Widespread Strikes at Heart of Defence System

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 211, 6 September 1944, Page 5

Widespread Strikes at Heart of Defence System

(By Telegr&pb—Press A»«n.—Copyright.) Received Tuesday, 8.60 p.m. NEW YORK, Sept. 4. “Carrier-based aircrart bombed and strafed Chicbi Jima, Mafia Jima and Iwo Jima Islands, sinking five small cargo ships, one small tanker and seven barges, and probably sinking one small cargo ship and three submarine chasers. They also damaged three submarine chasers and one sampan and shot down 10 enemy aircraft near Iwo Jima, also one twin-engined bomber over our task force," says a Pacific Fleet communique. “We destroyed 33 enemy aircraft on the ground and also probably destroyed 29 and damaged 10 at Iwo Jima and destroyed two seaplanes at Chichi Jima. Extensive damage was done to hangars, shops, warehouses, fuel dumps and antiaircraft positions. Several antiaircraft positions were destroyed at Iwo Jima. Large warehouses were destroyed at Maha Jima and we demolished the seaplane base at Chichi Jima. In these operations we lost five aircraft. “Cruisers and destroyers bombarded Wake Island on Sunday and carrier aircraft bombed the island, knocking out several coast defence guns and antiaircraft emplacements and heavily damaged three small craft in the lagoon. Fagan Island, Rota Island, Paramushiro, Nauru, Ponape and various positions in the Marshalls were also attacked.” Posing the question: “How long will it be before the eastward cloud of doom breaks over Japan?" the New York Times in an editorial says: “The nervous warnings uttered by the Tokio radio show that the Japanese leaders know that tho fate that befalls Germany will be theirs also and not too long delayed. They sense that a great storm is gathering silently in India, China and tho Pacific Islands. Indeed, Japan admits that the recent air battles in New Guinea and Halmahers have been decisive and expects MacArthur’s forces accompanied by three American fleets to move into Mindanao at any moment. "Japan apparently wants the Japanese to' believe that they will stand almost paralysed before the Impending blows unless they restore immediately their lost air equality. The Japanese Government, feeling the rising wind, has evidently decided that the time has come to replace happy forecasts by brutal frankness.”