The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-02-02
AMERICANS in
MACASSAR ROUT
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For three successive days, the pi-
lots said they flew Dutch army
bombers over the japanese invasion
fleet anchored off Balik Papan, rich
oil center on the eastern Borncc
coast.
For two days before the attack
we had been making reconnaissance
flights over the Macassar straits on
the lookout for a Jap invasion fleet
but because of heavy, low-hanging
cloud banks we saw no ships at all,
one Of the officers said.
Enemy Sighted
Finally on Friday, Jan. %
through the clouds we sighted the
enemy convoy of about % ships. The
convoy was clinging TO the Celeoa.
coast and had reached a point east
OF Balik Papan when We discovered
1t.
The convoy consisted of two
rows Of transport ships protected
by cruisers and destroyers. We were
sure it was headed for Borneo but
1t was too far from the island To
have made any landings.
Our planes did not hesitate to
open the attack, which was hamper
ed by heavy japanese anti-aircraft
fire reaching up to two miles. The
Dutch planes, however, were diff
cult target for the Japanese gun
uers and disappeared in the clouds
after diving down and releasing
their bomfs."
One Of the first bombs, the CT
f1csrS said, dropped right in the
middle" OF a large warship-pre-
sumably a battleship. A terrific
explosion was heard, and thick
smoke beloved from the ship, they
said.
"A heavy cruiser was set on fire
and was listing Sharply when we
last saw 1t, and another cruiser,
four transports and a destroyer
were fired" they continued.
Fire Was Heavy
The anti-aircraft fire was so
heavy, the Dutch flyers said, that it
1oked as if the enemy were celebrat-
ing with "super-f fireworks display"
They carried an elaborate bal
loon barrage, which rose about 5000
meoers (about 5000 feeD above the
decks Of their larger ships"
The second day Of the Dutch at
tack was little different from the
first, the officers said, but they
claimed things were much easier
because they knew where to find
the enemy.
"On this day a large transport was
sunk, a troopship was left with a
bad list, one destroyer has been hit
and four Japanese planes had been
shot out of the air." they recalled.
On the third day no anti-aircraft
fire greeted the Dutch planes. The
convoy had reached Balik Papan
and landed some of its troops.
The little yellow men took pot
shots at us from hastily erected
shore batteries, but with little sue
cess" one of the officers said.
A Japanese aircraft carriers, how
ever, had been brought on the scene
and sent up 20 OF its famous Navy
o" fighters to intercept the attack
Ing bombers.
Dutch Shot Them Down
The flyers said the Dutch shot
down four Japanese fighters and a
'Spotter" without the loss of sin
gle Dutch plane. The bombers also
hit and probably sank a cruiser and
fired transport.
ION the next day American
planes and Warships, and a Dutch
submarine joined in the attack. The
result was that after four successive
days, total OF 80 Japanese ships
were sunk, fired or heavily damaged,
no less than 16 enemy planes down.
ed while the Allies lost only one
plane"
After these devastating attacks,
the pilots said the japanese planes
sought vainly to find the secret
bases on Borneo from which the
Dutch bombers launched their raids.
Every day On OUT return from
the onslaught, we were served cof-
fee and sandwiches at our bases"
they said.
The aviatorS returned to Java
from Borneo for a few days leave
and by now probably have returned
to their operation bases. They were
accompanied by several women re-
neved from Red Cross duties in Bor-
neo and by a few wounded COM
radeS.
Fight Goes On
Batavia, Feb. 2 - (U.P1 - Jap
anese bombing planes ranged wide
ly over the Netherlands East Indies,
concentrating mainly on small is
lands, while Netherlands troops in
GLIDING guerrillas, fought Japanese
invasion forces in Celebes, Borneo
and Amboina Island, Netherlands