Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-24
u. 5. Planes Batter
laps on 1,350-ki|e
Air Front in China
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHUNGKING, June 23.-Ranging
over a vast 1,350-mile aerial front
In China, American bombers and
fighters yesterday blasted Japan
csc strongholds from Indo-C China
to the Manchurian frontier, while
Chinese forces reunited 1000 enemy
troops in Southwestern Honan
Province, American and Chinese
communicates said today.
Fighting blazed anew in Honan
Province, while Chinese troops ap-
parentlY were locked. in a fierce
struggle on the outskirts of the
former American airbase city Of
Liuchow, 400 miles southeast of
Chungking. The Chinese high COM
mand yesterday reported that one
Chinese column had entered the
city.
The Chinese. command reported
that Generalissimo Chang Kali
shek's troops. in resurgance of
fighting in Honan, had recaptured
two important points II and IA miles
north of Sichwan, $50 miles north
east OF Chungking.
Ammunition Dumps Blasted.
The, strategic positions had been
captured earlier in the day, the
Chinese said. by 1000 Japanese
troops striking out from Sichwan.
The japanese fell back to Sichwan
under Chinese pressure after losing
more than 200 men. Another 200
japanese troops were killed by
straf1ng American Thunderbolt
fighter bombers which Joined the
battle, an American communique
reported
The American PATS also de-
stroyed Japanese headquarters,
wiped out ammunition dumps and
attacked enemly artillery positions.
Sichwan is one of the group of
strongholds built by the japanese
In Southwestern Honan Province
to protect the approaches to Han
kow, 240 miles to the southeast,
and safeguard the western flank of
the Peiping- HankoW railroad, which
links enemy forces in Central and
North China.
In some of the most widespread
attacks by the United States 18th
Air Force, American medium bomb
ers and fighters also swept over
Japanese-he railroads north and
south of the Yellow River, winging
as far north as Peiping, near the
Manchurian frontier. Taku, the
port of Tientsin, was heavily at
tackled.
Mustangs Join Battle.
Psi Mustangs joined the battle
near Liuchow in kWangsi Province
hitting more than 100 junks and
sampans northwest of the city,
while others struck southwark to.
the Hainan Straits between the
Luichow Peninsula and Hainan Is
land.
Enemy shipping in this area was
pummeled, and the 14th Air Force
attacks reinforced blows delivered
by Gen. MacArthur's airmen from
the Philippines.
In French Indo-C China. fighters
and bombers attacked a troop
laden train south of the capital
city Of Hanoi and struck the Tong
Airdrome west of Hanoi.
Meanwhile, headquarters of 1t.
Gen. Alberto. Wedemeysr, United
StdSes conzffiander in VAi1k G6Ae,
some details Of the activities OF
American ground forces in China.
:. sAnaericans Aid Chinese sa,u sss
American forces, the announce
ment emphasized, are not primarily
combat troops. They are at pres
ent engaged principally in training
Chinese soldiers in the use of mod
ern weapons and equipment and in
keeping open the lines of supply
ION the other hand, these United
States troops are not rear echelon
soldiers. for they 60 into action with
Chinese units which they have
trained. serving in an advisory ca
pacity." the announcement said
But the actual ground fighting in
China is being done, for the present
at least, by Chinese troops"
Most of the American troops are
veterans of campaigns in Burma
and the South Pacific. The state
ment paid high tribute to the eff
forts of American medical units
particularly small portable surgical
hospitals - which accompanied
Chinese troops into the Salween
campaign and the battle for Chin
kiang airbase in Human Province
The death rate of Chinese troops
from disease and enemy action has
been greatly reduced.