BACK TO PHILIPPINES

Grey River Argus, 21 August 1944, Page 5

BACK TO PHILIPPINES

MACARTHUR PREPARED To Launch New Campaign I Aus. & N.Z. Press Assn.l (Rec. 8.55.) NEW YORK, August 19. The “New York Times's” correspondent at Washington says: All signs indicate that the time is ripe for General MacArthur to launch his return to the Philippines move. Competent military observers believe that tne move may prove the beginning of tne end for Japan. It seems logical to expect that the Philippines will be the next target, and, that as a preliminary thereto, we will invade or. neutralise Halmahera Island, south, of the Philippines. With the conquest oi Guam Island completed and the Manana Islands firmly in our hands, we certainly are in a position to strike at: Japan, Formosa, the east coast of China, or the Philippines at any moment. The importance of a successful invasion of the Philippines cannot be over-stressed, as they lie athwart sea and air routes to the Netherlanas oil regions. General- MacArthur's forces are believed to be in excellent; shape for a Philippines campaign. There is an adequate numbejr of trained men, although Australia and New Guinea are still a long way off for tne replacements to travel. The supply problem Jias been worked out, and General MacArthur’s Air Chief, General Kenny, has plenty of ’planes to harass the enemy. There also is good reason to believe General MacArthur is well pleased with the role assigned to him as the result of his conference with President Roosevelt and Admiral Nimitz, and that he is looking forward with a crusader’s zeal to a return to Bataan.

“When General MacArthur does strike, he probably will -be aided by an extremely active and well-organis-ed fifth column in the Philippines. The Filipinos are sorely oppressed. They have not knuckled under completely to the Japanese. One thing is certain, Tians are well organised for an immediate further acceleration of the war against Japan as soon as Europe’s problems are settled. New Landing (Rec. 9.45.) NEWYORK, August 19. A “New York Times” correspondent, describes the maiden voyage of a new 27,000-ton Essex class aircraft-carrier to the Pacific war zone. He points out that the vessel is clean, fast, murderously armed, and due to honeycomb compartments, will be difficult to sink. T’he Navy says the carrier's ’plane compartment is more than 81). The Essex carrier is crossed with tne South Dakota class of battleship, and is the prototype of a coming 42,001)ton “battleship.” She already incorporates some stronger flight deck features of the 42,000-tonners. The carrier has aboard nearly 3,000 men, including pilots and crewmen. The American carrier production goal approximately is one hundred of ail types. JAP. SHIPPING BOMBED OFF PHILIPPINES. (Rec 9.0.) SYDNEY, August 20. General MacArthur’s week-end communiques report bombing damage to two Japanese merchant ships in Davao Gulf, in the Philippines. Japanese Main Concern

HOME DEFENCE.

(Special to N.Z. Press Assn.)

(Rec. 7.45.) SYDNEY, August'2o. A new Japanese aerial policy ■of avoiding combat at all costs is believed to indicate that Tokio is already planning for a battle for Japan. Some observers think the Japanese have decided to sacrifice outer bases, and that they are conserving aircraft so that when the Imperial Navy is finally forced into action, the Japanese-ships will be able to operate under the cover of land-based aircraft. Japan’s recent air losses on all fronts have been tar below her replacement capacity. They are estimated to be about a thousand combat aircraft monthly. In October, 1943, the Japanese strenuously opposed Allied air assaults on Rabaul in New Britain. They lost 775 machines in the South-west Pacific. Last month General MacArthur’s communiques claimed only 156 enemy machines, as destroyed. In June, the Japanese Air Force raided the American position on Biak Island in some strength. Since then the largest enemy air attack has been a three-’plane raid at night. Latest evidence in the South-west Pacific o -fthe Japanese reluctance to fight was given on Thursday when fifteen Zeros patrolling over Amboina, fled rather than engage Lightning-escort-ed Liberators. Lightnings pursued the enemy ’planes, and after a long flight, shot down nine of them. Two of tne Lightnings were lost. This was the first fighter clash in the South-west Pacific since July 22.

U.S. SEA TRAFFIC.

NO TROUBLE FROM JAP. SUBMARINES. (Rec. 1155.) NEW YORK, August 19.

Mr. Elmer Davis, Director of the U.S. Office of War Information, on his return from his visit to Pacific outposts, said: “Japanese submarines were offering virtually. no resistance to a vast tonnage of American shipping plying on the Pacific.” _ He said: “One of the greatest mysteries of the wax 1 is the ineffectiveness of Japanese submarines. The Pacific war will continually need more shipping. Pearl Harbour is now the fourth United States port in tonnage handled, it probably will pass Norfolk and become the third port when the European war ends.” ON BIAK ISLAND. fßec 950 ) SYDNEY, August 20. ( On Thursday, United States troops made a new landing on the west coast of Biak Island, Geelvink Bay. TOtOT Dutch New Guinea. This landin J ™ as made to mop up the few . handred <J®P; anese still left on the island. - Biak was invaded on May 26, some 4 468 Japanese have been killed, whil. ff 290 have been captured.