The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-30

/ definitely Knocked down by Core
Ridors batteries, according to the
official communicates issued here, IN
addition, many others have been MT
and probably were unable TO get
back 10 their bases.
Military experts described the
feat OF shooting down y bomber
from $1,000 feet Ns almost phen-
omenal, They said II was q great
tribute 10 the accuracy OF Cerregl-
doors guns and gunnerS,
Most OF the fortreSs'S hnt-air.
craft weapons are believed TO be
three inch guns, which generally
have an effective range OF about
( 10000 feet They will shoot con-
J slderably higher however, aS they
obviously did when they brought
down the bomber
On Mindanao Island IN the
southern part OF the Philippines
"there were several local skirmiSheS
between patrols at three widely
departed points"
This was regarded nS further eVl"
Cenee that the enemy Is attempting
10 clear defending forces on MihdA.
mo, where Wainwright has small
garrison OF American and Filipino
troops. on Saturday the department
told OF successful sortie by u
stabbed through Japanese lines to
within less than u mile OF Zambo-
anga and raided On enemy outpost
Today'S communicate was further
evidence that the three months de-
Tense OF BatNAn and the Manila
bay forts has not reduced tho abil-
ity II Wainwright'S forces to dish
~ out.
The Japanese invaders discovered
that the hard way over the week.
end when they launched o "heavy
attack" on the right center OF the
Bataan line and began preparing n
watcr-borne invasion OF Corregldor
fortress and the other island forts.
Both Were Smashed
Both were smashed by Vain
wright's men with "heavy losses"
for the enemy, The defenders Suf-
fered only relatively light" casual
tics,
The Japanese launched their at
tack on the BatHan line late satur-
day evening, The war department
revealed IN It's communicate yester-
day,
II was part OF three-point week.
enc campaign. Enemy bombefS con-
tinuOd their bombardnent OF Cor
Fegidor throughout Saturday and
"many small boats" assembled at
pantungan Beaeh-i0 miles directly
south OF Corrogider but only 3 i-2
miles south OF Fort Prank on Cara
bao Island.
CorregidorS effective antI-aircraft
fire kept the bomberS ut such high
attitudes that the enemy bombing
was inaccurate and caused prNc-
ideally no damage
The Invasion boats, obviously
headed for the island forts, were
destroyed by our shell fire" while
the island forts guns fired inter-
mittently ut enemy positions on
the south shore OF Manila Bay"
The communique described the
attack on BAtaan this way
Our troops parted the attack 30
promptly that our units on outpost
duty were only temporarily diSlodg-
cd.
Our forces promptly counter.at-
tackled with both infan'ry and arr
tillery, restoring all positions on Our
line. The Japanese were driven
back with heavy losses, Our casual
tieS were relatively light"
The enemy ATTACK was aeeompan-
led by aerial bombing behind the
Bataan lines, but Wainwright re-
ported that the damage was slight.
American Business Men
The invasion attempt from Pam
tungan was the second time
American gunners have frustrated
an attack by boat, A larger fleet
comprising specially made launches
and troop carrying barges, was de-
tected of the south shore OF Manila
Bay late IN January. IL also was
destroyed before II could leave
shore.
Military experts here doubted
that the attack on the right center
Of the Dataan line was the begin
ming OF the long-heralded "all-out"
drive by Gen, Tomoyukl Yamashlta
70 gain control Of Manila Bay. They
said such an offensive probably
would be waged all along the
Bataan line rather than in one
sector.
The experts believed that satur-
days attack might be the first OF a
series to be launched at various
sectors In a feeling out" movement
to determine, II possible a weak
spot for an tempt at break
through.