PACIFIC WARFARE

Grey River Argus, 2 April 1945, Page 5

PACIFIC WARFARE

U.S. PHILIPPINE GAINS Enemy Convoy Destroyed WASHINGTON, March 30 General MacArthur in. his communique to-day stated: Enemy forces in the Visayan area seem oewildered. Their defence is rapidly collapsing. Pro-occupied northward, in Luzon, and fearful of his position southward in Mondauno, the enemy neglected his centre and exposed it to a series of divergent thrusts, which are proving vital. Our Fourteenth Corps in south Luzon are continuing mopping up in the Siertl Madre and Cambales Mountains. Elements of our Thirty-eighth Division landed and secured Caballo Island, southward of Corregidor. Our First Corps continued pressure against Belete Pass. Our aircraft struck Sulu Archipelago. Heavy bombers hit Takao and Tainan in Formosa, starting large fires. A reconnaissance plane attacked railway and small shipping in the Pescadores, sinking several small vessels. Medium bombers destroyed railway installations at Camranh Bay, Indo-China. Fighter bombers in the same area shot down nine of the twenty fighters attempting to intercept. One of our planes was lost. Heavv bombers sank a ten thousand ton tanker, and three coastal" vessels off Pharang, unci destroyed four aircraft on Tourane aerodrome. Attacks were continued against Borneo, Celebes, and the Lesser Sundas, enemy positions m Wewak area, and also at. Rabaul, Kavieng, and Buka (Bougainville). The communique says: We landed on the • west coast of Negros Island near Bago. The Fortieth Division of our Eighth Army, with air and naval support, massed in Guimaras Strait, and seized Pulupandan and a Bago River bridge brushing aside enemy opposition. One of our columns drove fourteen miles northeastward, capturing Bacolod airstrip, and reaching the outskirts of the capital, Bacolod. A second column, sweeping south eleven miles, captured Ponteverda, and, pushing inland along the Bago River, secured Santa Niceta, and contacted guerrila forces under Colonel Ar cede. An American Division, with air support is advancing- north-eastwards in Cebu Islands, clearing up enemy resistance northwards of Guadalupe along the coast, and captured Mandaue. We have made a junction with guerrilas under Colonel Cushing, and are rapidly securing all areas to the southward. Medium bombers and attack planes struck Byoritsu oil refinery m northwest Formosa, also a sugar-alconoi retiring plant near Tainan. Considerable damage was inflicted on both plants. Heavy bombers attacked Toshien docks, setting fire to stores, destroying five patrol craft, and hitting a merchantman. Our medium bombers blockading Japan intercepted a north-bound convoy sinking five merchantmen totalling twenty-three thousand tons; two detroyers and three escort vessels. Fighter escort planes, without loss, shot down five and probably destroyed two fighters attempting to cover the convoy. Blockading planes the northward destroyed tm-ee freighters, also a destroyer southward of Vianan. One of our Planes was lost. Our heavy bombers attacked Oflin aerodrome, and barracks at Menado in the Celebes, and damaged a small freighter off M acassa £’ continued attacks against Rabaul, New Ireland and Bougam General MacArthur reported. Oui 40th Division on Negros Island crossed to Magsungay and Lupit Rivers, saving all the bridges, and in a speedy deployment captured Bacolod city, which was prepared by’ the enemy for destruction. But the speed of the attack saved the city before demolition charges could be exploded. Three enemy fighters were captured intact before they could take off. Fast mechanised units are now ranging six miles northward towards Talisay airfield. A small enemy group of islands near Murcia is being reduced. Our air force, supporting ground operations, destroyed many trucks and vehicles and large quantities of fuel andn supplies. The American division on Cebu cleared enemy pockets northward of Lahug airfield, and in lower foothills of the central range. . An attempt to infiltrate our positions at, Pardo was repulsed. In South Luzon the 14th Corps advanced seven miles against sporadic, ineffective resistance in the centre. The 11th Corps are continuing their drive northwards in the upper Marikina River area in the fac e of light resistance. In the Zambales Ranges 1262 additional dead were counted. Much equipment has been captured in the north. The First Corps seized Galiano, nine miles from the coast, ' and pushed three miles south-east on the Naguilian-Baguio road. Heavy 7 bombers, attack planes, and fighters struck Legaspi with over 320 tons of bombs, wrecking defences. Sinkings by 7 American submarines in Far Eastern waters are recorded as follows: One large carrier, two destroyers, three medium cargo ships, two escort vessels, one large tanker, one medium cargo transport, and one small cargo ship. Am Associated Press correspondent at Guam said: Photographs of a raid on Wednesday show Superfortresses wrecked, or damaged, 56 parked planes, and 12 or 13 hangars at Tachiarai and Oita airfields, and damaged two assembly buildings, three' machine shops, and other structures at Omura aircraft factory. JAP SUCCESS IN CHINA NEW YORK, April 1 Japanese columns, penetrating in the Honan Province, completely occupied Nanyang on Tuesday. MINES OFF AUSTRALIAN COAST. (Rec 7 25) "BRISBANE, April 1. All shipping has been warned to look out for mines off the north Queensland coast. Four mines had been washed ashore recently, and others have been located and destroyed by the Royal Australian Nnvv A mine found near Townsville on Friday killed two people, and injured three others. A , of youths found the mine, took it home, and were tapping it when the explosion occuired. trail of horror MELBOURNE, April 1 The medical neglect, malnutrition, and ill-treamtent of the people in islands occupied by the Japanese will take years to correct, said Dr. RodNetherlands Indies Civil Admhnstration office. He has been reSablishing medical services in tern- ’ rnries liberated by the advancing All ed forces. He found that diseases ' which had been under control before i he Japanese occupation were ram--1 pant again. The Japanese have taken

one-third of all native rice, and the people are unable to get clothing under the Japanese administration. They are clad in rags and bark.' On Morotai Island (Halmaharas) yaws, which were under control before the Japanese occupation,' was so prevalent that Dr. Rodbiono had to give 150 injections a day for this disease alone. Up to twelve cases of pneumonia were, reported every day caused mainly by malnutrition. ’