December 16, 1944; Mindora Invaded; 130 miles to Manila:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, DECEMBER 16, 1944:

HUNTINGDON, PA., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1944.

3 BEACHHEADS ON

ISLAND AFTER BIG

LEAP FROM LEYTE

By WILLIAM B. DICKINSON

United Press Correspondent .

Allied Headquarters, Philippines, Dec. 16. _

American invasion forces, pouring into at least three beachheads after a 600-mile amphibious jump from Leyte to within 130 miles of Manila, struck deep inland on the Mindoro today in a developing offensive threatening two of the island's main airfields.

(The Japanese Domei Agency admitted that about one division — 15,000 men —of American troops was debarking near San Jose, f o u r  miles inland from the south- west coast of Mindoro and  site of an airfield. The  broadcast claimed

Japanese garrison units intercepted the invaders and said fighting "is now in progress.")

(A Japanese communique claimed

that Japanese planes had sunk

or damaged 25 American warships

and transports in a series of attacks on the Mindoro invasion

in a series of attacks Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Listed as sunk were four

transports, while eight transports, two battleships, three cruisers and two cruisers or destroyers were "heavily damaged and set afire and six unidentified vessels were

damaged”)

(Another Tokyo broadcast said a "violent" sea and air battle was in progress in the Sulu Sea south of Mindoro.)

The Doughboys, veterans of the bitter Leyte campaign, stormed ashore on the southwest coast of Mindoro from a 150-ship invasion armada at dawn yesterday in the wake of a withering, 20-minute rocket and gun bombardment.

ENEMY RESISTANCE

IN NORTH- CENTRAL

BURMA COLLAPSES

By HUGH crumpler

United Press Correspondent

Bhamo, Dec. 16.—

The last organized Japanese resistance in north-central Burma collapsed today as Chinese troops mopped up enemy stragglers' in the captured Irrawaddy River stronghold of Bhamo, ending a 28-day battle that reopened all but a 40 to 50-mile stretch of the Burma road lifeline to China.

Bhamo fell to American-trained veterans of the Chinese 38th Division yesterday afternoon after a wild Banx.Hi charge by the trapped Japanese garrison broke under a hail of gunfire, leaving the river beaches littered with enemy dead.

PANZERS ATTEMPT

TO HALT LATE U. S.

PUSH INTO REICH

By JAMES McGLlNCY

United Press Correspondent

Paris, Dec. 16.—

The Germans rushed crack Panzer reserves into battle in the upper Rhineland today in an effort to halt the latest American penetration of the "holy soil" of the Reich, but the Seventh Army hammered out new gains pointblank fire from the Siegfried line.

COSSACK CAVALRY,

RED TANKS STORM

HUNGARIAN PLAINS