October 30, 1944; NAZI'S COLLAPSE IN HOLLAND:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, OCTOBER 30, 1944:

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., Monday, October 30, 1944.

(By the Associated Press)

U. S. Pacific Fleet Headquarters, Pearl Harbor—

The victorious American navy has launched new aerial attacks against Manila, Tokyo reported today, after sinking or damaging 58 Japanese warships in one of history's greatest naval triumphs.

The Third and Seventh U. S. fleets definitely sank 24 Japanese warcraft, including four aircraft carriers and two battleships,

in last week's naval action off the Philippines, Adm. Chester W. Nmitz announced last night.

Thirteen more Japanese craft, including a battleship, were damaged so badly they may. have sunk, and 21 other warcraft, including six battleships, were damaged.

The total—at least 500,000 tons— is more warcraft than Japan lost in all the four preceding great Pacific war sea battles combined.

U. S. Lost Six Warships American forces spent six warships for a victory by which, Nimitz said, "the Japanese fleet has been decisively defeated and routed." Dispatches from the Philippines say, however, American personnel casualties were "considerable."

In addition, the 10,000-ton Australian cruiser, Australia, was damaged. Tokyo radio today reported, without allied confirmation, that 200 U. S. carrier planes staged three raids on Manila and Clark airfield Saturday—just three days after heavy fighting in the naval battle ended.

Japanese aircraft, said anotherTokyo broadcast, Sunday began attacking an American task force, including four aircraft carriers, in Lamon bay, on the east coast of Luzon, opposite Manila).

'Overwhelming Victory'

Nimitz' 1100-word communique said that "amplifying reports, although still subject to revision as more information is received, indicate an overwhelming victory. . . .the second battle of the Philippine sea ranks as one of the major sea

battles of World War II in the Pacific."

Allies Enter Last

Link in Defense

Line Below Maas

London—(U.P)—Allied columns paced by tanks and planes raced for the German escape bridges and ferries across their

broad Maas and Hollandsch Diep in Holland only five miles away today, and Berlin radio asserted that a major withdrawal

across that barrier to Rotterdam was in full swing.

Allied troops, breaking into the last of the chain of strongpoints before the Maas, entered Roosendaal, a city of 25,000, 12 miles south of Wilemstad ferry across the Diep, the sea arm of the river.

American armor plunged to within six miles of the Moerdijk bridge, one of the longest spans in Europe, and other forces fought to within three miles of the Maas and five miles from the Gecrtruidenberg crossing by capturing Oosterhout northeast of fallen Bieda.

Nazi Force Disintegrating

The German stand in all southwestern Holland and northern Belhad been cut into four pockets, and military spokesmen said the German force was disintegrating under the concerted pounding

STORY RELATED

BY YANK RESCUED;

IN PHILIPPINES

By AL DOPKING

With the 7th, Division, Leyte—(AP)—

A slender, blue-eyed American who escaped at Bataan's fall was rescued from Leyte Mountains today, ending three years of secret! missions in the Philippines with the Japanese constantly hounding him.

Second Lt. Joseph Francis Saint John, 24, of Philadelphia, related the story from the bamboo hut where he was given his second pair of shoes in three years. He was brought through American lines by, 1st Lt. Claude Hombacher, Sebewaing, Mich., whose patrol reached him by crossing the bay south of Abuyog.

Rescued also was red-haired Ensign Edwin J. Beattie, 21, Columbianville, Mich., naval pilot who crashed in a dog fight during the invasion and took refuge with Saint John.

(The dispatch failed to reveal any details of the "secret missions.")

A B-17 gunner of the 14th bombardment squadron when he was bombed out Dec. 7, 1941, Saint John leached Bataan Christmas Eve and later with 900 other airmen went to Maiabang airfield on Mindanao where "we waited for planes that never came.

When the surrender came, Saint John and 11 other Americans fled to the hills and finally reached Leyte May 8, I,942, in a frail native launch, passing through the straits in the darkness. There, Col. Cornell* the island commander told them they must leave before 5 p. m. May; 10 to avoid surrender. They left 2 hours before the deadline in an outrigger boat for Australia but

were shipwrecked off Cauit point,, Mindanao, May 17, in a storm. It was Saint John's birthday.

Then began his guerrilla life. He subsisted on fried monkey meat and tropical fruit He once wasted from 155 pounds to 100 before he was cured of malaria with "ditto" tree bark brews concocted for him by a native. His escapes were many

Once 200 Nips charged his hideout, shooting everything at him without! success.

Recall of Gen. Stilwell

Plunges China Into New

Military, Political Crisis

BY JOHN M. HIGHTOWER

Washington —•(&)—

China has been plunged headlong into a new military and political crisis by the recall of General Joseph W. Stilwell

to Washington.

, Information reaching here indicates that decisions which must be made in Chungking in the next three to four weeks may well determine the fate of the Chinese war effort from now on.

Among American officials there is hope, but little real confidence, that Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek will be able to put his military and political affairs in order without further delay. High strategy of the war against Japan hangs on the outcome.

Affects Future Strategy

The campaigns ahead have had to be planned on an "if" basis—if free China remains an effective force against Japan, or if she

doesn't. Counting always the possibility of a Russian move in east Asia and also of a direct attack on the Japanese homeland, allied strategists now appear ready to play their cards either way.

Stilwell's recall from the China-Burma-India theater was announced at the White House Saturday. The war department said he would get an important new assignment. The action is linked directly with the thus far unsuccessful American efforts for a complete shakeup of the Chinese high command and subsequent reorganization of the Chinese armies.

Plan for China

Allied strategy has called for a drive across the Pacific, via the Philippines, to the China coast and a drive from interior China to the same coasttal point. The ultimate objective was to equip China's manpower with American supplies and technical training.

Until this could be accomplished the aim was to keep pressure on the Japanese from forward air bases which had to be protected by Chinese armies. Recently the Japanese have forced evacuation of some of the best of these bases.

In a sense their place has been taken, however, by bases on the Pacific side, in the Saipan-Guam area and now in the Philippines.

Despair Over Situation

Nonetheless considerable effort has been made to keep free China functioning effectively against Japan and the United States virtually alone has sponsored the role of China as one of the "big four" allies.

Evidence of the despair now overtaking this effort was seen in a dispatch from New Delhi, India, by Associated Press correspondent Preston Grover. Writing through allied censorship, Grover reported last night that Stilwell's withdrawal

appears "to have pulled the props from under American activity in this area."

Grover pointed out that it bad been Stilwell's dual task to obtain for China a maximum amount of supplies from the outside and to get the Chinese to use them in the most effective manner.