Evening star., 1944-09-17
1,400 Japanese
Killed, PaIau
Airport Seized
Marines Throw Back
Counteruttucks and
Advance Steadily
By the Associated Press.

Ey tne ASSoclatec Pfeee.
PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUAR-
TERS, Pearl Harbor, Sept. 49,
Killing more than 1,400 Japanese,
American marines have cap
tured Peleliu airport on Palau,
finest in the Western Carolines,
and advanced steadily after re-
pulsing strong enemy counterat-
tacks, headquarters announced
tonight.
BY nightfall Friday (west longi-
tude-United States Date, the
end of the second day Of the inva-
sion Of the inland chain, Sis miles
from Dairo in the Philippines,
marines of the 1st Division won the
double-runway airstrip at Peleliu's
southern end.
Tonight's communique made no
mention of American casualties.
1t said several enemy tanks were
destroyed and added that severe
fighting continued.
Carrier-based planes continued
close support of ground forces
throughout yesterday. also bombed
and strafed Babelthuap, northern
most and largest of the Palau Is
lands, starting several fires.
Preparatory Assaults.
Carrier planes and warships' guns
pounded Peleliu, which is in the
southern Palaus. before dawn yes
terday in preparation for daylong
assaults. Steady advances through
enemy defenses in depth were sup
ported by artillery, tanks and naval
gunfire. Several strong Japanese
counterattacks were repulsed.
Farther east in the Carolines,
Liberators hit Truk with u tons of
bombs and Mitchells bombed Ponape
Thursday. Five enemy planes in
tercepted. One Liberator was dam
aged and the raiders probably dam
aged one enemy plane.
Peleliu appeared to be the key te
the entire Palau chain in which the
JApanese have garrisons totaling ax
estimated 10000 soldiers. With the
strategic southern island IN Aneri-
can hands the Yanks would be II
position to neutralize the rest Of the
group and prevent Japanese rein.
forcements from reaching the re-
gion.
The Japanese were fighting furi-
ously to stem the American tide
Warships stood offshore to protect
the beachhead and aid Yank ground
forces. Planes also supported the
lleathernecks.
Flanking Fire Snuffed Out.
Left Erickson, Associated Press
correspondent aboard the American
flagship of Peleliu, said naval guns
and carrier biased planes blasted the
japanese in a strong ridge position
overlooking the airdrome. Battle
ships and cruisers snuffed out flank
ing Japanese fire from the high
position.
Rembert James, another Associ-
ated Press correspondent ashore
with the Marines, reported the
American troops left tracked land
ing craft on the white sand along
the beach and pushed on through
tangled jungle growth. They reached
the airport on two sides by early
afternoon Thursday and thrust
ahead more than half way across
the island. The japanese dragged
their dead with them as they fell
back under continuing strafing and
fire from the advancing marines. /"
Meanwhile, American army forces
were working on new air fields on
Morotai Island, 375 miles south of
Davao. These forces took the island
almost unopposed since the Japanese
apparently had expected them to
strike against Halmahera, south of
Morotai.
A spokesman at New Guinea
headquarters said the Halmahera
forces had sufficient barges to at
tempt reinforcement of the trapped
Japanese garrison on Morotai, most
OF which have fed to the hills.
Such reinforcement was possible,
but not likely, because the Ameri-
60 = 4 ~T-~