Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-29
u. 5. Warships Return
To Makassar Straits,
Macarthur DiscIoses

WdCAnnuT DlSclOSeS
By the Associated Press
MANILA, June 29.-An Amer
lean fleet has returned to the
Makassar Straits east of Borneo
for the lrst time since January,
1912, Gen. Macarthur disclosed
today. The Neutrality-suspicious.
Japanese reported a naval bonn
bardment Of the Borneo east
coast had been In progress for
10 days.
A Dutch correspondent who new
over the port Of Balikpapan, 'front.'
Ing on the straits, reported earlier
this week seeing the warships In
action, and the japanese radio has
claimed that Allied landing attempts
there already have been beaten OH.
Gen. Macarthur gave no con-
firmation Of any Of these reports,
but his communique on the South.
west Pacific today did report the
destruction Of three Japanese tor
pedo planes on Monday by Ameri-
can surface ships in the Makassar
Straits and told Of continuing Allied
air blows throughout the Neither
lands Indies, particularly 1t Balik-
papan.
It'll Fleet Believed Used.
The ships involved undoubtedly
belong to the United States 7th
Fleet, which put ashore the Aus
trslian 9th Division on British
North Borneo and Labuan in the
Brunei Bay area on June 10.
(The Tokyo radio said today
Japanese planes had sunk a large
cruiser Of the Cleveland class,
three other cruisers and one de-
stroyer June rs OF Balikpapan.
The broadcast added 1T Is be-
lieved there were more enemy
losses" There was no confirma-
ton from any Allied source.)
The Australians last were report
ed to have taken Beaufort in . is
mile advance northeast up the
Borneo coast along the narrow
gauge railway toward the japanese
base Of Jesselton. Allied planes
bombed Jesselton without opposi-
ton and Allied torpedo boats shelled
the Jesselton area from the sea.
(Also pushing southwest on the
North Borneo coast, the Aus
tralians were reported by the
Melbourne radio to have made q
junction with troops who landed
last week at the Miri oil field area
In an amphibious jump. The
Melbourne radio added that oil
production had been resumed at
Tarakan, an isle of the Borneo
east coast which the Australians
invaded on May !. Extent Of the
production was not mentioned In
the broadcast, recorded by the
American Broadcasting Coz
The Australians still had not met
any formidable Japanese resistance
on Borneo, whose oil riches would
greatly lessen the strain on Ameri-
can trans-Pacific supply lines.
The softening-up and neutraliz-
ing process by the United States 5th
and 18th Air Forces and the Royal
Air Forces continued not
only ahead Of the ground forces, but
all the way frem Balikpapan on the
east to Pontianak on the west. Three
enemy air fields in the east coast
area were among the targets. i
! The planes shot down by the feet
were among the few the enemy has
been able to muster in that area
in recent weeks.
Balikpapan, target Of American
explosives now, was the port ut
which Java-bound Japanese troop
convoy was delayed for some time
after being attacked in. Makassar
Straits by q daring close.range tor
pedo attack from the few and
antiquated four-stacker destroyers
OF the then Asiatic squadron under
Rear Admiral Thomas G. Hart jan
uary "a. 1912.
In the Philippines, where Gen.
Macarthur announced yesterday
that the major phase Of the Luzon
liberation campaign was ended, the
United States 9Th Division made a
400-yard gain in the Northern Luzon
mountains toward the still stifiy-
defended Japanese base Of Kiangan.
Filipino guerrillas advanced after
beating OF three Japanese Banzai
charges in the northwest province
of Ilocos.
On Mindanao the United States
oath Division occupied more ground
near the head Of the Davao River
and captured some large enemy
supply dums. Marine fighter bomb
ers dropped 10 tons of bombs on
what Gen. Macarthur called "a
now limited number of targets"