The Wilmington morning star., 1943-08-21
NOW FALLING BACK
Machine Guns And Artil-
lery Abandoned By Re-
treating Enemy
CRACK CAME RAPIDLY
Foe Has Long Been With
out Proper Supplies Due
To Allied Raids

ALLIE D HEADQUAR-
TIERS IN THE SOUTHWEST
PACIFIC, Saturday, Aug. 81.
= up - Japanese jungle
troops are in full flight from
the mountain ridge defenses
before Salamaua, New Gui-
nea, and are falling back on
the inner defenses of the air
base, Gen. Douglas MacAr-
thur announced today.
"The enemy is in full re-
treat to his inner citadel of
defenses at Salamaua ITSELF
a new communique reported.
Machine gun sand artillery
have been abandoned along
with more than $50 buried
dead.
"Our troops are mopping
up."
The Japanese troops, their
supplies low as the result OF
Allied air attacks on coastal
barges and their air support
virtually wiped out on air
dromes above Salamaua, sud-
denly gave up positions from
which they long have held OFT
Americans and Australians.
Defense Cracks Open
Today's communique disclosed
that their defenses cracked wide
open. AL at once, they gave up
Orodubi, five miles southeast of
Salamaua, the nearby strongpoint
of Komiatum and the GoodvieW
junction and Mount Tambu areas
ooar the coast.
The day before General Mac
Arthur's communique h an
nounced the capture on the Fran
cisco river of Bobdubi ridge, only
three miles from the Salamaua
airdrome whose possession would
lies within easy fighter
plane range of big Japanese hold
ings on New Britain.
The new successes enabled the
Allies to forge solid line for
their advance upon the airdrome
ard the town, built on an isthmus
connecting the mainland wi h
Cape Parsee in the Huon gulf.
In intensified attacks, given solid
artillery support, the Americans
and Australians won strong con-
nected positions running inland
from Roosevelt ridge on Tambu
bay in curve running north and
west across the Francisco river.
The Allies now hold all the vital
ridges. From Komiatum, a sup
ply track runs near the airdrome
only three and a half miles away.
The Japanese now are expected
to take up positions guarding the
airfield.
Salamaua, which the japanese
have held since January, 1912, re-
Gently was laid in ruins by more
than 1000 tons of bombs.
Today's communique said that
American and Australian troops,
which for long have approached
it, driving the enemy from ridge
and jungle positions, had taken
several key points in a drive on
the last defense.
Twenty-four Japanese planes
were destr Dyed and nine damaged
in a new raid $50 miles up the
coast on Wewak. This brought to
248 the number of enemy planes
smashed there within week. The
other 215 out of fleet of 225 which
might have supported the Sala-
maua garrison were wiped out in
raids Tuesday and Wednesday.
Friday, 66 more tons OF bombs
were dropped there on air reen-
forcements.
Liberators, escorted by Light
nirgs, made this third smash at
Wewak.
Salamaua has a fine airdrome.
From it in peace time big cargo
planes took off for the nearby gold
fields.
The airdrome has been the OBJ
jective of the left flank of the
South Pacific offensive which the
Allies opened on June 30. The first
objective of the right flank, the
Munda airfield on New Georgia
in the central Solomons, was cap
tured August 5.
In the siege Of Salamaua, the
airforce played tremendous part.
sinking daily the barges by which
the enemy sought to send supplies
and reenforcements, and blasting
hill top and jungle positions ahead
Continued On Page Five; Col. ~