Evening star., 1944-10-20
kacArthur's Force
Splits Jap Defenses
By Landing at Leyte
CONTINUED From First Page ;

with the statement that japanese
units on Leyte are fully prepared
to meet the American forces" and
will strike the fatal blow that will
annihilate the American units
should they attempt a landing on
the island"
Japanese defending Leyte were
caught by surprise when the assault
waves stormed ashore today MA
nila time), although three days pre-
viously American troops invaded
three small islands guarding the
entrance to Leyte Gulf and mine
sweepers methodically cleaned a
channel for great armada of
American and Australian warships
No Ships Encountered.
No Japanese ships and only one
enemy plane challenged the huge
convoy.
In a massive union of forces, the
assault was supported by devaStat-
ing bombardment from the big guns
of Vice Admiral Thomas c. Kin
kaids 7th Fleet, units of Admiral
William F. Halsey's Sd Fleet, an
Australian naval squadron, planes
from carriers, the Far Eastern Air
Force and the Royal Australian Air
Force.
Going ashore with Gen. MacAr-
thur were every able-bodied survivor
of Corregidor and Sergio Osmena,
successor to the late Manuel QueZon
as President of the Philippine Com
monWealth.
The Leyte landings put the invad-
ers with Ais miles of Manila to the
northwest and marked an advance
of 500 miles north from Gen. Mac
Arthur's base at Morotai.
9Th Army in Invasion.
Gen. Macarthur said the invaders
comprised 1t. Gen. Walter Kreugers
9Th United States Army and units
from the Central Pacific Without
further Identification, frontline dis
patches of Associated Press cor
respondents specified these partici-
pants:
The 1st Cavalry Division, the 7th
Division, the Goth Division.
Reinforcements ana supplies
poured ashore as the Americans
started their drive ON japanese
troops headed by Field Marshal
Juichi Terauchi.
Fulfilling his promise. made two
years and seven months ago when
he took sad leave of the islands that
Il shall return" Gen. Macarthur
went back aboard warship. It was
part of a giant convoy, sailing from
New Guinea, which stretched out
farther than the eye could see.
Navy Rules Invasion Scene.
The American Navy. in unchal-
lenged strength, ruled the invasion
scene and the seas about it.
Allied air forces virtually monopo-
lized the skies.
In a major amphibious opera
ton. We have seized the eastern
coast of Leyte Island in the Philip
pines. 600 miles north of Morotai
and $500 miles from Milne Bay
tNeW Guinea from where our
offensive started nearly 16 months
ago" the communique stated.
This point of entry in the
Vlsayas GROUP of islands of which
Leyte is onel is midway between
Luzon tsite of Manila and Minda-
mao and at one stroke splits in two
the japanese forces in the Philip
pines.
The enemy's anticipation of at
tack in Mindanao southern island
blasted daily since September by
Gen. MacArthur's Southwest Pa
CHIC air arm caused him to be
caught unawares in Leyte and
beachheads in the Tacloban area
were secured with small casualties.
The landing was preceded bv
heavy naval and air bombardment
which was devastating in effect"
The invasion brought the Ameri-
cans against the largest segment of
the japanese army yet encountered
in the Pacific war. The estimated