Evening star., 1944-05-28
Bio Guns Shell Nazis Be|owRome:
U.S.. |nvades Isle off New Guinea
Base for Attack on Phi|ippines
Americans Bottle
Way Toward
5 Air Bases
MAP on Page A-4.)
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ADVANCED ALLIED HEAD
QUARTERS, NEW GUINEA, Sun
day, May 28.-American infan-
trymen invaded Biak Island in
the Schoutens yesterday against
strong Japanese resistance and
battled their way toward air
fields that will base Allied planes
for assaults on the Philippines.
Davas is less than 900 miles
away.
Gen. Douglas Macarthur, an
nouncing the landing today, said
the Yanks stormed the southeastern
beaches of the island after dawn
and by nightfall had established
a strong beachhead a mile east and
a mile west of Bosnik.
This vault 200 miles toward the
Philippines from Wakde Island, con-
quered only last week in another
Jump up the New Guinea coast, was
hailed Immediately by the general
as the virtual conclusion of the
Allied campaign on that huge
island.
The jungle-green-clad veterans of
other New Guinea amphibious op-
erations rushed up the sandy, gen.
tly-sioping beaches after an inten-
sive bombardment by American and
Australian cruisers.
Landing Heavily Opposed.
The landing itself was one of the
most heavily opposed of any made
by Gen. MacArthurs forces in the
Southwest Pacific theater.
The Japanese, lodged in strong
positions overlooking the beaches,
opened up with fire from heavy
mortar and automatic weapons.
Gen. MacArthur's communique
said, however, that American
losses in the operation were light.
simultaneously with the landing
enemy shore batteries carried on
q long range duel with the Amer
lean and Australian cruisers and
other naval craft. A headquarters
spokesman said minor damage and
casualties were suffered by the ma
val force.
The last report at headquarters
told Of the American infantrymen
han1rnering ahead toward the Mok-
fner, 6orido and Borokoe airdromes
2 miles away. But they were run
ming into strong enemy resistance.
Announcing the landing on Biak,
Gen. Macarthur said:
Capture Of this stronghold will
give up command and domination
OF Dutch New Guinea except for
isolated enemy positions. For strate-
gic purposes. this marks the prac-
tical end of the New Guinea cam
paign."
Appreciable Advance.
Then in special statement the
general added:
"The results of the offensive
which was launched in this theater
II month ago have more than full
filled my most optimistic hopes and
expectations. The operations have
appreciably advanced us on our
way. I am especially thankful for
our light losses. Nothing could
more clearly indicate the mercy of
a guiding providence"
Possession of Biak's three air.
fields will give Gen. MacArthurs
flyers base for blasting everything
the enemy has between New Guinea
and the Philippines.
The fields on Biak, more than 300
miles northwest of Hollandia and
200 northwest of Wakde, are within
flghter-escorted bomber range of a
nest of Japanese airfields on Noem-
foor and Japen Islands and the
enemy mainland bases of Manok-
wari, Nabire and Babo. .
The landing at Biak places Gen.
Macarthur virtually as near to the
Philippines as to his main New
Guinea base at Finschaffen.
Heavy Aerial Softening.
The Biak invasion was preceded
by one of the heaviest aerial soft
enings ever handed a japanese New
Guinea base. More than TOO tons
were dropped by American Liberia
tor bombers in incessant raids for
% consecutive days this month.
The Biak assault began at Sal
am, when Rear Admiral R. M.
Fechteler's warships opened with
salvcs. Heavy fire from the naval
guns started fires. Within a few
minutes, the coast near Bosnik, the
islands largest village, was ablaze.
Under cover of darkness heavy
shells were hurled in japanese
dumps and possible positions.
Beneath the covering naval fire,
small landing craft took off from
(See PACIFIC PAGE Al