THREE RAIDS YESTERDAY BY 1200 PLANES

Grey River Argus, 17 February 1945, Page 5

THREE RAIDS YESTERDAY BY 1200 PLANES

FROM 200-MILE LINE OF U.S.A. WARSHIPS Big Air Battles Between Capital and Yokohama U.S. Invasion of Iwojima Likely

NEW YORK, Feb. 15

Admiral Nimitz reported that a powerful task force of the Pacific Fleet attacked enemy aerodromes and other military installations in and around Tokio. Tokio radio stated: Two enemy battleships, four cruisers and five destroyers opened fire against Corregidor on Tuesday. Enemy aircraft simultaneously heavily attacked Japanese shore batteries, which promptly responded, a furious gun duel ensuing. Twenty enemy minesweepers towards evening entered the narrow straits north of Corregidor. Shore batteries repelled the attempt to force the channel Meanwhile, 10 enemy transports were sighted, apparently carrying invasion forces. Tokio radio stated: Superfortresses fled southward after flying over Chusei Province and the south-west coast of Korea. . Liberators bombed installations on Two Jima and Haha Jima on Wednesday and Superfortresses from the Marianas bombed war-prOductlon plants in Japan. (Rec. 8.18) WASHINGTON. Feb. 10.

A special communique issued by Admiral Nimitz’s Headquarters at Guam stated: Vice-Admiral Mitscher is commanding a powerful task force which is now attacking enemy aircraft. aerodromes and other military targets in and around Tokio. This operation had long been planned, and the opportunity to accomplish it fulfills the deeply cherished desire of every officer and man of the Pacific Fleet. The Tokio radio almost simultaneously reported the attack. It said. “Enemy aircraft attacked airstrips in the vicinity of Tokio on Friday morning (Japanese time). Japanese air units were prepared for the raiders, inasmuch as that the movements of enemy surface craft have been observed during the past few days.

Big Air Battle OVER 1000 U.S. CARRIER PLANES ENGAGED. ENEMY CLAIMS MANY. (Rec. 10.40). WASHINGTON, Feb. 15. Two hours after announcing the U.S. air attack around Tokio, the Tokio radio said that the air battle was still continuing. The broadcasts pictured a ferocious battle in the Tokio Bay area, from Tokio to Yokohama, and over the Yokosuku naval base. . , Tokio radio said that, following an attack by small aircraft, presumably carrier planes, it was estimated that twenty other aircraft penetrated the Kanto area, including Tokio. There were a considerable number of rutiers shot down, or damaged, over the Boso Peninsula, south-eastwards of Tokio. , ... A Blue Network broadcaster am. There is every reason to expect one of the fiercest air fights of the war. American officials on Guam recently said that Japan had been buildin, r up huge air reserves which were b be committed on a grand scale ;yhen needed, and this looks like the right time. i The Associated Press Agencyisays: The size of th e attacking force can be deduced from past statemeits by naval authorities that carriei attacks on Tokio will comprise ajthousand planes. _ i A report from London said ffia't a British United Press corresponent on Guam Island states 1200 carrieebased aircraft were attacking Tokiojtnd its industrial environs.

The Associated Press says The Navy’s first attack on Tokio, is regarded as a blunt challengfto the Japanese Fleet, is being caried out by a huge task force, includin’] battleships. f

RECORD CARRIER FEET ENGAGED f LINE 200 MILES L(NG I WASHINGTON, I’eb. 16. A corresnondent of th United Press on Guam Island sfs: r lhe most powerful aircraft csrier force afloat sent more than Hellcats, Helldivers and Avenged against Tokio’s airfields and rilitary defences. Admiral Mitsher’s task force has been strengtheed by the addition of more carriersand battleships after the recent st'kes against China, Formosa and Ino-China. In spite of the Japanese the advantage of operating fr<h home airfields, it is believed tha the American forces have achieve at least a temporary supremacy pver _ Tokio. The enemy is expectedio bring up aerial reinforcements; Action by the Japanese Fleet is’egarded as unlikely. It is believe that the enemy is not strong ebugh to challenge the American iirships in a gun action. An Associated Press correspondent at a naval base in ;he Pacific a week ago reported: Je largest war fleet in history is ring anchor and awaiting a signal tdmove against Tokio. The larges and newest battleships and cariirs, as welß as light carriers, jeep [trriers, cruiser’s and destroyers, willorm a line off the island of Hoiiu, 200 miles long, while carrier Janes will strike at the heart of Jap:. Tokio radio state that 60 Superfortresses raided igoya and a places across the s-suta Bay _ Nagoya, to-day. 'High explosives and incendiaries Cised some dam age. The U.S'. 20th AiForce, in a communique, says: Sizeable force o Marianas-based Sberfortresses a - tacked the Mitsumi aircraft fac ory at Nagoya in dilight on Friday. Bombing was acdnplished through overcast weather! Results were not observed. Fight* opposition was moderate, and fl&meagre. No planes were lost by enjy action. Admiral Niitz’s communique also stated: Surce units of the Pacific Fleet areombardmg Iwojima

