NEARLY 2000 U.S. PLANES BLITZ TOKIO AREA

Grey River Argus, 11 July 1945, Page 5

NEARLY 2000 U.S. PLANES BLITZ TOKIO AREA

ATTEMPT TO WIPE OUT JAP. AIR FORCE

MANY BIG WARSHIPS ON THE SCENE

WASHINGTON, July 10.

The U.S. 20th Air Force announced that a very large force of Superfortresses rained incendiaries on Gifu, Sakai, Wakayama, Sendai, Jokkaichi and Honshu Island on Tuesday, July 10 (Japanese time). GUAM ISLAND, July 10. Tokio was attacked by over 1000 aircraft belonging to a task force of the American Third Fleet, commanded by Vice-Admiral McCain. The task force consists of four battleships, four' cruisers, four carriers, and numerous destroyers. The Japanese were taken completely by surprise. Tokio has now been attacked 25 times, the last occasion being in February. The Russian Tass Agency says Tokio admits bombing of small cities is as grave as attacks on big centres, as they are all part of Japan’s industrial Get-up. Tokio radio says that 150 bombers and lighters attacked Marcus Island. Fifty Mustangs reconnoitred Chichi Island in the Bonins on July 7-8. Japanese newspapers said that a black market is rampant. One paper takes the Minister of Agriculture to task on the ground that he had promised staple food rations would not be cut, and has now reduced them. The paper says that the Japanese people are not satisfied with the Government. The mining of Japanese waters is considered to be serious, as it is aimed at cutting Japan from supplies. (Rec. 9.5) WASHINGTON, July 10 Admiral Nimitz’s latest communique stated: A strong force of aircraft from carriers of the United States Pacific Fleet Js attacking enemy installations in the Tokio area at the present time, here was a complete surprise effected. The engaged comprise part of our Third Fleet operations under the command of Admiral Halsey. The fast carrier task force is under the command of Vice-Admiral McCain. There are more than one thousand naval aircraft involved in the operations. Among the ships participating are the aircraft carriers Lexington, Essex, Independence, San Jacinto; also the battleships Indiana, Massachusetts, South Dakota and Iowa; and the cruisers Chicago, San Juan, Springfield, Atlanta. Another report says: In the greatest single day’s air assault of the Pacific war, virtually all of the ‘landbased air forces in the western Pacific collaborated in preparing the way for the surprise dawn attack against Tokio. Nearly two thousand American planes, ranging from Superfortresses to carrier planes, piled destruction on the Japanese homeland. The main objective of the • Third Fleets attack is acknowledged to be the destruction of Japanese air power. The Japanese have been using their remaining air strength cautiously since their loss of more than four thousand planes in tneir futile support of the Okinawa garrison. It is believed the Japanese have withdrawn most of their planes to bases on Honshu Island, and possibly as far north as Hokkaido island. However, the Kanto area, around Tokio is the site of Japan s greatest single concentration of airfields and aircraft installations. A Tokio broadcast to-day admitted that aircraft production at the Kyushu aircraft arsenal had suffered a temporary set back as a result of the recent Superfortress raids and subsequent factory demoralisation. The radio added: ‘However, our underground aircraft factories are increasing their production of the latest and most superior planes." Admiral Nimitz’s communique stated: A substantial force of Army Liberators, Mitchells, and Thunderbolts bombed the Omura airfield in Kyushu, Japan, damaging anti-air-craft positions and other installations. Liberators bombed the Oniura airfield, Kyushu, on Monday, starting large fires. Our Thunderbolts shot down ten training planes over Kyushu, Japan. Since the beginning of operations from our Okinawa bases, our Navy aircraft have sunk 159 enemy ships, aggregating 145,850 tons; and damaged 194 ships aggregating 138,980 tons. They have destroyed forty-one planes and damaged twenty-nine. TARGET 2,400 MILES IN EXTENT. (Rec. 11.10.) NEW YORK, July 10. An American Broadcasting Company correspondent, broadcasting from a Third Fleet battleship, said: “Not a single enemy fighter had appeared during eight hours since the initial strike at Tokio. The Japanese, as before, were caught flat-footed. This is not a sporadic raid. Right now, hundreds of our carrier-born aircraft are carrying out pin-point attacks against Greater Tokio to hit from 70 to 80 airports and other special targets spread over an area of two thousand four hundred square miles. It means that the war has really come to the Japanese mainland. VICTORY IN A YEAR U.S. LANDING EXPERT'S PREDICTION (Rec. 10.20) NEW YORK, July 9 Vice-Admiral Daniel Barbey, the man who has directed fifty-six amphibious landings and has put General MacArthur’s troops ashore all the way from New Guinea to the Philippines and to Borneo, has arrived at Frisco by air, en route to Washington, for conferences, says the Associated Press San Francisco correspondent. Admiral Barbey said: “Whatever the Japanese do, we can get our troops ashore and win a final victory in a year.” Admiral Barney said that the Allied Commands expected the North Borneo operation to be tougher than it was, but meas-' ures were taken to combat the Japanese use of Balik Papan’s rich oil deposits as a fire weapon. A fortnight of aerial poundings and a violent bombardment from the sea drove Japanese off beaches. The flaming oil trick fizzled. Admiral Barbey recalled shots that Japanese snipers fired at him and General MacArthur. He said: “The Navy beat the .Army to a fox hole! I jumped in, but MacArthur, who has great personal courage stayed upright.” OVER A YEAR OF WAR YET? LONDON, July. 9. Returning to. England by air after consultations with General MacArthur in the Philippines. Air ViceMarshal H. V. Slatterly said General MacArthur thought that, judged from the military standpoint, the war in the Far East would be over towards the end of next year. He said: “General MacArthur is an extremely, fine man, the most impressive American I have met. He fully appreciates the desirability of full Anglo-American co-operation.” WASHINGTON, July 9.

Final phases of the war against Japan would be fought in Northern China and Manchukuo, said Representative Mansfield, in the House. Mr Mansfield last winter served as personal observer for Mr Roosevelt in China, Burma and India theatres.

He added that he would not be surprised if the. Japanese moved the seat of Government to Manchukuo. He thought a long struggle was in prospect unless Russia entered the conflict early. " _ , Major Wesley Werner, Liberator pilot, who was recently, released from a Japanese prison camp at Rangoon, said that last February he noticed the J'apanese treatment of prisoners had improved. He ascribed this to Japanese realisation that the war would be lost, and to publication of reports of the Manila atrocities. Werner said he believed the policy change was ordered by high authorities in Japan. Burma Front an allied retreat. (Rec. 11.10.) COLOMBO, July 10. An Allied South-east Asia Command communique says: Our troops including casualties, have withdrawn in good .’order from Myaungkashe, m the Sittang River bend, 25 miles east-north-east of Pegu. Our patrols have been active over the whole area from Pegu eastward to the Sittang River. Ten miles east of Waw, in the vicinity of Kayinzu, five hundred enemy were seen moving eastwards. Heho, nineteen miles east-north-east of Kalaw, on the road from Thazi to Taunggyi, has been occupied' by our forces.