The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-18

AnA3 & t1N @A4t VI SS AAAsSaA~
 ments of material selected from
 General Marshall's report on the
 winning of World War III.
 XXI
 PACIFIC GAINS CONTINUE
 In little over l2 months Amer lean forces in the Southwest Pacific. with the assistance Of Australian units, had pushed 1900 miles closer to the heart of the Japanese Ein- pire, cutting of more than 135, 900 enemy troops beyond hope of res- cue. The operations had been conducted under adverse weather conditions and over formidable ter rain, which lacked roads in almost every area occupied, and made troop movements and supply extraordi- narily difficult. Malaria was ser- ious hazard, but with suppressive treatment and rigid mosquito con- trol, it no longer was serious limi- tat!on to tactical operations.
 In the Pacific, men who had en- gagged in combat for long months had to be withdrawn to rear posi- tions to recuperate. Consequently. the theater commanders endeavored to maintain replacement pools sufi- ciently large to provide margin for the lost time of recuperation and transportation to and from the battle area. For every unit engaged in combat operations, more than it's equivalent had to be present in the theater to assure this margin.
 The prompt roll up' of the bases, personnel, and materiel in Aus tralia and the islands of the South Pacific permitted the same equip ment to be utilized again and again, so that despite the lower priority given Pacific operations they could be continued. Only skeleton organi- cations remained in Australia, to procure supplies and maintain air transport.
 Similar to the preparation of Western Europe for invasion, each advance northward toward Japan was preluded by air attack. Under It. Gen. George c. Kenney, the Fifth Air Force and later the Far East Air Forces, which included both the Fifth commanded by Maj. Gen. Ennis c. whitehead and the Thirteenth commanded by Maj. Gen. St. Clair Street. effectively stopped the How of supplies to by- passed Japanese units. The Jap anese aerial threat of our own op- erations was swept from the skies, and direct support was provided for the successive amphibious advances. At the same time, General Kenney's forces forayed far to the westward, striking powerful blows at strategic targets in Timor, the Celebes, Java, and Bornoe. These attacks seriously impaired the ability of the Japanese to maintain their widely scattered forces and reminded the captive peoples of those islands that Allied strength was rapidly growing and the enemy's hold was becoming more and more insecure.
 Saipan Falls
 Operation FORAGER to capture the Marianas was next on Admiral Nimitiz's schedule. On IS June It. Gen. Holland M. Smiths V. Marine Amphibious Corps, consisting of the End and 4th Marine Divisions, fol- lowed by the 27th Infantry Division, landed on Saipan. On g July, after 25 days of extremely heavy fighting, the island was in their possession, though mopping-up operations con- tinued for months.
 On 2l July the 77th Infantry Division, the Sd Marine Division, and a Marine brigade of the III Amphibious Corps under Maj. Gen. R. s. Geiger landed on Guam. The assault made steady progress. Re- sistance ceased On 10 August. Shortly after the Saipan operation had ended our xXIV Corps artil- lery, which had supported that &C., tion, began the naturalization of Tinian, assisted by fighter aircraft of the Seventh Air Force. On 24 July elements of the 2d and 4th Marine Divisions assaulted that island and secured 1t in g days of heavy fighting.
 Bombers of the Seventh Air Force now operating from Saipan under