aerodromes, while Strategic Air Force planes are bombing Iwojima, also nearby positions in the Bonin Islands. The Fleet forces are under the tactical command of Admiral Spruance | (Fifth Fleet). I The New York Times commentator, | Mr Hanson Baldwin, says: The heavy | attack on Iwojima Island, south of Japan, may be the prelude •to an amphibious assault, but the capture of Iwojima is likely to be difficult and costly. There are only two or three possible landing places. Each is dominated by cliffs. The United Press Agency points out that Iwojima has been under constant aerial attack for 69 days. . STRIKE LASTS FIVE HOURS (Rec. 11.45) WASHINGTON, Feb 16. The Tokio radio says: that the carrier strike against Tokio lasted five hours. The first wave of three hundred planes attacked military facilities and air strips on Boso Peninsula. In addition a small number of Superfortresses bombed an army hospital and port facilites at Yokohama on Thursday. The correspondent of the Associated Press of America at Guam says that. Superfortresses were over Japan before, during, and after the carrier strike. THREE RAIDS REPORTED YESTERDAY (Rec. 1.20) LONDON, Feb. 16 The Japanese News Agency says: Allied planes again raided Tokio for an hour from 3.30 G.M.T. a.m. on Friday. Reuter’s Agency states: This was the third separate raid reported from Tokio on Friday. JAP. AIRMEN’S “DIVINE" WING. NEW YORK, February 15. Japanese suicide pilots are designated the Divine Wing. They wear long black and white burial robes. They fly ’planes to which bombs are shackled, said Alfred Marchev, President of the Republic Aviation Corporation, who has just returned from a Pacific tour. RAIDS DIFFICULT IN JAPAN (Rec. 11.0) WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 The “News Week" and authoritative magazine says: The U.S. Army Air Forces are revising their programme because navigation and bombing in raids against the Japanese homeland have proved so unexpectedly difficult. The wind velocities frequently are so terrific on high altitude trips that navigators making the trip for the first time refuse to believe their instruments, and get off their course. In the day time the winds often exceed 175 miles an hour. At night time winds reach 265 miles an hour. Some Superfortress flights reach the Japanese coast for fifty, to one hundred miles off their course, thus inviting fighter attacks, and wasting precious petrol. The winds also give the planes a bumpy, heavy motion, making bombing additionally difficult.

TOKIO RADIO CHARGES 8.8. C. NEW YORK, Feb. 15 Tokio radio charged the 8.8. C. with having yesterday deliberately distorted the Japanese propaganda spokesman’s statement on the Yana conference into an implied peace feeler. The radio denied that Japan made any bid for peace. SUPERFORTRESSES OVER SINGAPORE. (Rec. 10.40). NEW YORK, Feb. 15. Tokio radio says: Several Superfortresses were over Singapore for a short time on Friday afternoon. Apparently they were reconnoitring. A J'apanese fighter heavily damaged one of the Superfortresses. CHUNGKING, Feb. 15. . The Japanese position in China is steadily worsening, said General WedemeVer. He added that he was confident the Chinese could successfully defend the Kunming area, to where supplies were now moving, via the Ledo Road. General Wedemeyer hoped that the differences between the Government and the Communists could be reconciled, in order to expedite the war effort. . . The Chinese Conscription Minister, General Lu Chungliu, stated that 500,000 men will be conscripted before the end. of March to meet the demand for an all-out Chinese counter-offensive, in conjunction with the coming landing of American forces on the China coast. NEW YORK, February 15. Tokio radio stated Chinese reports stated Marshal Chiang Kai-shek .has been suffering from pneumonia, since late in January, and his condtnon is still critical.