JAP FLEET

Grey River Argus, 18 October 1944, Page 5

JAP FLEET

SHIES AT HALSEY’S Fourth Raid on Formosa ONLY TWO U.S. SHIPS DAMAGED BY TORPEDO PLANES (Rec. 1.24) WASHINGTON, Oct 17 A Pacific Fleet communique states: “During fighting since October J-U, between our carrier task forces ana enemy air forces and enemy air forces snore-based in the Ryukyu islands, Formosa, and Luzon our battleships and carriers suffered no damage of consequence. Two’ mea-ium-sized ships were hit by aircraft torpedoes, and are retiring front tne area. Fortunately the casualties on these two shins were small Japanese Fleet units were sighted approaching an ■•area wherein tne United States Pacific Fleet forces had been operating in the Western; Philippines Sea. But on discovering that our fighter strength, was unimpaired, they advoided action, ana withdrew to the base. “During the period October 13 to October 19, enemy planes by day ana by night attacked one of our tasii groups off Formosa. Fighters and acKack shot down ninety-five. We lost five planes. Fighters from two of. our carriers on Monday shot down fifty more enemy aircraft out of approximately sixty which attempted to attack our damaged ships. Searcn and patrol planes from our carriers the same day destroyed an additional fifteen enmy aircraft. ANOTHER ATTACK ON FORMOSA (Rec. 12.30) WASHINGTON, Oct 17 The War Department - announced that Twentieth Air Force SuperFortresses attacked military targets on Formosa on Tuesday for the third time in four days. A Pearl Harbour message reported: Admiral Nimitz stated that Japanese warships approached Formosa but fled without firing a shot upon sighting Admiral Halsey’s Fleet. NIMITZ’S COMMENT (Rec. 12 30) NEW YORK, Oct. 17. Admiral Nimitz in a broadcast to the “New York Herald” forum, said that American forces had destroyed’ 73 Japanese ships and 670 aircraft since October 9, averaging ten ships and 100 aircraft a day. The results would have been much greater except for a scarcity of profitable targets. Enemy air opposition was comparatively light in the early stages of the assault, but it grew to be more intense over the FormosaManila areas.

Admiral Nimitz pointed out that in recent days Americans had heard good news about fleet strikes close to the heart of Japan, but it would be a grievous error to. think that such successes gave rise to a hope of an early end of the war against Japan. AMERICAN REPORT DELAYED (Rec. 12.40) NEW YORK, Oct. 17. The “New York Times” in an . editorial says: “The logic of the situation indicates that one of the 'decisive battles of the F'acific war is Under way in the Western Pacific, as the Japanese claim it is. The odds seem to favour the Japanese, since American carriers went vy’ell within the range of land-based air power. Furthermore the Japanese home fleet apparently steamed out with full fuel tanks at a time when American carriers and escorts needed oil, which entails refuelling at sea at relatively low speed. The outcome of the engagement may well depend on the size of Admiral Halsey’s reserves, an f ] on whether the enemy fleet can be .tempted to steam outside of the radius of landbased air support. Our Pacific headquarters may not be .able to give a full objective report for several days. Meanwhile Tokio’s propaganda reports of the American losses should be taken with a grain of salt.