June 30, 1945; LIUCHOW FALLS TO CHINESE:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 30, 1945:

INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA, SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 1945.

Balikpapan Afire;

2 Honshu Targets
Pounded Heavily

Balikpapan

Pounded By
50 Warships

MANILA, June 30.—(AP)—An Allied fleet of 50 ships pounded Borneo's oil refining city of Balikpapan all day yesterday and poured more shells into shore defenses today in preparation for an "imminent landing," the Tokyo radio reported today. The enemy account said Allied mine sweepers were clearing waters off shore, braving the fire of Japanese shore batteries, which Domei Agency described as "heavy. The Japanese said other small Allied craft, moving in under cover of the "furious bombardments," had neared the shore for "close and careful reconnaissance."

The broadcast was unconfirmed although Gen. Douglas MacArthur acknowledged today that guns of "light naval units" have taken up the bombardment of the oil-rich eastern Borneo coast.

 

Superforts

Hit Japan
Twice In Day

______ y ~

GUAM, June 30— (AP) The B-29  knockout' campaign against  oil plants on Japan was extended last midnight to the eight rich target. Raiding the enemy homeland for the second time in one day, nearly 50 Superforts bombed the Kudumatsu oil refining plant with high explosives. The plant, Nippon's fourth largest, is on the inland sea coast of southwest Honshu.

Tokyo radio in a broadcast, heard by the American Broadcasting Company, said at noon the-same day B-29s raided the southwest area of Hokkaido Island and one was damaged by interceptors.

(The F e d e r a l Communications Commission heard Tokyo say that last night 10 "large enemy planes" sowed mines in the north Honshu harbors of Niigata and Sakata).

 

New Base

Seized West
Of Okinawa

By LEONARD MILLIMAN

(Associated Press War Editor)

Four Chinese towns and Kume sland on the invasion seaway to Japan were added to Allied conjuests today as Tokyo reported

American naval forces were preparing for two more possible landings.

A growing Allied task force, Tokyo said, engaged in a day-long artillery duel yesterday with Japanese shore batteries guarding Balikpapan, prized oil refining center on southeast Borneo. A force of 50 warships and transports was reported operating off Balikpapan. Tokyo said the much talked-about invasion was

imminent."

Nipponese broadcasters suggested scouting U. S. naval craft were preparing for another amphibious assault in the Okinawa area where Yank landing troops added Kume island to their potential invasion bases.

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