ANOTHER LANDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25799, 21 March 1945, Page 5

ANOTHER LANDING

PHILIPPINES GROUP BEACH-HEAD ON PANAY (Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Mar. 19. “We landed on Pansy,” says General MacArthur’s communique. “The Fortieth Division, with naval and air support, seized the beach-head at Tigbauna, on the south coast, 14 miles west of the capital, Iloilo. Our troops accomplished a complete tactical and strategic surprise. They went ashore practically without loss, and immediately drove inland four miles towards Cordova and to the east along the coast seven miles in the direction of Oton, midway between the beach-head and Iloilo. They are rapidly closing in on the city. “ Forty-third division forward elements entered Tanay, four miles southeast of Maybancal, on Luzon. They broke up the Morong River valley against scattered resistance, and are at present within a mile of Pantay, four miles north-east of Teresa. The Sixth Division sharply repulsed counterattacks south-west of Mount Baytangan. The Thirty-eighth Division in recent mopping up operations, in the Zambales Range killed an additional

2654 of the enemy. The Twenty-fifth and Thirty-second Divisions continued their converging drives on the Baiete Pass against increasing opposition. Our aircraft wrecked Cagayan Valley bridges and gun positions, and sank several small craft in Laguande Bay. “We landed on Malanaui Island, almost to the north of Basilan Island, thereby further securing the southern approaches to Zamboanga. Our forces on Mindanao mainland, with tanks, are steadily expanding their positions above San Roque and Pasonanca. The enemy abandoned 829 dead.

“ Strong formations of bombers attacked air bases in the western sector of Formosa, destroying at least eight parked planes. Our aircraft attacked enemy shipping off the China coast and set fire to and forced the abandonment of a 3000-ton freighter-transport. They also hit an unidentified class ot ship east of Swatow. Other aircraft struck Jesselton, Tarakan, Dandakan, and Sepinggan aerodromes and bivouacs, leaving the runways unserviceable. They also damaged a refinery near Miri, sank a vessel in Macassar Strait, and hit targets in the Celebes and the Moluccas.”