The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-02-28
Rabaul Crumbling Fast as
Heavy Allied Blol0s Fall;
NeWActiUities Near Rome
Revised Truk
Figures Add
-Four Ships

fBN international news service
Reduction OF Jap bases IN the
Pacific by United States and other
Allied units went forward relent-
lessly today. Heaviest OF the latest
strikes was centered on Rabaul
Japan's Astounding New Britain
Island bastion, and new forceful
blows at Nlppon's outer defenses
appeared imminent.
Allied naval forces steamed with.
IN range OF Rabaui Tor the second
time within 10 days to blast harbor
installations IN the wake OF repeat.
ed aerial assaults. The lombard.
ment by surface craft then vas
followed with a seyenth Successive
air attack by Solomons- based
planes.
The hub OF the Japanese South-
west Pacific military machine ap.
peared near paralyzation and tho
attacks by air and sea were carried
out without any sign OF Jap aerial
opposition. shortly after the aurtaca
craft finished loosing their salvoes
on Rabaul. heavy and medium
bombers from the Soomons rocked
the port anew with liz tons oc
bombs which were dropped on tho
Rapopo airdrome and the Matupt
gun positions.
Further Weakened
Jap communications were further
weakened by battle action OF other
naval units. or New Hanover,
northwest Of New ireland. a largo
Nip freighter was sunk and a 900.
ton merchantmen and two coastal
vessels we're sent to the bottom in
Steffins Strait.
Near New Guinea six Jap barges
were. destroyed by light naval units
and two others were damaged By
fighter planes.
Tho Aipponese base at wewak on
the north coast OF New Guinea un.
aerwent 1s2.ton bombing assault
carried out by heavy and medium
bombers.
Washington believed fresh blows
against the South-Central Paclfa
base OF Truk- and other key Jap po-
sitions were Imminent in stepped
7 up American sea-air offensive. In
was felt an aerial pincers offensive
against Truk undoubtedly Is being
prepared from airfields recently
taken by American forces on FniI
wetok Ato1 In the MaYshalls and
the Green Islands in the northern
Solomons.
New Success
The success OF carrier task force
missions to date was reemphaSized
in an official announcement from
Pearl Harbor that four more ships
than the previously announced "a
had been destroyed in the mighty
bombardment OF Truk: The revised
figures raised TO % the total of Jap
warships and merchantmen sunk
and brought the overall total of
those sunk and believed sunk or
damaged to 40
Tokyo sought 10 claim successes
for Hirohlto against the American
units which gave the laps drub.
bling In the Mariana Islands. A
broadcast communique asserted
that nited States aircraft care
rier and three other large war.
ships we're sunk by Jap planes. Ad.
miral Chester W. Nimits reported
after the Mariana assault that none
OF the ships OF tho task force was
damaged and that only six Amer.
lean planes were lost as opposed 10
1875 Jap planes destroyed.
Action appeared to be mounting
again on the Anzio beachhead bait
tlefront below Rome British troops
were disclosed TO have captured
two German strongpoints in re-
newed assaults against the Nazi po-
sitions.
The Fifth Army beachhead
troops we're provided powerful sup.
port by az nlted States cruiser on.
Grating in beachhead waters.
Both sides engaged in mortar and
artillery duels on the Anzio front
and on the Casino sector, OF the
main Fifth Army front to the south.
Attack Airfields
Allied aerial units at the same
time attacked German-held airfields
near Rome TO blast bases from
which Nazi aircraft have been raid