The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-07-15
CARRIER PLANES
HIT NORTH JAPAN
Mighty Bombardment OF
Home Islands Contin-
ues Into Second Dav

GUAM, Sunday, July 15.-
;P)-The newest, most power
full battleships in the U. S.
Navy are Smelling the Hok-
1aido steel mill port of Muro-
IAN, more than $50 miles
north. of the. scene of the
Fleets bombardment on Hon.
shu yesterday, and the fleets
carrier planes more than 1000
strong simultaneously are
striking northern Japan.
Announcing this spectacular sec.
ond day of the air and sea bonn.
parchment of the japanese main
lome islands, Adm. Chester w.
Nimitz said that the great battle
ships Iowa, Missouri and Wiscon-
sin are participating and that the
action is continuing.
With the battleships are the de-
stroyers MCGOWAN, Norman Scott
and Remey, a special communique
said. They are bombarding in the
of Muroran while the heavy
ships strike directly at the city's
steel plants.
Roaming At Well
Naming of these vessels indi-
Gated that at least two mighty
task forces of surface ships were
roaming practically at will up
and down the Japanese coasts.
Yesterday Nimitz announced the
of Kamaishi on
Island by the battleships
Indiana and South
Dakota, two heavy cruisers and
four destroyers.
Those ships and the carrier
planes of the fleet set Kamaishi
afire, destroyed or damaged 81
Japanese planes and destroyed or
damaged 80 enemy ships plus de-
struction of q locomotives and rail-
way facilities in We erdays
strikes, Nimitz said, despite un-
favorable weather.
Locations of today's air strikes
were not yet disclosed.
Nimitz in an earlier communl'
que, however, had said that both
the surface forces and the planes
were hitting the enemy again.
JInnrecedented Action
Actually, he announced the shore
bombardment hours before it was
confirmed by reports from the fleet
boldly telling the japanese that
the U. S. fleet was going to strike
again-an unprecedented action.
The bombardment then began az
9:35 a. m. Japanese time)-8:3s
D. M, Saturday, Eastern Wart
Time)
The new bom1ardment force is
commanded by Rear Adm. y. Z.
Badger.
The target, Muroran, is at the
entrance to Uchiura Bay on South
ern Hokkaido, in confined waters
which the fleet showed amazing
temerity in entering.
Results of the Smelling were not
Immediately available.
Fires started by yesterdays
Smelling of the steel city OF Ram
aishi 275 miles north of Tokyo
ragged on today and spread to 1he
harbor.
A communique from Adm. Ches'
ter w. Nirnitz said that TO-DAY
are continuing In
strength" with 'heavy surface
units and fleet aircraft engaged.
Presumably the carrier planes
SORTED at dawn as it customary
but the implication was made plaza
to correspondents at this headGuar'
Lers that announcement OF the bat
4leships, cruisers and destroyers
A gain being in action was made be-
fore the ship actually tarted some
hing.
While only general locations
we're indicated, more spectre
communique was expected later IN
the day.
The carrier planes yesterday
ranged from Hokkaido 400 miles
southwark to near Tokyo.
Preliminary and incomplete re-
ports showed that despite bad wea-
ther Yesterdays carrier strikes
destroyed "a grounded japanese
planes and damaged 81, sank Is
two railroad fer
ries and a destroyer-and damag'
ed "a other ships, including train
terry and 10 medium tankers or
cargo ships.
No opposition to our forces was
reported" Admiral Nimitz said.
A single enemy plane was shot
down Gin the vicinity OF our sur
face force" the communicate not.
ed.
Shipping Destroyed
It listed the following enemy
shipping destroyed by carrier plan
es:
Two train ferries destroyed at
sea, ten small cargo ships, one old
destroyer, two picket craft.
Continued on Page Two; Col. 81