Coconut journal [1944]

              =■■** COCONUT  JOTJi-;i.''._ "" - 12/24/44
PACIFIC WAE.:—turner Lean. M-berakors 'ixi, a. surt<rls«""<akta6ki 'destroyed, or . damaged
scores of ■grounded .planes  in the first' daylight r&id staged by heavy, bombers od
clark Field, Main-airdrome near Manila,' arid/ftjik -dou^hboyj. -ha. ve completed rati-i*'
destruction of Nips trapped in the Ormoc Corridor' on Xeyte."" Gen JtocArt.hurs  communique relating these principal developments in the  Philippines, did.jiot"name "the
airfield from which the liberators flow for their blow at Clark field; but __e repor
ed two days- ago the airdrome on, recently invaded Mindoro  Island less than 150 miles
from 'Vnila had been put . into, operation."  Mother of the daily Jap air raids
nn M-i-rinr-n  r.nft-h t.htj; or)prj]y  20   i i.--'r;:St  shot down, -with--tow more  probably destroyed.
But the Kips continued their refusal to offer ground ■-opposition to the Tank  E
vaders."" The majority of 100 enemy planes on Clark Field were  destroyed or damaged
in the attack Friday."  Light of nine plraes which a ttempted interception were shot
down by the   Liberators fighter escort and   installations on a large area were
left  in " flames."" On Leyte   Island," the  7J^th Division pressed toward  the  enemys  sole
remaining principal escape port afPalompon on the northwest coast and the
Americans counted 3788 more  Jap  dead in the process  of wiping out the  last enemy
resistance in the Ormoc Corridor.,-. Mac Arthur revealed .for the first time  that
the US  11th Airborne Division has been aiding in the  Leyte cleanup."  US, Liberators
of the Strategic Air Force, continued their attacks on Iwo Jima, hitting it December 20 and 21 for the 14th time."  Admiral Nimitz reported the   Iwg Jima raids
and said also that the northern approaches to the Nip Empire were hit Dec 21st
with Aleutian based 11th. Air " Force Liberators bombing   Onekotan  Island in the  Kur-
iles."" Onekotan  is 600 miles northeast of Hokkaido,"" r.p mainland island."" Tokyo
Radio said  -a single Super Fort from the Marianas hit .the   Jap Capital area at
dawn Saturday,  dropping bombs   and   incendiaries  and  later   in the  day tvn   other  B-29s
cane  over the. Os.aka and Kobe areas without dropping explosives."" The broadcast also
said a single China based ouper Fort.flew over  Hongkong and tola of a second raid
on Canton wijhin a few hours by American Mustangs."" The enemys reports, uncon-
"flrmec.""scid Hip-1 f iid.ttrrs  sr_M  <_ ■   of -givj^l^faa^g-_-^__V----C -CU-ataa*-.  J.liP
Hqrs claimed that six Allied Transports  and two cruisers  or destroyers were sunk
and 12 other transports and warships,  including a large aircraft carrier,"  were
damaged by Nip airmen in the Philippines Area December 3)th to 22nd.""" The report
unconfirmed by -Allied sources said the- attacks were made  off Mindoro Island in
the  Gulf  of Leyte  and  in the Sulu Sea."" Domei,  the  Japs news., agency," laid an
official protest had been made to the US Govt over the "  alleged sinking of a Nip
hospital ship,  the ^uroMaru, .by American planes  in a raid on "anils Harbor Dec.
13th."" The Chinese High Command said that there was no material change  in the fight
ing   outside the " ap held city of  Hocshi Kwangsie Province, where the enemy resistance  to  eastward  advancing Chinese  troops  has   stiffened.
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LOS ANGELES:—Santa Anita Race Track, scheduled to open Deo 30th, has indicated
it will fall in line.with other horse race establishments over the country, and
close on January 3, as requested by War Mobilization Director James Byrnes.
Other West Coast Tracks probably will not reopen for the duration.", **********
PARIS;—^louds  lifted over the blazing Western Front battlefields Saturday " and
pent up Allied &ir Power in fell fury upon the Gerncn Winter Offensive which altho
apparently  slowed,  was   last .officially reported rolling  toward  the  Sedan Gateway
to France at a fifteen mile  a day clip* - Hundreds of fighter bombers seared and
blasted  enemy ts. rk-_   and  convoys-   showing'clear  against   the   snow covered fields
and swarms of hoavv bobbers plastered rear areas as the sun broke thru the fogs i.
which shielded the eneny drive almost from its  outset eight days ago."" There was
reason to believe the enemy, big push had just about shot its bolt cables from
British Canadian Kqri:" iejUL   a.tho supreme Hqrs   last official report hs  of noon
Thursday," told  of a fifteen mile German'advance westward from encircled Bastogne
to St.  Hubert."" The  48 hour security blackout imposed: by Hdqrs masked the progress
of ground fighting arounfl St." -^ubert, which is* '40 miles   inside Belgium and 29
miles northeast of  Sedan where the  Germans  broke the " French line in 1940."  This
was the deepest break of American Linos, Allied Hqrs," reported."  For the first
time there was no late news from the firing lines, as the 48 hour restriction
apparently was   extended.