Evening star., 1942-02-10
CommuniQue
Continued From First Page }

have been identified among the
forces seeking to drive our forces
southwark and many supporting
troops are aiding in the enemy Of
fensive, the communique reported.
Reinforcements have been landed in
the Lingayen Gulf area.
The destruction Of the seven jap
anese planes reported today brings
the total Of hostile aircraft which
have been positively confirmed as
being brought down in the Philip
pines since the outbreak of war to
1853. Gen. Macarthur reported. This
does not include many others hit
and probably destroyed.
P-40s Kept Busy.
News that, seven enemy planes,
not identified as to type, had been
brought down during the last "a
hours in the Philippines indicated
that the small force of American
P-40s was still operating to the
limit Of its power. probably from
an airdrome on Corregidor Island.
The air action may indicate also
air support for the Japanese land
operations.
The siege batteries concealed by
the Japanese along the southern
shore of Manila Bay in the vicin-
ity Of Cavite continued their bonn
bardment. but counterfire from
American heavy guns met with
some success"
The air octioy, II, tho Nethorlopd
Indies was by small formation Of
P-40s, which encountered a flight
Of Japanese bombers. In the air
battle one Japanese bomber was
destroyed, all the P-4os escaping un-
damaged.
The transport reported by an
enemy torpedo was a small inter-
island freighter of 224 net tons, de-
signed to operate in Hawaiian wa
tiers to carry a limited number Of
passengers.
Text Of Communique.
The text of the communique, No.
SO Of the war. based on reports re-
ceived here up to noon follow:
81. Philippine theater:
"In message to the War Depart
ment, Gen. Macarthur emphasized
the grim determination OF his Amer
ican-Filipino troops. The identifi-
cations Of five veteran japanese di-
visions on Bataan Peninsula. in ad-
dition to many other supporting
troops, and the reported landing Of
reinforcements in the Lingayen Gulf
areas, indicate the heavy odds
against them.
Fighting in Bataan during the
Of particularly savage nature. The
enemy suffered heavy casualties.
During the past "a hours our
troops shot down seven enemy
planes This brings the total hostile
aircraft positively confirmed as de-
stroyed in the Philippines since the
outbreak OF the war to 1853. Many
others were hit and probably de-
stnoyed, but their loss has not been
definitely confirmed.
Siege fire directed against our
forts from concealed enemy bat
teries along the Cavite shore con-
tinued. Our counter battery fire
met with some success.
eaton Transport Sunk.
80 Hawaii:
THE commanding general, Ha-
waiian department, reports that the
United States Army transport Royal
T. Frank was sunk by a torpedo fired
by an enemy submarine in the Ha-
waiian area on January %. Twenty
nine persons are missing and be-
lieved lost. Thirty-three survivors
have reached an Hawaiian port.
THE Frank was a small inter-
island freighter of 224 net tons, op-
Grating in Hawaiian waters. 1t nor
mally carried limited number of
passengers.
"3. Netherlands Indies:
In a relatively minor aerial action
small formation Of American Army
P-40 fighting planes encountered
fight of Japanese bombers. In the
ensuing combat one enemy plane was
destroyed. None of our planes was
damaged.
a. There is nothing to report
from other areas"