LAND FIGHTING AT STANDSTILL

Southland Times, Issue 25533, 29 November 1944, Page 5

LAND FIGHTING AT STANDSTILL

Steady Rain Falls On Leyte (Rec. 12.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 27. Steady rains have practically brought ground operations on Leyte to a standstill, says General Douglas MacArthur’s communique. Escorted heavy and medium units carrying 165 tons of bombs struck at aerodromes at Cebu and Negros, seriously damaging runways and destroying parked bombers. The fighter cover shot down eight of 30 intercepting enemy fighters. American fighter-bombers attacked the aerodrome, bivouacs and supply areas at Masbate, destroying buildings. Night patrol planes sank three barges at Puerta Princesca on Palawan. Light naval units on patrol destroyed an enemy barge off the north coast of Halmahera. Enemy planes lightly raided the American Morotai positions under cover of darkness. Night fighters and flak shot down four planes. GROWING - STRENGTH OF AIRCRAFT Big Blows Predicted By U.S. Naval Chief WASHINGTON, November 27. “The United States Navy’s carriers will launch from 1500 to 2000 planes in single strikes at a not very distant date,” said Rear-Admiral John Cassidy, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations. “Just as the Super Fortress attacks are only beginning, likewise the full punch of our carrier aircraft has yet to be felt by the Japanese.” Rear-Admiral Cassidy said that within two months carrier aircraft had hit and re-hit 200 Japanese airfields and destroyed 2346 enemy aircraft. “That does not leave many aircraft available in the Philippines to oppose our occupation,” he added. However, our immediate job is to see that the Japanese do not move replacement aircraft into the Philippines.” JAPANESE - /ADVANCE IN CHINA CHUNGKING, November 27. The Chinese have announced the fall of Hochin, 20 miles from the Kweichow border and 120 miles south-east of Iweiyang, the Burma Road town from which the Japanese may strike at Chungking, says a correspondent of the Associated Press of America. There is a general acceptance of the Japanese claim that they have captured Nanning, but Chungking has so far not been mentioned in the enemy’s south-ward drive towards Indo-China. The Chinese are probably handing out bad news in small instalments to avoid panic. Nevertheless general uneasiness has been heightened. Persons arriving at Chungking from Kweichow said that all British nationals have been advised to depart.