Americans Driving Inland

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23030, 23 October 1944, Page 5

Americans Driving Inland

Airfield On Leyte Captured

Philippines Invasion Going Well

By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, O&tober 21.

THE AMERICAN TROOPS WHO LANDED ON LEYTE ISLAND ARE DRIVING INLAND BEHIND TANKS AND FLAMETHROWERS, REPORTS WILLIAM DICKINSON, .THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE UNITED PRESS AT GENERAL MACARTHUR’S HEADQUARTERS. THEY SEIZED DULAG, A ROAD JUNCTION, AND PROB--ABLY TWO AIRFIELDS ON LEYTE’S EAST COAST, AND ALSO STORMED THE DEFENCES OF TACLOBAN.

* Japanese resistance is increasing as the enemy has recovered from the initial shock of the assault, but nowhere is it sufficient to stem the biggest American army in the Pacific.

The Japanese also are confronted with the possibility of a major uprising by. tens of thousands of Filipino patriots. Brigadier-General Carlos Romulo, Resident Commissioner in the Philippines, said it was expected that guerrillas would provide major aid. The main American attack appeared to be directed along a 20-mile front on the north-east side of the island north from Dulag to the Tacloban area. If continued, the drive would cut across the 15-inile wide waist of Leyte to the west coast, splitting an estimated force of 15,000 to 20,000 Japanese defenders at the northern end of the front.

Lieutenant-General Walter Kreuger’s Sixth Army forces are storming the Tacloban defences. One report stated that the Americans captured Tacloban airfield after an advance of more than 2000 yards from the landing points. Dulag’s airfield is believed to have been captured, in addition to Dulag. The occupation of two airfields would enable land-based fighters to augment the carrier-borne planes, bringing the entire Philippines within easy range of Army bombers. The forces which captured Dulag included New Guinea veterans. They are now pushing inland across the coastal plain toward Burauen, a road junction 10 miles away, controlling the north and south highway linking the Japanese inland lines. The Americans five miles south of Tacloban are meeting stubborn resistance in the form of mortar, machine-gun and small arms fire.

General MacArthur, totally disregarding the nearby fighting, inspected the jungle troops, who cheered his every appearance. General MacArthur was in high spirits, and said that everything was proceeding like clockwork.

United States carrier aircraft yesterday continue to attack enemy aircraft and shipping targets in the Philippines, states a Pacific Fleet communique, issued at Washington. “We sank a cargo ship, a small coastal cargo ship and a small escort vessel at Coron Bay, south-west of Mindoro Strait. Three enemy PT boats were destroyed at Batangas Bay and one at Cebu Harbour. We destroyed several arfmrunition barges in Masbate Harbour, damaged two medium cargo vessels and two luggers. Ground installations and a hangar near the airfield at Dulag were bombed. Thirteen enemy planes were shot down yesterday and 37 destroyed on the ground.

■ General MacArthur is in personal command of the invasion of the Philippines. Lieutenant-General Walter Krueger commands the ground forces, Vice-Admiral Thomas Kinkaid. Commander of the Allied Naval Forces in the South-west Pacific, commands the Seventh United States Fleet, and the Australian Squadron is under Commodore John Collins. Elements of the Third United States Fleet commanded by. Admiral W. F. Halsey are providing naval support. Elements supporting the operation include the United States Far East Air Force and the R.A.A.F. commanded by Lieutenant-General George Kenny. Th? Third Fleet carrier forces are cctnmanded by Vice-Admiral Marc Mittcher, and the amphibious operations are under the command of RearAdmiral Daniel Bardley and RearAdmiral Theodore Wilkinson. The Toklo radio announced that Field-Marshal Count Huichi is Supreme Commander of the Southern Regions Army, including the Philippines, Admiral Scemu Toyoda is commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, and General Rikichi Ando is commanderin Chief in Formosa. According to Schedule "I am pleased with the programme. We are moving according to schedule,” raid General MacArthur summing up tile results of the first 12 hours of the battle for the Philippines. The initial assault was held up temporarily on one sector of the main front south of Tacloban by highly accurate and strongly entrenched enemy light artillery, mortar and sniper fire. Then dive-bombers and shelling by warships forced the enemy to withdraw Tile correspondent of the Associated Press at General MacArthur’s Headquarters says that President Sergis Osmena called on Filipinos to rise up and fight against the Japanese whenever the battle’s tide reached towns and villages. General MacArthur’s communique states: “Our ground forces, after consolidating beachhead positions, arc driving inland on all sectors. Troops and supplies were landed on schedule against light opposition. The eenmy’s air force, carefully struck by preliminary air strikes throughout Luzon and Visayan, was able to counter-attack with but a few scattered blows. One of cur vessels was damaged by a torpedo hit. Light damage to some landing craft was caused by shore fire. Our ground casualties in the preliminary stages of the operation were exceedingly light. Preceding our landing on October 18-19, carrier aircraft struck enemy air installations and shipping in the Visayan area, ranging over Panay, Negros. Cebu and Leyte. They destroyed 80 enemy planes on the ground and shot down four attempting interception. Numerous fuel and ammunition dumps were set on fire, and aerodrome installations were heavily damaged. At least 12 coastal gun positions were wrecked, and a truck convoy of 50 troops and supply vehicles were destroyed. On Li.v'e Island, in inland waters, of the Cenirtl Philippines, our planes sank a 5000ton vessel, one freighter transport, five light naval craft, and 11 barges and coastal vessels. In addition, two 5000ton fleet auxiliaries, 10 cargo vessels, six light naval craft and numerous small ships were damaged. Two of our planes were shot down.” The Washington correspondent of the “New York Herald-Tribune" says that military experts saw the possibility of a Japanese withdrawal from the Philippines to Formo-i rather than risk heavy ship losses by establishing another Toklo express similar to that used to supply forces to Guadalcanal. They pointed out that the Japanese no longer had enough shipping to send down in the face of the strong concentration of American sea and air power. Officers in Washington are confident that the Japanese fleet is still largely unbalanced. The enemy is fearful of sending their eight or nine battleships to the Philippines area to clear the sea lanes. Meanwhile expert- emphasised the magnitur' of

the American supply problem in the Philippines. They said that 250,000 troops require 1,500,000 tons of equipment for landing, including 235,000 tons of combat vehicles, 200,000 tons of ammunition, and 200,000 tons of medical supplies. In addition 332,000 tons must arrive every 30 days.

