UNCEASING ATTACKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25915, 6 August 1945, Page 5

UNCEASING ATTACKS

VARIETY OF TARGETS

HUGE WEIGHT OF BOMBS DROPPED.

WASHINGTON, (Rec. 9 p.m.) Aug. 4. In the first seven months of 1945 the Far East air forces and attached units have destroyed or severely damaged 2,846,932 tons of enemy shipping and 1375 aircraft, reports General MacArthur’s communique. They flew well over 150,000 sorties, dropping 100,000 tons of bombs. Bad weather yesterday prevented attacks against the Japanese mainland. Marine and New Zealand planes hit storage areas at Rabaul and strafed isolated enemy groups on New Ireland and Bougainville.

A later communique says that the Third Australian Division on Bougainville is steadily compressing isolated enemy forces into the northern tip of the island, and is driving scattered enemy groups in the centre of the island down the Emperor Range on the east coast. New Zealand, Australian and United States Marine planes supported the ground operations and bombed bivouacs in the rear and supply installations.

Seventh Fleet reconnaissance bombers damaged seven freighters off the Malay coast, destroyed shipyard facilities in the Riouw Islands, southward from Singapore, damaged river crait near Hongkong and housing installations on Hainan. Ground, air and naval forces in Borneo continued their attacks against enemy personnel and supplies. R.A.A.F. fighters thoroughly strafed areas inland from Balikpapan. Air and light naval units bombarded shore positions at Sandakan, completing the destruction of the remaining major installations. Thirteenth Air Force fighters at mid-day attacked communications in East Java, destroying 37 locomotives in the Sourabaya area. R.A.A.F. heavy units and fighters cratered the Sidate and Tanamon airfields in the Celebes and bombed bridges and small craft in the Halmaheras. They set on fire harbour facilities at Dilli. One plane , was lost. The Manila correspondent of the Associated Press says that Lightnings from the Philippines made the Sourabaya attack. Major-general Wurtsmith said this sweep would show the Japanese they were not safe from our deadly deck-level attacks anywhere in the Indies or Asia. “We have developed the long-range fighter into an instrument of destruction that works as well 1000 miles from base as 10 miles away,” he added. “Last week’s reconnaissance over Singapore by Lightnings was one of the longest ever flown by fighters.” Mustangs based on Iwo Jima, sweeping Tokio airfields on Friday, shot down two and damaged one of ten enemy aircraft which attempted to intercept. They also destroyed eight and damaged six planes on the ground, and destroyed eleven locomotives, three electric locomotives, and two gun emplacements. They also damaged the Hyakuri-Gahara hangar area and factories, says Lieutenant-general Spaatz’s communique. Enemy flak was accurate and six Mustangs were shot down and five were damaged. Admiral Nimitz’s communique states that Privateer aircraft to-day sank a 700-ton freighter-transport in the Sagami Gulf, south-west of Tokio Bay. Ten enemy aircraft attacked the Privateers, which shot down two. Our aircraft received no damage. Enemy aircraft last Sunday sank one of our light units and damaged another in the Okinawa area. Army Liberators bombed the Kataoka naval base in the Northern Kuriles. Navy planes today shot down two and damaged two enemy fighters, and sank a small cargo *hip off Shantung. They also attacked small craft in Hangchow Bay.