INVADING FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25673, 23 October 1944, Page 5

INVADING FORCE

BIGGEST ARMY IN! PACIFIC FILIPINO AID LIKELY (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 21. American troops who landed at Leyte Island are driving Inland behind tanks and . flame-throwers, reports Mr William Dickinson, the United Press correspondent at General MacArthur’s headquarters. They seized the road junction of Dulag and probably two airfields on Leyte’s east coast. Japanese resistance has been increasing as the enemy have recovered from J;he initial shock of the assault, but nowhere is it sufficient to stem the biggest American Army in the Pacific. The Japanese are also confronted with the possibility of a major uprising by tens of thousands of Filipino patriots.

The main American attack appeared to be directed along a 20-mile front on the north-eastern side of the island, from Dulag to the Tacloban area. If it continued the drive would cut across the 15-mile-wide waist of Leyte to the west coast, splitting the estimated force of 15,000 to 20,000 Japanese defenders at the northern end. of the front. •

The forces which captured Dulag included New Guinea veterans. They are now pushing inland across a •coastal plain towards the Burauen road junction,, 10 miles away, controlling the'north and south highway linking the Japanese inland lines. The Americans five miles south of Tacloban are meeting stubborn resistance in the form of mortar, machine-gun, and small arms fire.

General .MacArthur, totally disregarding the nearby fighting, inspected jungle- troops, who cheered every appearance. General MacArthur, who was in high spirits, said everything was proceeding like clockwork. United States carrier aircraft yesterday continued their attack of enemy aircraft and shipping targets in the Philippines, states a Pacific Fleet communique issued in Washington. We sank a cargo ship, a small coastal cargo ship, and a small escort vessel at Coron

Bay, south-westwards of Mindoro Strait. Three enemy P.T. boats were destroyed at Batangas Bay and one at Cebu harbour; 'We destroyed several ammunition barges in Masbate harbour and damaged two medium cargo vessels and two luggers. Ground installations and a hangar near the airfield at Dulag were bombed. Thirteen enemy planes were shot down yesterday and 37 were destroyed on the ground. General MacArthur is in personal command of the invasion of the Philippines, Lieut-General Walter Krueger commands the ground forces, Vice Admiral Thomas Kinkaid, commander of the Allied Naval Forces in the southwest Pacific, commands the Seventh United States Fleet, and the Australian Squadron is under Commodore John Collins. Elements of the Third United States Fleet, commanded by Admiral Halsey, are providing naval support. Elements supporting the operation include the United States Far East Air Force and the R.A.A.F., commanded by Lieutenant General George Kenney. The Third Fleet Carrier Forces are commanded by Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher, amphibious operations are under the command of Rear Admiral Daniel Bardley and Rear Admiral Theodore Wilkinson. The Tokio radio announced that Field Marshal Terauchi is the Supreme Commander of the Southern Region’s Armv, including the Philippines. Admiral Soemu Toyoda is commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, and General Rikichi Ando eommander-in-chief in Formosa.