Slashing of Shipping The Pearl Harbour correspondent of the “New York Times” says the destruction wrought on the enemy by the Pacific Fleet in the last few weeks has unquestionably badly impaired Japanese ability to oppose the doublepronged American trans-Pacific advance, and may have eliminated enemy air power almost 100 per cent, in the immediate Philippines area. The unrelenting slashing of enemy shipping

throughout the entire Western Pacific has undoubtedly crippled Japanese ability to reinforce or supply beleaguered garrisons in the Philippines, who must fight now without sea or air power. In spite of the bright aspects, there is no disposition here to -indulge in exultation. The fighting in the Philippines is expected to be long and bitter, as it was at Saipan, Guam and Peleliu, where the enemy also lacked naval and air support. The embarkation of troops and equipment at New Guinea ports for the Philippines invasion was on an amazing scale, reports an Australian war correspondent who accompanied the invasion forces, In one bay which a few months ago was a Japanese base, more than 100 ships were assembled, while others were dispersed to the horizon and beyond. The naval bombardment which preceded the Leyte landing was the most intense ever put down in the Pacific war. The Austra - lian cruisers, Australia and Shropshire, which were units of the fleet escort, together fired more than 500 tons of shells in direct support of the landings. Preparations for the invasion included the printing of special currency by the United States Treasury for the exiled Philippines Government. This new money was issued to the troops who landed at Leyte, a'nd will replace the Japanese inflation currency which has skyrocketed prices. Rice, which cost six pesos in pre-war days, costs 1300 pesos under the Japanese regime. A book of do’s and don't’s was also issued to every soldier taking part in the invasion. The troops were warned not to “talk down” to the Filipinos and that a “Hi Babe” apnroach to women would not be welcome. The booklet gave a concise outline of Philippine history and customs, as well as health hints and also a language guide to enable the troops to greet and answer Filipinos. Capital of Leyte Captured General MacArthur, after an inspection of American positions on Leyte Island, said progress in the Central Philippines could not be better. The American forces in' the Central Philippines have captured Tacloban. capital of Leyte Island, and Tacloban airfield. This is announced in General MacArthur’s latest communique, which says our ground forces on Leyte advanced on all sectors to an average depth of four miles Strong enemy defences prepared with concrete pillboxes and artillery positions were skilfully enveloped by infiltration and the enemv forced to withdraw. Direct assaults were thereby avoided. Our casualties consequently remained light. n-H" enemv already is showing signs of lack of manoeuvrable cohension in me face of the skilful attacks of our local commanders. To the north we I have taken Tacloban and secured I Tacloban airfield. The 24th Corps in I the southern sector seized Dulag and its aerodrome, and is pushing toward San Pablo in Leyte Valley. Two strong

enemy counter-attacks were repulsed. Enemy air activity against our beachhead and shipping was limited to dawn-to-dusk raids by small groups of aircraft. Ship flak destroyed three enemy bombers. Dismounted cavalrymen captured Tacloban airfield five hours after swarming ashore, reports Mr William Dickinson, correspondent of the United Press. After inspecting the airfield Lieutenant-General Kenney said it was a fairly typical Japanese type, too small for large planes, but fighters might operate from there in a very few days. The correspondent adds that vast booty, including machine-guns, rifles bicycles and abandoned supply dumps’ have already been captured hear Dulag Heavy artillery and tanks blasted a path while flame-throwers burned out pillboxes, and dive-bombers attacked enemy gun emplacements. Tough Opposition American troops moving toward Palo encountered tough opposition on Red Beach, which is part of the northern beachhead. They took their primary objective by the late afternoon and continued to advance. Filipinos in the suburbs of Tacloban cheered General MacArthur. They were in pitiable condition, clothed largely in bits of fabric and obviously hungry. They said the Japanese gave them no clothing and kept them half-starved The victories in the Tacloban area give the Americans control of the strait leading to the inland seas of the archipelago. The Japanese on Leyte Island have stiffened their resistance to the invaders advancing after cracking the strategic beach defences, says a message from General MacArthur's Headquarters in the Philippines. The Japanese are shelling with mortars and artillery. The- Americans have pushed into the open country, and one column ig closing f on the city of Tacloban. Reports are coming in of Filipino c<j-operation. One native picked up bv a destroyer rode along the coast of Samar Island pointing out Japanese gun«positlons. General MacArthur has issued the following warning to Field-Marshal Terauchi: — “The surrender of the United States Philippines forces in previous campaigns was made with the belief that they would receive dignity, honour, and the protection ol military prisoners, as provided by the rules and customs of war Since then unimpeachable evidence has been received of the degradation, even brutality, to which these prisoners have been subjected in violation of the most sacred code of martial honour. For these actions the Japanese Government will be responsible to my Government As Commander-in-Chief of the ground forces in the Philippines, I shall, in addition, during the course of the present campaign, hold the Japanese military leaders immediately responsible for any failure to accord military or civilian prisoners and civilian internees the proper treatment to which they are entitled.”