Evening star., 1942-01-14
M'Arthur Repe|s, 2 Jap Attacks;
u. S. Planes Hit Foe Off Borneo;
Wove|| Opens Drive.in Sorowok
Two Enemy Lighters
Destroyed Near
Torukun Isle

IeN. OUuSldo MdChA Viiui NC
ieaguered forces in the Batan
Peninsula of Luzon Island fought
of two more japanese attacks
today, the War Department re-
ported, adding that American
bombing planes had blasted an
enemy naval force engaged in
landing operations in the area of
Tarakan Island, just northeast
of Dutch Borneo.
A further widening of japanese
operations in the Philippines indi-
Gated that enemy advance bases are
being established in Mindanao and
Jolo a small island about 100 miles
southwest in the Philippine group,
indicating preparations to intensity
the attack on the Netherlands Indies
and Malaga.
Gen. Sir Archibald P. Wavell,
commander in chief of the new
Allied Far East command. has ar
rived in the Netherlands Indies and
already launched series OF dynamic
oounterblows against Japanese in
vasion forces, military dispatches
from Batavia said.
Dutch troops were reported NOV
ing into action on the border of the
White Rajah' kingdom Of Sara
wax. where japanese troops had
seized the capital, Kuching. and
most Of the northern territory
Gen. Wavell's second in command,
1t. Gen. George H. Brett, former
chief Of the United States Army Air
Corps, arrived at the same time to
help direct strategy for the Indies
fighting defense 1t was not re-
vealed where Gen. Wavell's head
quarters would be.
japanese Losses Heavy.
Reporting on the military situa-
tion as of $50 m, the official
communique said the defending
American and Philippine forces on
Gen MacArthur's front had re-
pulsed the two japanese attacks
with heavy losses. American cas-
ualties were comparatively light.
The Japanese apparently tried
10 recover ground lost in yester-
days smashing defeat when II bat
teries were silenced and tank
forces repulsed.
Todays attacks were described as
Of a determined nature by large
forces of reconnaissance troops, Air
bombers supported the japanese
ground troops, but made no attacks
on Corregidor Fortress.
In the Netherlands Indies. Ameri-
can bombing planes co-operated
With the Dutch forces and swooped
down on Japanese naval landing
forces in the little oil island several
miles northeast of Dutch Borneo.
Two enemy lighters were destroyed.
Cnfavorable weather conditions,
however, made it difficult to deter
mine full results of the attack.
The American planes after drop
ping their bombs returned undam-
aged to an undesignated base.
The attack by these planes prob
ably occurred at least "a hours be-
fore the time the communique was
drafted, competent military OBJ
servers said The delay in the re-
port here probably was due, it was
said, to the pressure on communica-
ton connections with the Indies
theater.
1s japanese Killed.
An Indies communique said 18
Japanese were killed in preliminary
Skirmishes on the Sarawak frontier
with the loss Of only one Dutch
soldier.
Netherlands Indies soldiers were
also reported battling hand-to-
Tondano. on the northeast tip of
Celebes Island A Toxic. broadcast
said yesterday that Japanese forces
had captured Kakas airdrome at
Menado, chief port in Minahassa
Peninsula, Celebes Island, across the
Celebes Sea from Borneo.
simultaneously. Dutch warplanes
bombed Japanese occupied Tarakan
Island, of the cost of Dutch North
Borneo and a japanese base in the
Southern Philippines. A direct hit
was scored on one ship at Tarakan,
= Dutch communicate said
The Philippine base was preSum-
ably Davao, on Mindanao Island, 900
miles south Of Manila. which the
Japanese were believed using as
tSee FAR EAST. Page A-6)