Evening star., 1944-10-16
40U. S. Wurships
Sunk or Damaged,
Radio Claims
MAP on Page A-5.)
~ the Associated Press.

island of FormoSa again today,
the War Department announced
here this morning as the Tokyo
radio reported naval action off
that island Near the China coast
and new sea-air battle east of
the Philippines.
The important ship repair base
and supply depot of Okayama and
the air base of Heito. II miles to
the north, were the targets of to-
days raid, which was carried out
in good weather. No aircraft were
lost, according to department
communique, which also reported
that of the four B-29s previously
unreported in Saturday raid on
Okayama, 2 are safe and 10 of
the IL members of the crew are
safe from third plane which
craSh-landed at forward base.
Official japanese imperial head
quarters statements claimed 40
American warships were sunk or
damaged in the Formosa naval fight
and in the battle near the Philip
pines.
The Tokyo rodio, in a broadcast
recorded in London, asserted that
a great defeat" of American naval
forces east of Formosa has post
poned the impending invasion of
the Philippines by at least two
months"
Jap Air Counterattacks.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz, COM
mander of the United States Pacific
Fleet, has not mentioned the Japa-
nese fleet in his communicates on
the Formosa action, but said in a
bulletin yesterday that strong Japa-
nese aerial counterattacks precipi-
tated the engagement in midafter-
noon Friday and that this fight is
continuing"
OF todays Formosa raid the War
Department said very good bombing
results were observed" adding that
the same targets that were attacked
Saturday !. were struck !. again. at
Okayama.
photo reconnaissance of the Oc-
tober IA strike against Okayama
reveals that the bombing results
were excellent" the bulletin said.
"Thirty-seven buildings were totally
destroyed and 16 others heavily
damaged, accounting for approx
mately two-thirds of the target"
New Raid on Luzon.
The ,Japanese aerial counterat-
tacks followed new American raids
on Formosa and Luzon. Admiral
Nimitz issued a second communique
yesterday at s pm. $3.50 pm, Pa
cific war time), but made no men,
ton Of the Formosa engagement in
recounting routine aerial strikes
from the Kuriles to the MarShalls.
This indicated that radio silence
prevented the Sd Fleet from making
further reports.
A Tokyo communique. recorded
by the Federal Communications
Commission, reported Japanese
planes intercepted and carried out
repeated fierce attacks in waters
east of the Philippines" on Amer
lean carrier forces sent to attack
Manila in diversionary attempt to
rescue the enemy task force now
fleeing In defeat" from Formosa.
The communique claimed one air.
craft carrier was sunk and three
damaged. battleship or cruiser
sunk or damaged and 80 American
planes shot down in this action.
An earlier communique asserted
Is American warships were sunk and
19 damaged off F'ormosa.
Propaganda broadcasts asserted So
ships had been sunk or damaged.
10 Carriers in Jap Claim.
The first communique, issued yes
terday and recorded by the Federal
Communications Commission, said
that war results known to date" at
3 pm. tTokyo time) Monday in
cluded 10 carriers, two battleships,
three cruisers and one destroyer in
stantly sunk"
1t was said three carriers, bat
tleship, four cruisers and IL other
unidentified warships were damaged.
The Sunday communique listed
purported American losses at eight
sunk and Is damaged.
The Monday communique said the
additional damage was inflicted by
our units while continuing the
chase of the fleeing enemy task
force"
I'm explaining the term our
units authoritative quarters dis
closed that they include not only
Japanese land-based air units but
also the japanese Fleet of surface
craft" the Domei News Agency re-
ported in a broadcast recorded by
rec.
Cabinet Hears Report.
Another Domei broadcast said the
cabinet heard a detailed explana-
ton" by Marshal Gen. Sugiyama.
war minister, and Mitsumasa Yonai.
navy minister, on the "annihilatiye
operation against the enemy task
force in waters east of Formosa."
A Berlin broadcast, recorded by
the Associated Press in London, said
Tokyo dispatch quoted japanese
naval spokesman as saying:
AT the end of the still raging
battle Admiral Halsey's feet will
have vanished from the seas. This
is a victory which will make the
victories of Hawaii and Malaya
appear like a sideshow."
One Domei propaganda dispatch
compared the action to 'the de-
cisive victory over the Czarist Rus
(see FORMOsA. Page A-5J