Evening star., 1945-01-04
JapsReportNew
Raid on Formosa
By40o Planes
Tokyo Sees Moves
Aimed at Speeding
Philippines Drive
By the Associated Press.


Hundreds of American carrier
planes. supported by China based
B-29s, raided Formosa and the
Okinawa Islands yesterday and
today, Japanese broadcasts re-
ported, in preparation for "a
succession of daring offensives'
to win "a quick decision in the
Philippines"
Domei, Japanese news agency,
linked the daring enemy forays"
with AN enemy task force escorting
q transport convoy" through Philip
pine waters seemingly to effect new
landings"
1t placed the newest Philippine
convoy in the Sulu Sea, south of
advanced bases on Min
doro and Luzon, Gen. Macarthur
ultimate goal.
The attacks on the key island out
posts between the Philippines and
Japan were reported while Super
Fortresses returned from a heavy
raid on the Japanese homeland
Yank bombs rocked the Philippines,
and Gen. Macarthur announced q
double landing which extended his
hold on Mindoro-potential spring
board for his next invasion.
Super Forts Aid Attacks.
Imperial japanese communicates
said IN broadcasts recorded by the
Federal Communications Commits
sion that 500 Allied planes raided
Formosa and Okinawa yesterday
and 400 returned to the attack
today. Domei said about 40 B-2es
based in China" participated in the
initial Formosa attack.
Both strikes, made largely by car
rier planes of the American Sd
Fleet, lasted nearly seven hours.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz, COM
mander Of the Pacific Fleet, pre-
vt0aisly announced, the first raid III 4
cryptic communicate Which men.
toned only carrier aircraft units.
Donei, IN another broadcast, said
the raids obviously were intended
TO check the Philippines battle and
1t the same time to attempt to
sever our air supply route to the
Philippines.
The battle for the Philippines is
now fast becoming one of extremely
delicate devetnnments
Damage Admitted.
Despite reports of 900 sorties, Jap
anese headquarters claimed only "a
raiders were shot down and nine
damaged in two day attacks on For
mosa and the Okinawa Islands. Some
damage was admitted to the islands
which form stepping stones between
Japan and the Philippines and act
as offshore guardians of the China
coast.
Naturalization of strong aircraft
installations on Formosa, where
most of the power was concentrated,
is prerequisite of any new in
vasion move Gen. Macarthur may
make-whatever the direction.
Formosa is less than 800 miles
north Of the Philippines. Okinawa,
In the Ryukyu chain, is 100 miles
northeast Of Formosa and 300 miles
southwest Of Japan.
Nagoya Attacked.
Super Forts concentrated their
attack yesterday on the Nagoya air.
craft center. Returning flyers re-
ported that heavy fires were left
blazing in the target area, clearly
marked in the snow-covered city.
The Tokyo radio said single Super
Forts today harassed central areas
OF Honshu Island. main Japanese
island on which Tokyo is situated
One plane was reported to have
dropped incendiaries in the Shizuoka
prefecture south of Tokyo, and an
other to have bombed Nagoya.
The news agancy brought Su-
matra into the raid picture with a
dispatch saying about 40 enemy
bombers and fighters" attacked in
the Medan area on the islands
northeastern coast this morning. It
did not identify the nationality OF
the planes.
United States bombers sweeping
the entire western waters of Luzon
Island sank or left in flames 25
Japanese ships-a 7,OOO-ton trans
port, a 6,000-ton freighter, 81 other
freighters and Q trawlers.
Luzon Installations Raided.
Marine fighters swept Luzon in
stallations near Mindoro while Lib
orators and fighters struck at
Luzon,s Clark Field.
PIT boats sank 1--WE Japanese yes-
sells in inland Philippine waters
where Tokyo said suicide planes
were attacking the third United
States convoy spotted heading to-
ward Mindoro within q week
claiming two transports were sunk
and q destroyer damaged.
On Mindoro flsland, where the
Yanks landeA on the southwest
coast at Sa1 Hose December is tc
set up IN ~ base from which
bombers nov are softening ur
Luzon, Gen Macarthur reported
shore-to-shore landings on the east
coast and Just north OF San Jose.
Landing Sites Kept Secret.
The exact sites OF these land
ings were clQakaA Tin secrecy but
the one noE OF the original In
vasion scene would cut down the
distance TO Manila, already less
than $50 miles.
The landings were unopposed
making Unnecessary any prepara-
tory IAYal tun1re. The east coast
1see PAcIFTc, Page A-zJ
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