Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
U. 5. Artillery
batters laps
In 0rn1oc Trap
Lorge Concentration
Of Men and Supplies
forget Of Borroee
py the Associated Press

GEN MacARTHUR'S HEAD
QUARTERS, Philippines, Nov.
IA (Via Army Radio japanese
reinforcements and equipment
became a bloody shambles in
Limon today when trapped by an
American artillery barrage as
doughboys moved on the Ormoc
road town from three sides.
Observers on Breakneck Ridge.
near Ormoc Valley. where the bodies
of more than 800 dead japanese
soldiers were counted after one day
OF fighting, saw large concentrations
of japanese reinforcements, troops,
trucks and guns rolling into Limon
American artillery roared through
out the night and today the town
was mass of flaming wreckage and
apparently uninhabited.
Five Jap Divisions Active.
Maj. Gen. Fred Irving, oath Divi-
sioa commander, told Fred Hamp-
son. Associated Press war CORE
spondent, he was reluctant to say
the japanese force in Limon had
been knocked out. He added, how
ever, the prospects were bright for
American forces if the japanese
have been eliminated.
The Japanese have elements Of
I'VE divisions fighting against the
Americans in the Philippines, Gen.
Macarthur has announced.
Gen. Macarthur said today the
japanese LIST Division was in action
on the Pinamopoan-Ormoc high
way, and the 26th Division has been
identified by its dead. 7 The 18th.
30th and 102d Divisions already
had been reported in the fight.
At full division strength. this
would mean $4,000 japanese troops
in the hotly-contested sector of
Leyte Island.
Americans Advance Slowly.
Gen. Macarthur reported the
steady but painfully slow American
drive had broken the enemys plans
for . counterblow "by compelling
the Japanese to premature and
piecemeal commitments of his
forces for the defense of the main
'bastion OF the Yamashita Line"
While American artillery raked
the enemy in the Ormoc squeeze,
elements OF the dismounted United
States list Cavalry Division seized
another elevation, Mount Cabun-
gangan, overlooking the battlefield,
in a Smile advance from Mount
Catabaran, where their positions
were being consolidated.
Their left flank also took in an
other height, called Hill 1926.
A Macarthur spokesman said the
japanese had infiltrated some
American ridge positions to send
suicide squads against the Yanks,
but the effort was mainly ineffec-
tive.
Opposition Increasing.
Gen. Macarthur said the bulk of
the oath Division, moving down the
tortuous highway toward Ormoc
from Carigara Bay. was proceeding
slowly lin the face of increasingly
strong opposition"
To the east, organized Japanese
resistance in the hills thanking Da-
gami and Patok, in Central Leyte
Valley, was broken by the 96th Divi-
sion pressing westward.
Air activity continued on both
sides. American fighters dive bombed
enemy bivouac areas near Valencia,
destroying numerous buildings.
Nine Japanese planes of a force
raiding shipping and ground in
stallations were shot down.
George Thomas Folster, NBC re-
porter at Leyte, said that while the
battle progress was more heartening
today there is still q dirty fight
ahead He described battle condi-
lions as tougher than the worst on
New Guinea, and said the enemy has
to be pried out of foxholes Jap by
jap"