states General MacArthur’s communique. Patrol planes destroyed four luggers and heavily strafed coastal areas, destroying factory buildings. Night patrols started damaging fires in an industrial plant near Nanto. Heavy bombers continued the day and night blockade of enemy shipping lines and railroads from Shanghai southward to the Malayan Peninsula, attacked an aerodrome in eastern Java and the nearby Kangean Island. Other units continued neutralising attacks on Celebes aerodromes.

The Tokio radio said that the curtain is about to be raised on the battle for the homeland. “Men and women, young and old, will join in the suicidal defence of Japan for ultimate victory,” declared the announcer. "New and improved suicide planes will attack the invasion fleet and if the enemy manages to reach our shores our air forces and surface special attack corps will attack him in body-crashing action.”