COAST OF LUZON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25798, 20 March 1945, Page 5

COAST OF LUZON

ANOTHER AMERICAN LANDING PUSH TOWARDS MABINI WASHINGTON, (Rec. 10 p.m.) Mar. 18. General MacArthur's communique says: “ Elements of the 158th Regimental Combat Team landed at Talaga on Calumpan Peninsula, and pushed northward towards Mabini. They easily repulsed counter-attacks. With the Forty-third Division driving rapidly through difficult terrain into the enemy’s secondary defences of the Upper Bosoboso River Valley, the Americans on the south flank are at present five miles to the east of Antipolo. “The Twenty-fifth Division from the south and the Thirty-second Division from the west pushed within three miles of Balete Pass and the junction of the Villaverde Trail. The Fortyfirst Division continues to push north above Pasadaca, in the Zamboanga area, in close contact with the enemy. “ Our aircraft attacked a convoy off Swatow. set fire to a destroyer, and a destroyer escort, bombed bivouacs at Maggar and aerodromes at Jesselton, Sandakan and Lahaddatu, and attacked the Celebes, the Moluccas and the Lesser Sundas. Our heavy and medium bombers, closely supporting the ground forces, attacked bivouacs in the Wewak sector. Heavy and medium fighter-bombers struck positions at Wide Bay, Rabaul, New Ireland, and Bougainville, causing large explosions and fires.” “ One of the most stubborn fights on Luzon has been in progress for more than a month 50 miles north of Manila, where several thousand bypassed Japanese are dug in in country as rugged as New Guinea,”' says the New York Times Manila correspondent “The terrain consists of a series of sharp, rocky ridges covered witn tall kunai grass, intercepted by gorges choked with thick jungle. Much of it is unexplored. The Japanese are well armed and have ample rations. Many of them are using shotguns and buckshot, which are highly effective in the jungle.”