Devastating Air Attacks Still Continue

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 190, 13 August 1945, Page 5

Devastating Air Attacks Still Continue

Received Sunday 7.30 p.m. WASHINGTON, August 11. General MacArthur’s communique says: “Ground, air and naval forces continued the reduction of enemy personnel and supplies on Borneo. The K.A.A.F. carried out widespread attacks on airstrips and rear area installations, destroying three fighters on Kuching airfield. Navy planes sank or damaged two freighters and five coastal vessels. We lost one bomber. Marine and R.N.Z.A.F. planes bombed supplies in the Rabaul area. “Fifty-seven enemy vessels were sunk or damaged by the Far East Air Forces blockading Asiatic waters from Japan and Korea to Indochina and Malaya. “Strong formations of heavy and medium attack and fighter bombers from Okinawa continued their daily assault on the Japanese homeland, strafing and setting on fire the major air and supply centres of Kumamoto and Oita. ’ ’ Admiral Nimitz’s communique says: “Further information on British and

American carrier attacks on Northern Honshu shows the following additional damage inflicted by American aircraft: Sixty-two aircraft destroyed and 76 damaged oil the ground; one destroyerescort, four cargo ships and four luggers sunk and one destroyer-escort, ten cargo ships, two passenger ferries and nine luggers damaged. 4 4 British aircraft destroyed 16 and damaged 34 aircraft on the ground and sank six cargo ships and eight small craft and damaged ten cargo vessels and eight small craft. “The following additional damage was inflicted on Thursday on targets in Northern Honshu: British and American aircraft jointly sank one destroyer and three destroyer-escorts and damaged one freighter. United States aircraft sank two destroyer-escorts and two freighters and damaged one des-troyer-escort, one minelayer and four freighters; British aircraft sank four cargo ships and damaged two destroyerescorts. Both forces inflicted extensive damage on hangars, shops, warehouses, barracks, locomotives, freight cars, radio stations and other ground installaitons. Our combat losses were seven United States aircraft and seven British aircraft.

4 4 The total Japanese air losses in this operation were 700 planes.”

The Tokio radio says that 70 SuperFortresses and 15 Thunderbolts bombed and strafed Matsuyama at 10 a.m. today.