Evening star., 1945-02-14
Manila Knockout Blow
Loosed as Cavite and
7 Airfie|ds Are Seized
End Of Trapped Jops
Near, Macarthur Says;
Enemy Losses Heavy
y the Associated Press.

MANILA, Feb. 14.-American
troops. advancing among ruins
strewp with bodies of the enemy,
loosed the decisive blow for Ma
nila today at Japanese cornered
in an area of 3 square miles near
the Pasig Rivers mouth after
other doughboys on the southern
outskirts seized Cavite naval
base and two airfields.
"The end of the enemy's trapped
garrison is in sight" Gen. MacAr-
thur announced on the 18th day
i since his columns entered the city.
Doomed to be added to the more
than $4,000 enemy casualties on
Luzon Island in five weeks, the
japanese survivors within Manila
are massed behind thick walls of
the centuries-old Intramuros, within
government buildings and among
docks.
Japs Cleared From Cavite.
Cavite, on the south shore of Ma
nila Bay, fell yesterday. The last
Rising Sun warrior was killed at
Nichols Airfield near the city's
southern outskirts, ending five bit
ter days of struggle. Nelson Air
field, on the southeast, was cleared
of the foe.
| Most of the enemy's big guns
within Manila have been silenced.
Thousands of Japanese have died
here, adding heavily to casualties
which during the fifth week of the
Luzon campaign exceeded 10000.
Every Yank knows the last Japa-
nese will fight as long as there is
one man left with gun. Enemy
troops man the thick walls and fill
the narrow streets of the Intramuros
(Walled City, built by the Spanish
who founded Manila in 1871.
Thirty-seventh Division infantry
men of Maj Gen. Robert S. Beight-
Ter, using flame thrower, rifle and
bayonet, moved on the Intramuros
after a slow push through streets
and alleyways, over and around
wrecked houses, churches, hospitals
and cemeteries. Many japanese yet
to be added to the casualty lists are
buried in the debris.
Nichols Field Captured.
The 1st Cavalry Division of Maj.
Gen. Vern D. Nudge, which crossed
the Pasig on the eastern edge of
Manila and skirted the devastated
battle pit of the 37th, plunged all the
way west to Manila Bay yesterday
through suburban Pasay.
Below Pasay, the 11th Air-borne
Division of Maj. Gen. Joseph M.
Swing snuffed out all enemy resist
ance at Nichols Airf1eld. Other ele-
ments captured Cavite. That naval
base, which the Americans destroyed
prior to abandoning Manila without
fight late in December, 1941, yield
ed 10 enemy seaplanes and bat
terry of 3-inch guns. They were
seized intact.
American casualties for the fifth
week rose from 7,o76 to 1888. The
totals consisted of 2,l02 killed-an
increase of slightly over 500 in a
week-192 missing and 1889
wounded.
Out in Manila Bay, Japan's
silenced fortress of Corregidor was
blasted with $50 more tons OF bombs
Monday, today's communique dis
closed. This followed 200-ton
bombing during a 48-hour period
ending Sunday night. Corregidor
bars fleet usage of Cavite.
Planes Strafe Bataan.
Other planes strafed enemy troops
on Bataan Peninsula, where TOO
tons of explosives were unloaded
over last week end.
In Central Luzon, where drive
to the east coast at Dingalan Bay
cut the island in half, Maj. Gen.
Edwin D. Patrick's 9Th Division has
reached Baler Bay, 20 miles north
(see PHILIPPINES, Page A-5.)