A NEW LANDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25737, 8 January 1945, Page 3

A NEW LANDING

PHILIPPINES ISLAND AMERICANS ON MARINDUQUE (Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 5. The United Press correspondent at General MacArthur’s headquarters says General Arueguer’s Sixth Army troops landed on Wednesday at Buena Vista, on the south-west ciiast of Marinduque, and apparently quickly began establishing defences in expectation of enemy counter-thrusts from nearby Luzon. ~ , , . A spokesman said that the interior of the island is virtually impassable,* but a highway runs 15 miles north and south on the west coast. Marinduque is the seventh Philippines island invaded. General MacArthur’s communique says: “Ground forces, supported by naval and air elements, made a surprise landing and occupied Marinduque. We thereby gained control of the Sibuyan Sea and established direct contact with the southern coast of Luzon. Heavy and medium bombers struck at aerodromes on the Clark field area of Luzon with excellent results. Thirty parked planes were destroyed and others damaged. Patrol planes harassed Laoag aerodrome and installations in Manila Bay, destroying four enemy planes. A coastal vessel was damaged off Vigan. Night fighters and flak shot down four enemy planes attacking Mindoro under cover of darkness. Very few bombs were dropped, but we suffered some damage. Medium units and fighter bombers attacked Negros aerodromes, hitting anti-aircraft positions and buildings, and damaging several parked planes.”