Evening star., 1944-04-25
u. S. Planes Blast Nazi Airfie|ds;
Allies Close In From Two Sides
On Jap Airdromes at Ho||andia
Enemy Opposition
Weok;;AitopeStrip
Put in Service
BY the Associated Press.
MacARTHUR'S

MacARTHUR'S ADVANCED
HEADQUARTERS, New Guinea,
April 25.-American and Dutch
invaders, slowed more by mud
and mountains than by disor-
ganized japanese resistance,
closed from two sides today on
three airfields in a 350-square-
mile area of Dutch New Guinea
around captured Hollandia.
A fourth airfield, seized by an
other invasion force against sniper
opposition $50 miles to the SOUTH
east, near Aitape, was pressed into
service less than 48 hours after its
capture. Fighters and troop trans
port planes landed there yesterday
Thousands of invading troops, the
bulk OF them Americans, were
landed at three beachheads Satur-
day, protected by the guns and dive
bombers Of naval armada which
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz credits
with wiping out 101 Japanese
planes, all but 13 on the ground.
No Word of Organized Resistance.
Reports today by Gen. Douglas
Macarthur and advices from the
field by Associated Press war cor
respondents told of a steamroller
advance, impeded largely by the
terrain. overrunning territory with
in bombing range of the Philippines.
Nowhere In the Hollandia area.
less than 1900 miles from Min
danao, was there any word of
organized fighting by the $4,000
japanese estimated to comprise the
defending force.
On the west flank, American SOL
diers, last reported within Ave miles
OF the main Hollandia airfield, told
Associated Press Correspondent
Murlin Spencer that some Japa-
nese didn't even have guns" This
invading force. landed at Tanah-
merah Bay, had moved six miles
southeast by Sunday afternoon.
On the east flank, red mud which
caked the Yanks from head to foot
was the chief deterring factor in
q mile and one-haf push from
Humboldt Bay into. the wreck
age Of Hollandia village Sunday.
Airfield Repaired Under FloodIiEhts.
Associated Press Correspondent
Asahel Bush, writing his dispatch
amidst the ruins Of the conmunitys
$50 buildings, said only the sprawl
ing bodies of dead enemy stragglers
were found after naval guns, dive
bombers and mountain mortars
raked the village.
At Aitape the story was the same.
The enemy garrison OF between 500
and 1000 fed, leaving 90 dead and a
lew prisoners around seized Tadji
Airfield. Australian Royal Air Force
engineers worked at night under
f1oodlights, disdainful of the enemy
air arm, to repair the bomber and
fighter strips while American troops
moved on Aitape Village S miles
north.
Landing craft brought a never
ending flow of troops and supplies to
the beachhead from Liberty ships
and transports" Associated Press
Correspondent Spencer Davis re-
ported.
At each expanding perimeter from
Altape to Hollandia, bulldozers and
tractors tore into the jungle, build
ing roads for transporting the sup
plies piling up on the beaches.
If the japanese in the Hollandia
area planned a last-ditch fight in
defense of the airfields, it remained
to be developed against Americans
pinching from the two bays along
34-mile connecting road.
Wewak- Hansa Bay Area Blasted.
Humboldt Bay forces, in addition
to occupying Hollandia village, took
the village of PIN, 4 miles to the
south, within 8 miles of the Tami
alrfleld in the Lake Sentani area.
The main Hollandia field is II miles
west, the Cyclops field II miles west
and slightly north.
Whether others of the 10000
japanese soldiers between Hollan-
dia and bypassed Wewak and Ma
dang would figure in the fighting re-
mained to be seen, but headquarters
reported today supporting 333-ton
bombing of the Wewak- -Hansa Bay
area by Allied bomber and attack
planes. Wewak is Japanese air.
base $50 miles southeast of Hollan-
dia.
To the northwest of Hollandia
japanese air bases at Geelvink Bay
from which planes could be sent
lGaa IIOI hNnrA pana o