The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-02-14
Nichols Field
AIsoCaptured
By Americans
Enemy Losses Total g..
900 In Five Weeks
OF Luzon Drive

MANILA, Wednesday, Feb. IA
ip-Capture of the Cavite naval
base and Nichols airfield were an
nonnced today by Gen. Douglas
Macarthur, who said the end of
Japan's trapped Manila garrison
was in sight,
Macarthur reported enemy cas-
ualties of more than $4,000 for the
five weeks of the Luzon campaign
Is compared with American cas-
ualties of 1888, including 2,102
killed.
Capture of the Cavite naval base
nut the Yanks on the shores of
Manila Bay for the first time.
The 18th Airborne division in
taking Cavite seized e n enemy
seaplanes and battery of thre-
inch guns intact.
First Cavalry vision units also
reached Manila Bay just below
the embattled downtown sector as
they speared through the Pasay
district from the direction of cap
tured Nelson airfield.
Macarthur said the 37th Infan-
try vision was CLOSING in on
the JaYanese holed up in the thick
walled [ntramuros district, near
the bay just south of the Pasig
river mouth, and 'the end of t h e
enemys trapped garrison is in
sight"
Meanwhile, north of Manila,
troops of the Sixth vision secur.
ed an abandoned airfield at Baler,
on the cast coast of Luzon. Exten-
sive mopping up of enemy pockets
in the central Luzon plan was re-
ported. and a counterattack south
Of Baguio was turned back.
Corregidor fortress was kept I'M
der American boInbsights. Anoth-
Ell $50 tons of explosives fell on
the island bastion in a quick fVl-
low-up 10 the more than 200 tons
dropped the previous 48 hours in
company with 700 tons on Bataan.
Hits were scored on four heavy
gun batteries on Corregidor. At
tack bombers raked southern Ba-
tam and sank six fuel and am
munition barges.
In air operations in the southern
Philippines, Mitchell bombers de-
stroyed or damaged four small
Japanese vessels at the waterfront
Of Zamlboanga on Mindanao islam
and blew up a fuel tank. The Pa
dao airdrome near Davao on the
same island was cratered.
North OF the Philippines at For
mosas, American raiding aircraft
wrecked parked planes at Heito
airdrome. smashed motor trans
port and rolling stock. One enc
my bomber was shot down.
Other planes ranged to the vicin-
ity Of Annoy, China. heavily dam
aging a 1000 ton cargo ship. Off
the French Indo-China coast. a
cargo ship of similar size and
three smaller ones were sunk or
damaged. a Japanese floatplane
escortlng this convoy was shot
down off Saigon.
Many fires were set in the town
Ct Tondanu on Dutch Celebes.
Rabaul, New Britain. enemy
stronghold long since bypassed,
was dealt a 125-ton bombing blow
by heavy, medium and fighter
oombers over a two-day period.
Within Manila, the japanese
suicide garrison appeared bent on
e&acting as high a price in lives
ana property as possible before
oelng eXterminated.
arthur Feldman, Blue Network
correspondent, said Manila for the
slhe being is "paralyzed' by the
neaVy destruction wrought. He re.
poIIed the devastation is compar'
sole to that around St. PAUL
.atnedfal in London, made familiar
W Americans through pictures Of
seeheS there.
Tie said the rubble of Manila
t Sng Will be remembered by ths
tllplnos and other peoples as con
" a.dqlcung all the protested credoe!
VI Japan OF Asia for the Asiatics
tTbo .+ ,, and things like
Hope Of escape across the ba,
Vas Vas sealed by the watchfulness ane
nS Iooly accuracy of American war
sl'Ne supporting the land action
~ evidenced by the sinking of
r ina OF 35 enemy barges carry
"'g around $500 troops.
n f , Corrigidor, at the entranc
,v S'ie Day, and Bataan itself shool
livaga, increasing bomb loads de
hes seeu by Yank planes which
'0qoarters said, had received n
continued on Page Three, Col. 4