PARATROOPS LAND

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22137, 8 September 1943, Page 5

PARATROOPS LAND

BEHIND THE JAPANESE SYDNEY, Sept. 7 Allied paratroops without opposition landed in force on Sunday behind the Japanese at Lae and Salamaua. This new operation, following the landing by Australian troops north of Lae on Saturday, is reported in General MacArthur’s latest communique. “We have closed the ring at Lae and Salamaua in a comprehensive air movement,” says the communique. “Our paratroops in force have seized the western inland approaches along the Markham Valley. The operation completely surprised the enemy’s ground troops engaged on the northern and eastern flanks of our encircling forces which landed yesterday. The elements of four Japanese divisions, aggregating perhaps a maximum strength of 20.000 at the beginning, are now enveloped with their supply lines cut. “Simuitarieously our heavy bombers attacked the heavily-fortified position at Heath’s Plantation, the main northern bastion protecting Lae, w v ith 94 tons of bombs, reducing the position to ruins. Our attack bombers combed the Markham Valley with fragmentation bombs and over 60,000 rounds of ammunition, silencing artillery positions and destroying installations.” Led By General MacArthur

General MacArthur personally led the paratroops to the target and watched the landing from his Flying Fortress. Not a single enemy plane attempted to interfere with the greatest all armada ever assembled in the South-west Pacific.

This is the first time paratroops have been used in force in New Guinea. The troops employed were mainly Americans and Australian artillerymen, who jumped with dismantled field guns, thus achieving a feat never before attempted in the Pacific.