The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-02-10
MACARTHUR IS
CLOSE TO TESTS
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tended to soften up" the American
lines for Japanese shock troops tc
attempt a break through of the last
organized resistance on the island
of Luzon.
The enemy's dive-bombers were
carrying out their low-sWooping at
tacks against the meager defense
being put up by MacArthur's hand
full of P-40 pursuit planes and the
rafting fire of MS anti-aircraft
guns.
Supreme Test Near
War Department officials, study
ing MacArthur's latest reports, said
the supreme test seemed close at
hand, with his troops outnumbered
perhaps 10 to due to recent ar
rivals of Japanese transports in
Lingayen Gulf and Subic Bay above
Bataan's battle-ground.
Although communique yesterday
told Of heavy fighting" spreading
across Bataan Penipsula where Mac
Arthur's lines are believed to extend
for about is miles from the China
Sea to Manila Bay, war depart
ment informant said the Japanese
planes were carrying the brunt OF
the attack thus far.
The Japanese planes are aided
at MacArthur's rear behind the 4,50C
foot Mariveles Mountains-by jap
anese artillery batteries around the
falle NAVAL base of Cavite which
are trying to blast the American Is
land forts at the entrance to Manila
Bay.
Four Days Bombarding
For four days the japanese gun!
have been loosing their shell!
against Corregidor Fortress ane
Forts Hughes, Drum and Frank, but
apparently without success. Mac.
Arthur has reported the destruction
of several of these big siege CUR
batteries.
officials were wary Of venturine
predictions as to the outcome of the
climatic phase of the battle of Ba.
taan as the 62-year-old Macarthur
and his men fought on grimly
knowing that their chances of being
evacuated were almost non-exist.
ent.
Murreesboro, Tenn, Feb. 10 - (U
P0. - The home town of Genera
Douglas MacArthur's wife started 9
Macarthur for President" boom to.
day.
The Rutherford Courier com.
mented editorially that president!
have come out OF all of our grea
wars in the past--Washington
Jackson, Grant, Theodore Roosevelt
Hoover. Their accessions to the pres
idency followe dpopular wartime
records.
General Douglas Macarthur;
fame from the war is already estab
and Corregidor, his name will be ont
lished; win or lose now on Bataar
of the great ones coming out O.
World War II.
so Macarthur for President"
Text of Communique
Washington, Feb. 10 = (UP0 =
Text of War Department communi.
que No. 80 AA of IL noon EWT TO-
day:
Il. Philippine theater.
"In a message to the War De.
partment, General Macarthur EN-.
phasized the grim determination o
his Americana Filipino troops. tn,
identifications OF five veteran Jap
anese divisions on Bataan Peninsula
in addition to many other support
ing troops, and the reported landing
of reinforcementS In the Lingayel
Gulf areas, indicate the heavy odd.
against them.
Fighting in Bataan during tn,
the past "a hours was intermitten
but of a particularly savage nature
The enemy suffered heavy casual
ties.
During the past "a hours on
troops shot down seven enem.
planes. This brings the total hostil
aircraft positively confirmed as DIES
troyed in the Philippines since tn
outbreak of the war to 1853. Man.
others were hit and probabl.
destroyed, but their loss has no
been definitely confirmed.
"Siege fire directly against on
forts from concealed enemy bat
teries along the Cavite shore con
tinued. Our counter battery fire me
with some success.
| %. Hawaii:
1.-The commanding general, Ha
waiian department, reports that tn,
United States army transport Roya
T. Frank was sunk by torpedo
fired by an enemy submarine in tn
Hawaiian area on January 28. TWEEN
ty-nine persons are missing believed
lost. Thirty-three survivors hav'
reached an Hawaiian port.
| 1.-THE Frank was small inter-is
land freighter of 224 net tons, oper
ating in Hawaiian water. 1t normal.
carried a limited number Of passen
gers.
"3. Netherlands Indies.
I'm a relatively minor aerial &C
ton a small formation Of Amer
lean army P-40 fighting planes en-
countered flight of Japanes
Bombers. In the ensuing combat on
enemy plane was destroyed. None o
our planes was damaged.
FVVN- T. LII ~.