Evening star., 1944-10-19
Landings Reported on East Side
AtLeyte Gulf North Of fMindanao
Shore Defenses
Hit for Two Days,
Domei DiscIoses
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
American expeditionary forces
are invading the Philippines,
Tokyo radio reported today
striking at the very center of
the vulnerable eastern flank of
the archipelago.
Domei news agency said that
United States forces have begun
their "reinvasion of the Philippines, -
supported by powerful units of the
Pacific Fleet and China based air
craft.
Sea forces, Domei said, included
''the naval fleet under the command
Of Gen. Douglas Macarthur"
An official Japanese communique
said "the enemy fleet accompanied
transports into spacious Leyte Gulf
Tuesday manila time) and for the
last two days naval guns and carrier
aircraft have been bombarding shore
defenses.
Landing on Suluan.
Part of the enemy forces seem
to have landed on Suluan Island" at
the entrance to the gulf, Domei news
agency said
Later Tokyo broadcast. picked
up in San Francisco by the Blue
Network shortly after noon, quoted
a japanese communique as report
ing American attempts to land on
Leyte Island.
Domei said Vice Admiral Marc A.
Mitscher's powerful Task Force 58-
the carrier arm of the Pacific fleet
was not participating in the invasion
because of asserted losses suffered
off Formosa. These have been
denied by Admiral Chester w.
Nimitz.
The original Jap communique it
self did not say landing had been
made on the beaches of the gulf,
which yawns from the narrows be-
tween the islands of Leyte and Samar
toward the southeast on the Pacific
side of the Philippine Archipelago
off the northern tip of Mindanao.
Almost simultaneously, the con-
trolled Manila radio reported 270
carrier-borne planes attacked Ma
Mia and Clark Airfield in four waves
today in a continuation of week
long punishment from the air.
The phraSing of the imperial COM
mand's special communique sug-
gested that American troops already
might have carved out beachhead
on Leyte Gulf.
Reported Striking Back.
The Tokyo radio declared Jap
anese land and sea forces were
striking back at the invading ar
mada, but gave no details on the
progress of the battle,
There was no confirmation from
any Allied source of either the
enemy communique or other broad
casts, but recent American naval
action in the Pacific has indicated
an invasion was imminent.
A two-day delay in the Japanese
announcement of a strike into the
Central Philippines would indicate
defensive forces were taken COM
pletely by surprise.
The japanese broadcasts suggested
large-scale assaults at more than
one point simultaneously.
Since the Formosa battle, Domei
said, the enemy has organized a
new large task force, grouping to-
gether the 5th Fleet under Vice Ad-
miral Raymond Spruance, which did
not participate in the air battle off
Taiwan Formosa), and the naval
fleet under the command of Gen
Douglas Macarthur. as we'll as other
naval forces in the Pacific, excluding
the 58th Task Force"
Our army and navy forces in this
sector" Domei added, ARE confront
ing the enemy forces with undaunt-
ed resolution"
Move to Fulfill Pledges.
The Jap broadcasts, recorded by
the Federal Communications Com
mission, were the only reports that
Gen. Macarthur had taken the most
crucial step to fulfill his pledge
made 212 years ago, to return to the
Philippines.
If the Leyte area has been in
vaded the attack would be repeti-
ton of Gen. MacArthurs practice
of striking the japanese where they
aren't-long familiar to those who
have watched his progress since
March II, 1912, when he stood on
the shores Of Australia, 1000 miles
from the Philippines and promised:
Il came through and 1 shall re-
turn"
1t was on the first anniversary of
the fall of Bataan-April A. 1913
that Gen. Macarthur most dramat-
ically expressed his determination to
return. He said:
"Our flag lies crumpled the
wrecks of what were once our men
and women groan and sweat in
prison toll; our faithful Filipino
wards. 100000 souls, gasp in the
(see PHILIPPINES, Page A-181