PACIFIC WARFARE

Grey River Argus, 19 March 1945, Page 5

PACIFIC WARFARE

NEW U.S. SUCCESS In the Philippines (Received March 18, 8.15 p.m.). WASHINGTON, March 17. General MacArthur, in Saturday s communique, stated: Americans captured Mabini and Mount Muntingutbig, on the Calumpan Peninsula, between the Balayan and BaUngas Bays. In our 11th Corps sector, the 43rd Division occupier Teresa, and extended its position north-east waid. In our First Corps sector, the 'bin and 32nd Divisions continued converging drives on the Balete Pass in the face of increasing resistance. Our medium attack fighter planes attacked installations in Baguio, and set tire to a truck concentration and a supply dump north-eastward of Papapat. In" two months and one week of the campaign on Luzon the enemy s losses approximately have been 145,000, and his losses in the Vasayan campaign have now reached approxr mately 137,000, making a total ot 282,000 in the Philippines operations covering the past five months. This is equivalent to 11 Japanese divisions, with supply and auxiliary troops. Our losses in the Luzon campaign have been 3813 killed, 196 missing, and 14,570 wounded. We have landed on Basilan, the northernmost island of the Sulu Archipelago, guarding approaches to Zamboanga, in Mindanao. Our 41st Division on the Mindanao mainland, with air support, continues steadily to reduce enemy positions in a general advance. The enemy made counterattacks in the vicinity of Pasananga. They were quickly repulsed. Our air force is now using Mindanao airfields. They heavily struck at aircraft defences on Lahug aerodrome, on Cebu Island. Our patrol planes continued to damage enemy shipping in the China Sea, and bombed Sandakan shipyards in Borneo. Heavy planes attacked Beo port in the Taludi Islands. Our light naval units attacked shore targets on Halmahera. Heavy a'nd attack bombers continued to neutralise the enemy in the Wewak sector. New Guinea. Medium and light bombers harassed Rabaul, and also Kahili supply, areas, in south Bougainville. An Associated Press correspondent in Manila said: American artillery shelled Japanese positions around Baguio, which is reported to be General Yamashita's headquarters, but spared Baguio city, which is a Philippine summer capital. Baguio came within range when units of the 33rd Division moved heavy artillery into a position under eight" miles from the city. (Rec. 1.5.) WASHINGTON, Mar. 18.

General MacArthur, in a communique, stated, Our forces cut the enemy’s principal line communications with south Luzon at Maybancal, at the base of the Morong Peninsula, and, attacking to north-west, seized dominating terrain surrounding Teresa. We captured Dagatan, on the west coast of Capumpan Peninsula, and now are pushing rapidly eastward toward Mabini. Our Twentyfifth Division is closing, on Mimuli, to the north of Putlan, on the Balete Pass road. Patrols of the Forty-first Division on Mindanao have advanced two miles to the north of San Ramon. Our troops, with air support, continue to push into the hills above F'assnanga and San Roque. Our ’planes hit supply dumps in Sarangani Bay. Air and naval patrols destroyed buildings and defences on Basilan Island. Heavy units continued neutralising in Formosa, striking the Annan naval base, and other installations on manj’ Pescadores Islands with thousand-pound bombs. ’Planes sank two large coasters, and set fire to a 2 000-ton freighter, four smaller vessels, and destroyed or damaged five motor torpedo-boats off the Okinawa Islands. Veavy bombers and, medium bombers sank four coasters, and a 1,000-ton freighter, and damaged live small cargo-ships between Amoy and Swatow. Air patrols destroyed a cement factory and several ware* houses and .two coasters on the northwest coast of Borneo.