Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-08-11
Super Fortresses
Continued From First Page.)

turned from the July Z attack on
the Sasebo naval base.
Large Fires Observed.
The text of the goth Air Force
communique:
Super Fortresses of the goth
Bomber Command struck at two
centers of Japanese industrial
strength yesterday august l0) in
night missions against widely sep
arated targets.
In the longest bombing mission
ever undertaken, medium force of
B-29 aircraft attacked the Pladjoe
refinery at Palembang in Southern
Sumatra, from bases in the South
east Asia Command
"Pladjoe is the largest japanese
source of oil in the Far East and
is major Japanese supplier of high
octane motor fuels Observed bomb
ing results were reported to be good.
Several crews observed large fires
and explosions at the target Anti
aircraft opposition was weak to
moderate, and enemy fighter opposi-
ton was weak to moderate.
Bombing Results Good.
Visibility varied, with cloud for
nations encountered
simultaneously, from bases in
China, medium force attacked for
one and one-half hours industrial
targets at Nagasaki, on the Japa-
nese mainland island of Kyushu
Here again the observed bombing
results were good. Poor visibility
prevented some elements of the
mission from obtaining highly &C
curate visual observation of bomb
ing results. Antiaircraft was meager
to moderate and inaccurate. Fight
er opposition was weak. Our crews
claim one enemy aircraft destroyed
One plane made an emergency
landing at forward base in China
and was strafed after landing by
four enemy fighters, of which al
least two were shot down by fighter
aircraft attached to that base
Three of our aircraft are not &C.
counted for from this double mis-
sion"
Fire Hazard Homes Torn Down.
Meanwhile, indicative of the pre-
carious position in which Japar
finds itself as result of the deva
stating air raids being carried ou
by the Super Fortresses was an an.
nouncement on the Japanese radio
that school children are tearinl
down tens of thousands" of home,
In Toxic as measure to proven
the spread of fire from incendiarie!
In the capitals closely packed area
Before the war the Pladjoe re.
flnery at Palembang processed ap.
proximately 100000 barrels Of
crude oil year Much of its eff
cheney was destroyed before thu
japanese moved in, but it was be.
lieved to have been producing neal
the prewar level-until yesterday.
Nagasaki has population of more
than 100000, the shipbuilding yard.
of the Mitsubishi interests, aircraft
plants, water and steam powel
equipment, generators, engines ant
steel products. 1t is on the west sid,
OF Kyushu, about 30 miles south O.
the Sasebo naval base Yesterday
blast at it was the third time thu
B-29s have hit the japanese main
land.
Another blow was directed at tn,
Mukden area in Manchuria.
After studying detailed reports OF
the raid on the Nagasaki area tn,
Japanese cabinet decided today t,
prepare by August Is a plan TO
Strengthening home defense" tn,
Tokyo radio announced.
The announcement, made in
broadcast to the empire and report
ed by the Federal Communication.
Commission, contrasted strongl,
with Japanese attempts to mini.
mize the effect of the raid in propa.
ganda broadcasts beamed abroad.
The simultaneous Super Fortres.
attack on Palembang was not i'm.
mediately reported by the Tokyo
radio. but belated broadcast final.
ly announced that Palembang hac
been raided.
Japs Minimize Damage.
The announcement said six planes
participated in this attack, but die
not identify them as Super Fort
resses. 1t acknowledged that 1.-THE
manner in which the enemy carried
out his attacks was extremely fierce
but reported Just one oil tank was
set afire."
Tokyo asserted that at least two
lof the Palembang raiders were
downed. No claim was made of any
being destroyed over Nagasaki
Detailed reports on the raid on
the Japanese homeland were said to
have been submitted to the cabinet
at its regular Friday morning meet
ing by the War Minister, Marshal