CARRIER PLANES OVER JAPAN

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23278, 14 August 1945, Page 5

CARRIER PLANES OVER JAPAN

Tokio Area Bombed Task Force Cruising Off Coast By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (9 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Aug. 12. British and American carrier aircraft attacked military targets in the Tokio area at dawn. The attacks are continuing, says Admiral Nimitz in a communique. Early this evening a major Americal), warship, anchored in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, was struck by an aerial torpedo from an enemy aircraft. The extent of the damage is not yet determined. Search aircraft in sweeps over Tsushima Strait, Korean waters, the Yellow Sea and the China coast sank five small coasters and a lugger and damaged six small cargoships and three small craft. The Anglo-American task force hovered off the Japanese coast to-day ready to resume the bombardment if the terms are rejected, says the correspondent of the Associated Press aboard a battleship. When Friday night’s Tokio broadcast gave the first intimation that the Japanese jig Was up, Admiral Halsey was enjoying a shipboard movie. He said afterwards: “We are like a gang of schoolboys who have received an unexpected vacation.” Reviewing the Pacific naval war, Admiral Halsey said: “The Japanese started out with a good, well-rounded out fleet in all categories. At that time they were ahead of the United States in carriers. We probably have achieved the greatest transformation job in the world on the Japanese fleet.” In a tribute to naval personnel, Admiral Halsey said that he did not possess a good enough vocabulary to express his admiration for the very splenid mariners who had served with him for nearly four years.

Shipping Attacked Far East air forces and attached units, also light surface Craft destroyed Of severely damaged 51 vessels; reports General MacArthur's communique. The Fifth and Seventh Air Forces sank or severely damaged a submarine. 12 merchantmen, and two cargo vesels in Japanese waters. They attacked factories, warehouses, barracks, railway yards, and bridges on Kyushu, Honshu, and the Northern Rvukus. Air patrols over Formosa set fife to airfield installations at Matsuyama. Heavy bombers damaged railways at Shinchuiku, and reconnaissance units from Okinawa attacked communications on Fusan, naval installations in Tisigntao Harbour, and facilities in Shanghai. Seventh Fleet planes bombed the Swatow dock area, destroyed two harbour craft near Holig Kong, and damaged a river steamer oh the Malay Australian bombers and surface craft, patrolling the Celebes and Lesser SUP das, struck at shore installations and sank or damaged nine schooners and barges, three of which were carrying ammunition. The R.N.Z.A.F. bombed the Rabaul area, causing large explosions in bivouacs at Kara and on Southern Bougainville. R.A.A.F. fighters at Borneo attacked coastal installations and damaged many motor vehicles, watercraft, buildings and dumps. In the Philippines ground forces in the last week counted an additional 3738 enemy dead and topk <O5 prisoners. Mopping-up on Northern Luzon and Mindanao is proceeding. , The Guam correspondent of the Associated American Press says that more than 1000 British and American planes participated in a carrier strike to-day. The targets included airfields and arsenals. The Far East air forces announced that attacks on Japan w'ere continued to-day. The Tokio radio said that renewed Allied naval activity off Japan, with other developments, indicated the possibility of an enemy invasion of the homeland in the near future. Many American troops had been moved recently from the Philippines to Okinawa, and approximately 400 surface craft had been assembled in Okinawa waters.