MORE GAINS ON TARAKAN

Southland Times, Issue 25668, 10 May 1945, Page 5

MORE GAINS ON TARAKAN

ENEMY STRAFED FROM AIR (Rec. 11 p.m. WASHINGTON, May 8. Our Tarakan forces have enlarged their gains northward and eastward of the city capturing the enemy’s hurriedly evacuated headquarters, reports General MacArthur’s communique. Strong patrols cleared the enemy from the vicinity of the airfield and are operating in broken country to the northward. Medium bombers and fighters throughout the day bombed and strafed enemy gun positions and pillboxes, while others hit the Ranau and Bintula runways in western Borneo, and destroyed planes on the Labuan aerodrome. Air and naval patrols destroyed five small vessels. On Mindanao our forces continue to crowd the enemy into difficult hill country, largely cut off from bases of supply. The reduction of enemy pockets continues in both the north and central sectors of Luzon. Our ah’ assault on Formosa continues and 300 tons of explosives fell on air bases, factories, railways and warehouses, starting fires and explosions. Our reconnaissance planes swept IndoChina railways. OPERATIONS ON OKINAWA Admiral Nimitz’s communique says that battleships and cruisers delivered heavy fire support for the American forces on southern Okinawa on Monday night. Several thousand rounds of illumination shells were fired, which effectively reduced the enemy’s attempts at infiltration of the American lines. Adverse weather limited operations on Tuesday. There have been no substantial changes in the lines. Summaries show that marine fighters have shot down 209 Japanese aircraft since they commenced operations from captured fields on Okinawa. Carrier aircraft on Monday continued to neutralize the Sakishimas. Several planes attacked concentrations of shipping around Korea sinking 14,000 tons of shipping and damaging 3500 tons. Other planes on Tuesday attacked shipping off Honshu, sinking three cargo ships and a large fishing craft and damaging nine others. They also shot down a flyingboat. Other attacks were made on Truk and Marcus. FURTHER-ADVANCES IN BURMA Link Up North Of Rangoon (Rec. 9 p.m.) BOMBAY, May 8. The South-east Asia Command communique says that on the 14 th Army front troops advancing south from Pegu have linked up with a column from Rangoon at Hlegu, 27 miles north of the port. Further advances have been made by our troops advancing south from Prome. East of Thazi enemy resistance on the road running east in the Shan hills has weakened. On the 82nd (West African) Division front our troops have advanced 17 miles south along the coastal road from Taungup. JAPANESE AMAZONS (Rec. 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 9. Tire New York Times correspondent reports that Marines found two uniformed armed women among the Japanese killed opposing the Americans’ southward drive on Okinawa.