The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-03-17
Macarthur. IIOOSeS Another.
Admiralty Island Invasion
Early Capture
of Lorengau


(By International News Servicel
Gen. Douglas Macarthur. cele-
brating the second anniversary %
his arrival in Australia TO COM
mand all Allied forces in the South
west Pacific, pressed a new Ameri-
a Invasion OF the strategic Ad.
miralty Islands today and threat
ened early occupation OF the i'm.
portlnt Lorengau Airdrome.
Advance elements OF the dis
mounted Yank Cavafrymen who
stJrmed ashore on Manus Island
under cover OF a powerful artillery
and rocket barrage already we're
within one half mile OF the air
base. Japan main 'droms In the
archipelago.
The Americans fought their way
steadily toward the alrstrip. over
coming enemy resistance in a two.
pronRed drive. one column struck
directly along the coast toward the
field from their beachhead a mile
and one half northwest OF Loren
gau, while the OF 'or 4. S. forcs
drove inland. Both were Conyerg.
ing on the alrdrome.
Heavy Barrases
Heavy gunnre from Allied naval
vessels and artillery-rocket barr
RACES covered the landings. while
overhead the Americans continued
10 obtain support from L. 8. and
Australian aircraft. The planes
were operating from recently-cap-
tured Momote Airneld on neigh.
boring Los Negroes Island.
American casualties, MacArthur
announced. have been light.
In northern New Guinea, Mac
Arthur's fliers dealt the Japs an.
other heavy blow when heavy. me-
dunn and attack bombeFs- faiBed
$40 tons OF bombs on much.batter-
ed Wewak Airbase. II was the
NTH successive day OF attacks
upon that oncepowerful enemy
base and fires were left burning
visible for IS miles.
RabauI Hit Again
Rabaul, on New Britain. again
was hit by bombers which dropped
l73 tons OF high explosives. Huge
conflagrations were kindled and
buildings leyeled.
Farther to the north ,land-based
bombers OF Adm. Chester W.
Nlmitz's Central Pracihc command
gave evidence that they have
started the ~long-awaited offensive
10 nentralize TruK as a Iapanese
naval and air base. The first suoa
assault was staged Wednesday by
Army Liberators. and was the
second Allied bombing the Japs'
much-vaunted base suffered utS
previous one was dealt by carrier
based planes OF a U. S. task fofes
last month.
Two Way Assault
Over Europe, the Angio-Ameri.
can aerial offensive against tho
Nazis was marked by another two
way assault on Hitler's continental
fortress. British based bombers
OF the Raj crossed the channel
to hit at targets in occupied terri
tory during the night, while planes
OF the Mediterranean air force
blasted the Italian port OF Leghorn
and the Bulgarian capital OF Soma.
The Sofa raid. the second IN e
hours, was a quick follow-up To
yesterdays blasting OF the railroad
yards through which most OF Hit
ler's supplies and achievements
move for his Balkan g%arrisons.
Though the initial air ministry
communique failed TO Identify the
specific targets or the British
based raiders, radios in occupied
France fell Misunderstanding the
probable proximity OF Allied air
croft. The Raj assault came on
the heels OF yesterdays heavy
American raid on industrial targets
in southern Germany. in which rs
enemy i%nterceptors were downed
by L. s. fighter planes escorting
the four-motored bombers.
Compress Eenemy
Within bomb-battered Casino. in
central Italy, American and Brit
ish infantrymen compressed the
enemy to an ever.decreasing sali-
ent. New Zealand troops under
Lieut.. Gen. Mark W. Clark's ON.
mand, drove through to the south
western edge OF the city. Unofaei-
See WARFARE ,