Evening star., 1942-07-17
j. ). Bombers Blast
Great Japanese
Base al Hankow
StiIweII Reports Very
Satisfactory Results
In Attack Yesterday
By the Associated Press,

CHUNGKING, July ia
United States bomber attack on
Hankow, great japanese inland
base on the Yangtze River, yes
terday scored very satisfactory
results" a communique from 1t.
Gen. Joseph w. Stilwell's head
quarters announced today.
Fighters escorted the bombers in
the raid on Hankow and also in
another on the Nanchang Airdrome
on July 3, the communique said
The fighter escorted bomber at
tack on the Hankow water front
was the fourth by the United States
Air Force in China since 1t took over
the work of the Flying Tigers OF
the AVG. The previous attacks on
the river port were on July !,
and 6.
Text of Communique.
The text of the communique:
"It is now learned that during an
attack on docks in the Japanese
concession at Hankow July 2, twelve
100-kilogram (220-pound) bombs
landed on the docks and warehouses
and there were several near misses
on ships.
"On July 3 Allied bombers led by
Maj. William E. Basye, with q
fighter escort led by Squadron
Leader John r. Howard, attacked
Nanchang Airdrome. The Japanese
were taken completely by surprise
Runways were damaged and two
hangers were seriously damaged
Three planes trying to take off a:
we'll as several planes parked or
the field were destroyed One enemy
plane trying to intercept our for.
nation was shot down. One Of oul
fighters was lost, but the pilot wa!
saved. There was no damage *
our bombers.
"On July is Allied bombers witt
a fighter escort attacked the watel
front at Hankow with very salts
factory results
Squadron Leader Howard is from
St. Louis, Mo. He formerly be-
longed to the AVG, and succeeded
J. v. K. Newkirk as squadron lead
er after Newkirk was killed IL
action in Thailand last March "a
Supplies for embattled China nov
are flowing from Soviet Russia tt
Chungking over a 2,800-mile high
wav most of which has been con
structed since the war with Japal
began five years age, an official an
nouncement disclosed today.
The announcement revealed tina
Wong Wen-hao, Chinese minister o
economic affairs, has just completed
an inspection of the new road, dur
ing which he saw vital material
moving toward Chungking in mod
ern trucks, in carts carrying LOO
to 1000 pounds of goods each an
on the backs of thousands of cam
els.
The western terminus of tn
highway, which winds through loft
mountains and across burning deser
wastes. is Tacheng. situated at tn
foot of the Alti (GoldD Mountain
on the border between China an
Russian Turkestan..
There the road joins a RUSSIA
highway leading to the railhead a
Alma Alta.
Follows 1000 -Year-Old Trail.
Part of the road" said the offlcis
announcement, is carved from tn
sides of precipices in mountai
ranges in Northern Szechwan an
Southern Shensi provinces. follow
ing ancient trails cut across thos
mountains some 1000 years ago.
1T connects with the 50-yard
wide, willow-lined imperial roa
: built between Shensi and Kansu i
the middle of the last century b
Marquis Tson Tsung tang.
From Langchow the road follow
the great wall fencing in the north
ern edge Of the Kansu corridor an
: Marco Polo's silk road across tn
Black Cobb Desert to Baboon Pas
on the Kansu- -Sinkiang border.
There 1t joins the Sinkiang pre-
vincial highway system, skirts tn
/ Tien Shan, passes Tswa, or Urumci
and reaches out to Tacheng."