Heavy Toll Of Jap. Ships In Six Nights

Northern Advocate, 3 October 1944, Page 3

Heavy Toll Of Jap. Ships In Six Nights

(Special.) SYDNEY, This Day.

In six nights, United States Navy Catalina flying-boats operating from South-west Pacific bases have sunk or damaged 73,000 tons of Japanese shipping. Their prizes include 13 medium to large-sized freighters sunk, and nine others damaged. The latest attacks were made on Saturday, when a 10,000-ton tanker was crippled, an 8500-ton freighter sunk and a number of smaller vessels either destroyed or damaged. All kills have been made between the Philippines and Celebes, and the presence of such a large volume of enemy shipping suggests that the Japanese are making desperate efforts to supply, and perhaps reinforce, their bases in this salient. Some of the vessels destroyed have been loaded with vital aviation fuel. The loss of tankers and of several large freighters of between 8000 and 10,000 tons is a severe blow to the sorely taxed Japanese merchant marine.

A Catalina which sank an 8500-ton freighter in Tiworor Strait, southeast Celebes, on Saturday night made its way safely back to base with one engine blown off by anti-aircraft fire. Other attacks reported by General MacArthur’s communique today included 100 sorties against remnants of the Japanese 2nd Army in the Vogelkop area of Dutch New Guinea. A raid was made on Manokwari, formerly main base for the Japanese 2nd Army, and still held by a fairly strong enemy garrison. Japanese shipping in the Philippines-Celebes-Moluccas area* is still under persistent attack by. General MacArthur’s bombers. An 8500-ton transnort has been sunk near the Celebes, and a 10,000~ton tanker damaged near Zamboanga, Southern Philippines. Keep Up the Pressure

United States Catalinas, maintaining their punishing attritional blows against Japanese shipping in the southern Philippines and Celebes, have sunk throe more small freighters and damaged four others. Airfields in the Celebes have been attacked, three of five intercepting Japanese fighters being shot-down. Among other widespread air attacks reported by General MacArthur’s commit 1 nique today was a series of raids on remnants of the Japanese 18th Army trapped in British New Guinea,