Evening star., 1942-04-10
Torpedo Boats Sink Jap Cruiser
As Invasion Force Attacks Cebu;
British Aircraft Carrier Is Sunk
Botoon Fighting
Ends; Corregidor
Still Holds Out

Sinking OF a japanese cruiser
by United States torpedo boats
off Cebu in the Central Philip
pines was announced today by
the War Department, which re-
vealed also that fighting appar-
entity has ceased on the Bataan
Peninsula, but that 1t. Gen.
Jonathan M. Wainwright had
sent President Roosevelt a mes
sage from Corregidor saying:
Our flag on this beleagured island
still flies"
A communique said that Gen.
Wainwright reported this morning
that all communication between Ba-
taan, where his American-Flipino
force of 36,853 electives was
crushed, and Corrigedor had been
cut of for nearly "a hours.
The japanese Domei news agency
at 5 am. eastern war time). today
said, however, fighting was still in
progress on Bataan.
Cebu Communications Cut.
Suspension of wireless communi-
cation with Cebu at $50 am. Q1:5o
am, Eastern war time) was an
nounced at San Francisco by the
Radio Corp. of America.
The R. c. A. station is in the heart
of the city of Cebu and when the
powerful station went off the air it
was assumed the city was under
siege. 1t was the first time since
the start of the war that it could
not be worked.
Mr.. Roosevelt informed his press
conference this morning that he had
received what he called a grand
message from Gen. Wainwright in
answer to one he had dispatched to
the general. He said that, of course,
we all feel badly about Bataan.
There is no further news on this,
he said. 80
Neither message was released in
full, and Mr.. Roosevelt read only
the single sentence from Gen. VAIN
wr1ght's communication, which came
this morning.
Corregidor Raided.
Corregidor was raided frequently
yesterday by heavy bombers, and
japanese artillery hammered at the
island forts both from the peninsula
and the south shore of Manila Bay,
the war communique said.
No material damage resulted, how
ever. The forts guns refrained from
replying to the shelling from Bataan
to avoid risking hits on defending
troops still on the peninsula.
A Toxic broadcast said Corregidor
guns put up furious barrage
against Japanese bombers which
twice attacked the island strong
hold yesterday and set fires that
spread a smoke curtain over Ma
nila Bay.
Is Ships Off Cuba.
The cruiser reported sunk was one
Of a fleet of five warships and 10
transports which the War Depart
ment said apparently comprised an
invasion fleet landing troops in
Cebu.
Torpedo boats, which attacked the
feet, had dealt effective blows to
the foe before being transferred
south from the main fighting front.
The communique failed to state
whether the invasion landing was
being made only at the city of Cebu,
second only to Manila in size and
Importance, or also on the island of
the same name The city is about
$50 air miles south of Manila.
The city has been shelled re-
peatedly from the sea, but hitherto
had escaped invasion and, mean
while, served as an important trans
port and communication point for
unoccupied areas of the Archipelago.
The attack on Cebu suggested
the likelihood that the japanese in
tended to proceed now with the oc-
cupation Of important islands which
have escaped invasion.
Aside from Luzon, the japanese
have occupied Masbate and several
1See PHI IIPPINES. PAGE A-6D