Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-29
Yanks Capture Cebu ,
Philippines Second
City, Pursue laps
BY the Associated Press.

MANILA. Mar. 2s.-Doughboys
pursued the Japanese into the
hills north of Cebu City today,
headquarters said, after that
demolition-wrecked city of the
Philippines was captured in a
brisk two-day drive from the
Yanks' Cebu Island beachhead
on the east coast.
Troops inside the city fought
scattered battles along heavily
mined streets, but for the most
part the enemy was reported to
have abandoned well-prepared de-
lenses and fed before Maj. Gen,
William H. Arnolds fast-moving
Americal Division.
The Japanese fought stubbornly
for a time Tuesday at Pardo, on
the southern outskirts, but the 1920
Regiment cleared the way. An
other column moved around to the
west and the capital city was en-
tered from two sides yesterday
morning. American losses were
light.
Cebu Harbor Virtually Intact.
Gen. Macarthur, announcing
Cebu's capture today, said the city
of 10000 inhabitants was badly
damaged by Japanese demolition
crews. The important harbor area
however, was taken virtually intact.
1t is one of the best in the Philip
pines.
Capture of the city was preceded
by an attack by midget submarines
of American shipping off the Cebu
beachhead, about miles south of
the capital. The tiny underseas
craft had struck during daylight
Monday. D day, forcing all I'M
beached ships to put to sea, where
they remained until the next morn
ing.
AS the feet headed toward shore
again one Of the midget subs was
tracked down and probably sunk
with direct hits.
The Americans, who have liber-
sted IL other towns on the island
drove the Japanese northward from
Cebu City, while the supporting
Far Eastern Force tore into enemy
lines of communication.
Gen. Macarthur said the fighting
on Luzon Island had abated in the
central and southern sectors be-
cause of the enemy's great losses,
which cannot be replaced" jap
anese resistance is becoming dis
connected and sporadic" in those |
areas, he said, but remains strong
in the north around Baguio and |
across the valley near the Balete
Pass
Fighting was particularly stiff
around Kapintana, at the south |
end of the Balete Pass, which leads
into the extensive Cagayan Valley
of Northern Luzon.
(Japan's Domei news agency
broadcast an unconf1rmed claim
that Japanese forces in the Phil
ippines last Friday captured Ma
rikina and San Mateo, northeast
of Manila, in a sector which Gen.
Macarthur has said japanese
resistance is brokenD
Seven Jap Freighters Sunk.
Bombers ranging the China Sea
sank seven freighters, some of them
used as transports, and damaged
Is others. Two 000-tonners were
sunk and II smaller ones damaged |
off French Indo-China The others
we're hit off Foochow, China.
The port of Legaspi, on the south
eastern tail" of Luzon, took the
heaviest aerial bombing of the day /
-180 tons. Formosa's harbor install
lations were hit with u tons of
bombs. Large fires and explosions
were observed at both targets.
The Tokyo radio claimed without
headquarters confirmation that 41st
Division Yanks who invaded Fam
boanga on Southwestern Mindanao
March 10 and secured air bases
there have suffered $500 casualties.