Evening star., 1944-11-18
Japs Penetrate
u. 5. Roadb|ock
In Limon Area
Americans Believed
Foe Had Withdrawn
From Leyte Town
By the Associated Press

i
GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEAD.
QUARTERS. Philippines, Nov. 18.
japanese tanks, large and
small, broke through an Ameri-
can roadblock to reinforce troops
stubbornly resisting the advance
of the United States oath Divi-
sion against the important Or
moe road village of Limon, it
was revealed today.
American patrols penetrating the
outskirts of Limon near the north
ern terminus of the Ormoc highway
believed the Japanese had with
drawn from the village after a
terrific artillery barrage. When the
main body of troops pressed against
the city they met strong japanese
opposition.
Fred Hampson, Associated Press
war correspondent with the oath
Division, said Limon is held by
hundreds of well dug in japanese
soldiers with all types of weapons
except heavy artillery. Yesterday
afternoon. he reported, a japanese
light tank ran a gantlet of Amer
lcan fire to get through road
block 212 miles south of Limon
and into the village. Later six
large tanks tried the same trick,
but three were turned back.
Mr.. Hampson's dispatch did not
indicate what happened to the other
three and it can be assumed they,
too, got through.
Jsps Fight Bitterly.
He added that the japanese evi-
IDENTIFY intend to hold the vale
below hotly contested Breakneck
Ridge overlooking Limon as long as
possible and at any cost until the
greater portion of their Ormoo
forces can consolidate their posi-
tions for a major stand, possibly in
a hilly region where the road
branches from the Ormoc highway
and runs to the west coast of Leyts
i Peinsula.
i On the east and south. Amer
ican troops broke up the en-
emy's desperate moves without
losing foot of ground. In some
cases they even advanced slowly in
the face of the Japanese.efforts.
The most important of these ad-
vances was the completion Of an
development movement by units Of
the oath Infantry south of Limon,
IA miles from Pinamopoan. They
threw road block across the Ormoo
highway mile south of Limon.
japanese supply columns moving
north along the road toward bloody
Limon village were destroyed.
Heavy Rains Continue.
This block was established by units
of the oath swinging around tho
enemy positions at Limon and
reaching the road via a torturous
route through the jungles. They
were battered by driving tropica,
rains en- route, made their way
through seemingly bottomless mud
and continued advancing in some
cases when their food ran out. Their
position apparently has cut of the
enemy units at Limon without
chance of further assistance.
The American forces near Limon,
in contrast, received help from fresh
troops, veterans of the Red Arrow"
32d Division who learned about
/ jungle fighting at Buna and Aitape.
Gen, MacArthur's communique.
mentioning the 32d for the first
time. said it had driven a deep
wedge into isolated Japanese strong
points north of Limon. Formerly
led by Maj. Gen. Edwin F. Harding,
the division is now commanded by
Maj. Gen. William H. Gill, Denver,
Colo.
Counterattacks Repulsed-
In, the Mount Minoro and Badian'
areas east of the Ormoc road, other
units of the oath and of the 1st
Cavalry were reported to have re-