Evening star., 1944-10-22

appeared undamaged. He also in
spected the airfield The general
was accompanied by 1t. Gen. Rich
ard K. Sutherland. chief of staff
and 1t. Gen. George C. Kenney
| air chief.
| At one point on his inspection
tour, Gen. MacArthurs jeep begged
down in the mud and he waited
calmly while it was dug out
Gen. MacArthur's invasion forces
on Leyte were pitted against the
japanese 18th Division which, after
the surrender at Bataan in the fore
part of 1912, forced the bedraggled
survivors to make the ghastly
death march"
Z. S. Prisoners Liberated
Headquarters revealed today in a
pool press release that 83 American
officers and men who had been pris-
oners of war for two and one-half
years were rescued several weeks
ago.
Two of the men, 1t Richard l..
Cook of Los Angeles and Staff Sergt.
Joseph Cole of Plateau. Ala, elect
ed to stay with the PHILIPPINE guer-
rillas.
All the others are now safe in
hospitals in New Guinea They are
in good condition except five who
are recovering from bullet and gre
made wounds. None are in serious
conditions.
They were among American pris-
oners being shipped north when the
Japanese transport was sunk by an
American submarine. At least two
other enemy ships were sunk in the
attack.
Other Americans who escaped the
sinking craft were hunted down by
the japanese and killed in the water
as they swan. Some who got to
the beach were picked up by the
Japanese and executed.
The 80 escaping Americans were
picked up and cared for by Filipino
Guerrillas.
Two Weak Jap Raids.
japanese aircraft which survived
the crushing blows by American
Navy and Army airmen have made
only two weak raids on the invaders
Gen. Macarthur said. He added
that the invasion is progressing on
schedule.
Tokyo radio claimed that Japa-
neSe planes sank one American
transport and damaged five ships.
including two aircraft carriers, two
battleships and one transport, but
Gen. Macarthur said that only one
vessel was damaged by a torpedo
He did not specify the type of ship
hit.
The japanese ground forces have
not yet succeeded in staging a
counterattack of any consequence.
Their artillery and mortars, how
ever, made the going hard for the
Americans in the initial beach
fighting at some points. Several
invading units were pinned down
until the Yanks could get artillery
ashore, or could summon aircraft
and naval ship fire, to erase the
opposition.
But American ground casualties
in the preliminary operation have
been exceedingly light" Gen Mac
Arthur said.
Osmena Broadcasts Appeal.
Sergio Osmena, president of the
Philippine Commonwealth. broad
cast call to Filipinos to strike the
japanese invaders wherever the
American soldiers have advanced
and can give direct help.
Mr.. Osmena and six cabinet men,
bers went ashore in the wake of the
Americans. His government will
take over civil administration where
the military situation permits, said
Brig. Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, Phil
ippine resident commissioner to
the United States, who also is with
Mr.. Osmena.
Aid of guerrilla leaders who have
harassed the japanese since their
occupation of the Philippines will be
sought, Gen. .Romulo said.
Army and Navy planes roamed the
archipelago, hitting Japanese ship
ping and airfields in support of the
Leyte invaders.
Gen. Macarthur said the planes
covered the inland waters of the
Central Philippines, bombing a.
5,O0o-ton enemy tanker, a freight
transport and five light naval craft
and damaging besides 2 5,0O0-ton
fleet auxiliaries, 10 cargo vessels and
6 light naval craft. These attacks
cost two American planes.