AIR BASE EVACUATED

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22468, 2 October 1944, Page 5

AIR BASE EVACUATED

WITHDRAWAL OF AMERICANS (Received Oct. 2, 11.30 a.m.) CHUNGKING, Oct. 1 General Chennault announced that the Americans evacuated the Tanchuk air base after destroying the installations. The Chinese High- Command stated that street fighting is unabated- in Paoching and the position on the Hunan-Kwangsi railway front is unchanged. The Japanese are reported to be 30 miles east and north-east of Kweilin.

General Stilwell’s communique reports that American bombers last week sank 28,800 tons of Japanese ocean-going vessels, and 57 other vessels under 100 ft. were also sunk. The Tokio radio stated that 60 Allied planes raided Balikpapan on September 30, of which seven were shot down.

The 14th Air Force heavily attacked Japanese columns in the Lunglin-Kweilin area at the rear of the supply lines to Hengyang and Tungting Lake Thirteen Japanese planes'were destroyed, seven probably destroyed, and nineteen damaged of a force encountered in North Hunan over Sinsiang. No American planes were lost.