The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-02-03
AMERICAN ARMY
PLANES SINK JAPS
Continued from Page u

to push over water toward the I'M
portant tin islands of Banka and
Billion as bases for further opera
tons against Sumatra, Java and
Singapore. Today's heavy raids
against Malang, Madden, Magellan
and Rembang, on the east Java
coast, indicated an attempt to pave
the way for such an invasion by
knocking out allied air bases. One
Japanese plane was shot down at
Malang and another at Madden.
The raid by 81 enemy planes
which admittedly did considerable
damage to naval installations at
Soerabaya, now the main Allied
naval base in the southwestern Pa
cific, was part of the same plan of
attack
Previously the Japanese had eff
fected a landing on Amboina island,
on which is the second ranking
naval and air force base in the In
dies which is to the northeast of
Java.
A fleet of 26 Japanese bombing
planes. escorted by fighters, made
the attack on Soerabaya.
Japanese planes also attacked
Malang, Madden, Magician and
Rembang on the east Java coast
To offset the new Japanes threat,
the Netherlands Indies command
was able on the basis of new reports
to say that guerrilla fighting by
intrepid Dutch troops against over
Whelmingly more numerous Japan
ese invasion forces continued in the
Minahassa area of Celebes island.
1t said that the Dutch Indies
troops, by brave stands, had won
local successes in which many Jap
anese troops were killed.
Rangoon Fighting
Rangoon, Feb. 3-(UP)---Japan-
csc forces crossed the Salween river
barrier, it was reported today, but
Imperial troops have quickly mop
ped up most Of them and prevented
large-scale crossing.
The Japanese forces also at
tempted to land along the Burma
coast in the Gulf OF Martaban
north of Changson island but there
were said to have been repulsed.
Reports indicated the Japanese
thrust toward the approaches to
Rangoon was being directed along
a 50-mile front from the Salween
river mouth below Moulmein to
Paan
The japanese were attempting to
cross the wide, treacherous waters
of the SalWeen by hop kip-and-
Jump methods by the numerous
small Islands and mudhats which
DOT the SalWeen estuary.
Thus far, reports indicated, they
have had scant success. Their sea
.anding efforts north of Changson
we're carried out by small craft but
the small japanese landing boats
we're beaten back.
Royal Air force bombers and
lighters we're flying low of the Sal
Ween 'front.' attacking with bombs
and machine gun fire the Japanese
positions.
one japanese gun position which
was being employed to shell Marta
ban "as knocked out by Raj
planes.
Informed sources pointed out that
the strategic Importance Of Marta
ban has been reduced by the fall of
Moulmein and by the threat OF
thanking opera tons in the Paan
area, about so miles to the north.
British forces were said to be on
guard against Japanese landings as
far north as Thegon from which a
japanese drive to the east would
cut off the British at Martaban.
The japanese were believed to be
bringing up reinforcements from
Thailand to bulwark their attack
ing troops along the Salween.
Burmese troops, in withdrawing
from the Tenasserim front, were
reported to have inflicted heavy
losses upon the japanese in bayonet
engagements. British officers said
that the untried Burmese troops
have conducted themselves with
great courage and ability.