The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-23
American Tanks Blast Against Jap Forces
CContinued from Page D

yesterday and our forces gave ( good account of themselves,
 yaps strike Village
 Only two hours ago Japanest planes attacked Q village near this point. Thelr bombed Killed some civilians and wounded others,
 (Ths washington comnunlque today reported that "increasing numbers of bombing and attack planes' are supporting the Japanese attack).
 As I made my way up to the front from Manila, I wanted one Japanese bombing attack less than half a mile away. The planes were blasting at c nearby American fort from an altitude of 25,000 feet.
 One wave of Japanese bombers, the Rising Sun emblem gleaming on their wings, came over to attack at lO:S6 Q. m. A second wave of six bombers appeared 15 minutes later,
 The Japanese attack was useless however. Their bomb salvoeS land- cd in the vicinity of an air field but I could see that none of them hit the landing field itself.
 American ground defenses at the airdromes defending the Philippines are increasingly effective. One air corps ofiicer told me that in the first seven days of the war the batteries at one field alone accounted for at least lA Japanese attackers.
 As I made my way northward, I saw Filipino farmers in their fields. They were, working calmly, harvest ing their crops and carrying out their planting as though there was no war within 1000 miles of them.
 On Even Terms
 Manila, Dec. 23. -- (UP)-Jungle- toughened American and Filipino troops fought on even terms or bet- ter today against massive Japa- nese attack on Luzon Island and unoftlcial reports said at least three Japanese transports. crammed with thousands of invaders, have been sunk in Lingayen Gulf.
 The Japanese attackers used air power in an attempt 70 ease terrific American pressure on their beach, heads along the Lingayen coast lS5 to i50 miles north of Manila,
 But Gen. Douglas MacArthur, U, s. generalissino, reported tersely that the Japanese have failed to better their position in nearly 4s hours of the fiercest land combat the Philippines have yet seen.
 NawalRG NNAA ASxaaNfaaWA tiliery battered the Japanese divls- ions-an estimated six to eight are involved in the attack--and news paper reports said At least three Of the S0-odd transports which ap- peared in the Lingayen Gulf have Hene sent to the bottom.
 eThree Japanese transports might carry 5000 to 5000 troops. The 80 transports were estimated in Wash- tngton to have abroad S0000 to 100000 troopS).
 A communique of Far Eastern army headquarters indicated that invasion fronts were blazing throughout Northern Luzon Island as the Japanese, developing their landing on the gulf coast no miles north of the capital, attacked also in the Vigan and Apart areas.
 Troops Go Down
 Newspapers dispatches said three troop transports, containing thou sands of Japanese, had been sunk by artillery fire of San Fabian, in the Lingayen sector, and that two Japenese planes had been shot down,
 All remaining infantry, artillery and engineer corps officers of the Philippine army were called to the ccloEs for immediate active duty to. day as the combined United States. Philippines armies grided for the most savage attack of the war.
 The Far Eastern headquarters ccmmunique, Issued at Il Q. m, said:
 "Very heavy fighting Is going on Che northern front
 It reported intensified Japanese bombing activity and said that eight Japanese planes had been shot down tn recent days by three pilots, one Q Filipino, the others American.
 Lieut.. Jose Kare, on reconnais- sance, shot down e Japanese fighter, Maj. Emmett ODonnel, Jr., New York City, shot down four and Lieut.. Jack Adams and his crew shot down htree.
 The 6 e m. communique had said that principal fighting had taken place yesterday near Santo Tomas, m La Union Province on the Linga- yen Gulf coast and that latest re. ports indciated the United States Philippines forces were holding