Evening star., 1945-01-19
Yanks on Luzon Blast
Jap Concentration,
Take Highway Town
BY the Associated Press.
ztssOStHVtu 1rSs.
GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEAD

GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEAD
QUARTERS, Luzon, Jan. 49,
American mobile guns, mortars
and armor, smashing a cleverly
concealed concentration of JAP
anese tanks and artillery in g
24-hour battle, captured the
3 town of Urdanets
early yesterday in the first bit
ter fight of the Luzon invasion.
Seizure of the key town on Gen
MacArthur's left flank opened the
northern section of the main
Manila -Baguio highway to the
Yanks.
Meanwhile, an American column
20 miles south along the same vital
captured the road and
railroad junction of Paniqui in a
5-mile gain and pressed on toward
the important city of Tarlac, 10
road miles from Manila. Another
infantry force approaches Tarlac
down another road from
Gambling.
All advances were supported di-
rectly by American planes operating
OIL the Lingayen airdrome. For
mosa and even parts of the China
coast now are within reach of long
range fighters.
CThe Formosa domestic radio
warned today that large scale
enemy air raids will be intensi-
fled henceforth." In a broadcast
picked up by the Federal Com
munications Commission the
Formosa announcer said ''the
ferocity of the war now raging is
unprecedented in war annals of
the world, and the japanese EN-
pire is really facing a crisis.")
At Urdaneta, 27 miles southeast
of Lingayen Gulf, the Luzon Japa-
nese made their first determined
effort to stand and fight. The tank
led American column encountered
Japanese artillery and camouflaged
vehicles hidden amongst
trees and shrubbery on the town S
outskirts.
Urdapeta was ablaze as both sides
were pinned. down for hours at a
Time by mortar fire.
Al Dopking. Associated Press wal
wrote from Urdaneta
that when the Japanese failed to
stop our tanks with their own :
their infantry made fanatical
charges at the American armored
group. Two japanese with dyna-
mite strapped to their sides ran at
an American tank. They were
moved down by machine-gun fire.
For a time the Americans held
half the smoking town and the
Japanese the other half.
Mr.. Dopking said Yank artillery
fire poured upon the enemy held
portion and the japanese could
be heard groaning and screaming
as American shells exploded among
them. Before dawn all was quiet.
Hardly house was left standing
as the infantrymen moved through
to find twisted and mangled Japa-
nese bodies, but not live enemy
soldier.
The remainder of the japanese
garrison likely was pursued south
westward during the night, head
ing sfor the low Cabaruan hills
where an enemy force is believed
Capture of Urdaneta, which cleared
the Japanese from positions COM
manding the northern portion oi
the Manila -Baguio highway, viii
enable the 9th Army's right wing
to start rolling southwark again
after 48 hours of marking timt
waiting fer the left wing to catch up
After bringing up equipment. thi:
right wing took Paniqui on Wednes-
day to consolidate command of two
western highways leading toward
Manila, 10 road miles to the south
Gen. Macarthur already over
war machine on Northern
Luzon gained additional striking
power Wednesday when Far East
Air Force fighter planes began oper-
ating off the Lingayen airfield, which
was captured within half hour OF
The January 9 invasion.
This meant American land based
planes were flying from Luzon base
for the first time in more than
three years.
Fred HampSon, Associated Press
correspondent, said several hundred
fighters. including Lightnings of the
Dirty Dozen" squadron which has
been knocking down the, enemy al
the way from Guadalcanal, were
poised on the new airdrome only 35G
miles south of Formosa.
On the north end of the 0-mile
beachhead the 9Th Army was NOV
ing northward from Damortis to-
ward Agoo and was pressing east
ward toward Rosario against sitter
opposition along mountain road
leading to Baguio, summer capital
Of the Philippines.
Today the Americans were re-
ported on the outskirts of Rosario
around which the japanese have
oattled subbornly and skillfully for
four days. Seventh fleet guns bom-
barded japanese positions and in
stallations in the town.
American planes raked japanese
communications, supply areas ano
airdromes throughout Luzon, ano
night reconnaissance bombers re-
turned to Formosa to bomb the
Okayama airdrome and Toxic sea-
plane base on the southwest coast
Talisay airfield in the Visayan Is
lands took a 96-ton bombing al
bombers ranged through
the Central Philippines, Celebes, the
,Borneo, New Guinea anc