Evening star., 1945-01-29
Yanks Take Rosario
In Big Break Through
Reach San Fernando
Patrols Push Toward
Manila, Leaving Jops
Bypossed Near Angeles
BY the Associated Press.

GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEAD
QUARTERS, Luzon, Jan. 90
Sixth Army spearheads were on
the approaches to San Fernando,
80 air miles from Manila, head
quarters reported today, as en-
battled American units captured
Rosario in a major break
through on the bitterly defended
left flank.
Angeles, 5 miles southeast of cap
tured Clark Field, was taken yes
terday by the 37th Division which
by-passed stubborn japanese resist
ance in the hills and sent patrols
down the highway toward San Fer
nando. Angeles has four airdromes.
Elements of the 40th Division
reached Arayat, II miles east of
Angeles, and the road junction of
Mexico, only 3 miles northeast of
San Fernando.
Highway Forks to Bataan.
At San Fernando, the gateway to
Manila" the highway forks off west
ward into historic Bataan and
southeastward down the home
stretch to the commonwealth capi-
tai, through a narrow plain between
the large swamp areas. The shores
of Manila Bay are only 18 miles be-
yond the road junction.
Rosario, contested almost from the
start of the Luzon campaign, was
captured by Yanks of the 1St Army
corps. who pressed on toward juno
ture with another American force
moving northWard from Sison. The
two columns are heading toward
Baguio, summer capital of the Phil
ippines, Is air miles north in the
rugged Benguet Mountains.
Gen. Macarthur reported that one
japanese division and one brigade
defending Rosario had been "prac-
tically decimated" in the long fight
and "the enemy has been forced to
move his northern reserves from the
Baguio sector to supplement the
remnants of his forces guarding the
approaches to the north
Eighteen miles to the southeast
American troops were beyond San
Manuel, but stiff fighting still ragged
in the burned and blasted town
which the Yanks had been trying
to capture for five days.
Japanese Counterattack.
| Associated Press Correspondent
Dean Schedler, with the 25th Divi-
sion at San Manuel, said the Jap
anese counterattacked with artillery
and tank-led ''banzai" charges yes
terday, but were hurled back 'fn
perhaps the toughest localized fight
ing on Luzon."
The Americans threw everything
they bad at the fanatical enemy
even mortar shells hurled by hand
into the paths of oncoming japanese
tanks.
Mr.. Schedler estimated 300 jap
anese were killed and so enemy
tanks destroyed in the f1ve-day
battle.
A third point of resistance was
Fort Stotsenburg, adjacent to Clark
Field, Gen. Macarthur reported
both as captured in his Friday
communique. but field reports said
the japanese still were offering re-
sistance at the fort three days later.
Associated Press Correspondent
Russell Brines said the enemy at
Fort Stotsenburg-which he de-
scribed as in flaming ruins'-ap-
parently were determined to fight
to the last man in delaying battle
Bitter Small-scale Battle.
1.-THE job of dislodging them pro-
duced bitter although small-scale
fighting, with the Americans en-
ploying aircraft, artillery and tanks,
Mr.. Brines wrote.
Fred Hampson said in an Asso-
ciated Press dispatch that dough-
boys "overran most of the Clark
Field system late today Sunday
but were stopped In their tracks at
the far side, where the collection OF
barracks, hangers, bandstand and
(See PHILIPPINES, Page A-4)