New Phase Opens

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23279, 15 August 1945, Page 5

New Phase Opens

Daylight Attacks By Super-F ortresses (Rec. 11.20 p.m.) GUAM, Aug. 14. Super-Fortresses resumed their offensive by attacking the Marifu railway yards in Southern Honshu, also shipping south-west of Kure to-day. This was a first daylight attack against railway yards and marks the opening of a new phase of the Super-Fortress campaign against enemy transportation lines which previously were hit only incidentally or by carrier and tactical planes. To-day’s railwaytarget is 14 miles south-west of Hiroshima. An Okinawa message states that underscoring General Kenney’s determination to hit Japan until victory, a mighty force exceeding 600 planes based on the Ryukyus delivered powerful blows against aerodromes and industries on Kyushu on Monday. General MacArthur’s communique recorded attacks to Sunday only. One force in Tsushima Strait dropped a string of 24 5001 b bombs on a destroyer which swerved to escape, but the bombs hit a heavy cruiser which was spotted alongside at that moment. The cruiser, reported to be one of the enemy’s largest, was left dead in the water. A San Francisco message states that the A.B.C. picked up a Tokio radio broadcast which said that Japanese suicide planes attacked American Fleet units off the coast of Honshu yesterday afternoon. Naval Arsenal Hit So far it has been disclosed that 430 Super-Fortresses and 176 fighters are participating. The targets include Hikabi, Japan’s second largest remaining naval arsenal, 37 miles south-west of Kure, and the Osaka army arsenal, Japan’s largest. The Super-Fortresses also dropped mines in Japanese harbours. The Strategic Air Force’s Headquarters said Super-Fortresses will continue attacks on Japan until the final official announcement of surrender is received from Washington. The Domei News Agency claimed that a carrier and a cruiser were heavily damaged and set on fire when kamikaze planes attacked American fleet units off Honshu on Monday. The Japanese air force carried out attacks against four enemy aircraft-carriers 25 miles east of Kashimanada on Monday.