Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-12
Enemy Loses Six
Destroyers, Most
Of 5000 Troops
MAP on Page Az
BY the Associated Press.

bs the Associated Press.
GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEAD
QUARTERS, Philippines, Sunday
Nov. 12.-Carrier planes of the
United States Sd Fleet today
destroyed an entire japanese
convoy of four transports and sis
destroyers in Ormoc Bay, smash
ing the second Jap attempt in
three days to reinforce their
Leyte Island army.
Only remnants of an estimated
5000 enemy troops reached shore,
after a slashing dawn battle.
reporting the same action
from Pearl Harbor, Admiral
Chester w. Nimitz disclosed that
the attacking Navy Hellcats,
Avengers and divebombers shot
down Is Jap planes covering the
ships and perhaps bagged five
more.
CA two-engined enemy recon-
Nuisance plane and a dive
bomber were shot down near the
Sd Fleet carriers. Seven Navy
planes were lost but most of the
pilots and crewmen were believed
to have been rescued.)
Toll Raised to 20 Ships.
The japanese lost Is destroyers
and transports, plus thousands of
men, in their attempts today and
Thursday and Friday to land re-
Inducements.
Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita, the
new Japanese commander, has
chosen Western Leyte as a main
battle-ground for his supreme effort
to crush our liberating forces" Gen.
Macarthur said in today's COM
munique.
He said Japan's conqueror OF
Malaga is attempting to land suffi-
Gent forces to break out of the
"Yamashita Line" the American
enclrcled area around Ormoc, last
Japanese stronghold on Leyte.
American ground forces made
new gains across the rugged ter
rain south of Carigara Bay, as the
American airmen smashed the lat
est reinforcement effort about 20
miles southwark.
Jap Caught in Darkness.
The naval airmen, attacking in
force, caught the Japanese convoy
as it slipped into Ormoc Bay under
cover of early morning darkness.
Ueif Erickson, Associated Press
war. correspondent at Pearl Harbor
said "the report of the convoy de-
struction discloses that Bird Fleet
carrier forces again have under
taken direct support of Gen. Mac
Arthur's ground operations on
Leyte.
composed by the 3rd Fleet plane
power, the japanese attempts to
throw more troops into the defense
of Leyte should become increasingly
difficult.'O
Yesterdays account of the Thurs.
day-Friday attacks on the earlier
convoy underlined the fact that Gen
MacArthurs land based air arm still
Is somewhat limited on Leyte. He
had to call on bombers from real
bases to help in the assault.
Covered Yank Landings.
It was Sd and 7th Fleet air power
which covered Gen. Macarthur ir
his landings on Leyte October 20 anc
later dealt some of the big blows
which crushed the Japanese fleet
in the second naval battle of the
Philippines Sea.
admiral Nimitz's report of the
convoy attack listed the same
number of ships-four transports,
six destroyers-but whereas Gen.
Macarthur said all were sunk,
Admiral Nimitz said the four
transports and three destroyers
were seen to sink" two other
destroyers were thought to have
sunk" and the sixth was listed as
damaged"
Elements of the LIST Cavalry Divi.
sion, pushing over rough terrain
were lighting miles south of Carl.
CARA, while the Oath Division wa
maintaining steady pressure agains
stubbornly fighting japanese on tn,
Ormoc road.
While the japanese convoy wa
being slashed other planes attacked
additional enemy shipping in tn,
Visayan area. Full reports, how
ever, have not been received.
simultaneously Army fighter plane
attacked enemy installations in tn,
Ormoc sector, shooting down /!
japanese aircraft with only mino
loss" the statement said.
Spearheads of the 1st Caviar,
have punched through ridge countr,
(see PHILIPPINES, Page Al
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