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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June 29, 1945; BUNKER HILL SYMBOL OF VALOR

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 29,  1945:

Smoke fills the skies.as it rises from the flight deck of the USS Bunker Hill—another gallant ship that refused to die. The carrier was hit. twice within 30 seconds by two Jap suicide planes just as she was ready to send off a flight of gasoline-filled and bomb-loaded planes on a mission over Okinawa. Resulting catastrophe cost lives of  392. With '264 wounded. Ship survived to limp into a West Coast repair yard where she is being refitted for further duty.'

Neither "flaming gasoline from the tanks of planes on the flight deck nor exploding rockets and bombs

daunted the valiant crew members of the USS Bunker Hill as they successfully fought to bring near disastrous
fire under control. Victim-of an attack by Jap suicide planes off Okinawa, the carrier "was
saved to sail back—a mass of charred and twisted wreckage—to a West Coast yard for rehabilitation.

 

Aircraft Carrier Will

Soon Be Back In Fight
Two Jap Suicide Planes Turn Ship Into
Flaming Holocaust; - 656 - Casualties

 

U.S.Airmen

Blast Foe in

Home Area

By Associated Press

GUAM, June 29.—Twenty, three enemy surface craft were sunk or damaged on Wednesday and Thursday by American planes off Korea, in Japanese home waters and in the southern Ryukyus, headquarters reported today.

Off Korea and in e m p i r e waters on those two days, search planes of Fleet Air Wing  sank a small tanker, a small cargo ship, an unidentified vessel, four small craft and a freighter. A small freighter-transport, five small cargo ships, a small coastal cargo ship and a lugger were damaged.

Hit Amami Group

On the same dates, marine and army planes of the tactical airforce hit the Amami Island group north of conquered Okinawa and the Saskishima group to the south.

500 B-29s

Set Fire to

4 Jap Cities

By Associated Press

G U A M, June 29.—Marianas-  based American Superfortresses spread their incendiary destrction to four more Japanese cities Friday. Between 450 and 500 of them rained more than 3,000 tons of fire bombs on Sasebo, Nobeoka,

Moji and Okayama.

The predawn raids brought to 18 the number of Japan's cities hit in the B-29s' campaign to burn Nippon out of the war.

Two previous raids this week, one Tuesday and Thursday, were explosive bomb attacks on specific factories and oil refinery centers.'

Split Four Ways

This first large-scale incendiary mission since June 20 split four ways to hit at Sasebo, Moji and Nobeoka, Kyushu Island ports, and the vital industries of Okayama on Honshu Island. The blows were a continuation of attacks on industrial areas on which Japan is more dependent than ever since destruction of great areas of Tokyo, Nagoya,

Yokohama, Osaka and Kobe.

Sasebo, with a population of 206,000, ranks with Kobe, Kure and Yokosuka as homeland naval bases. It is located on northwestern Kyushu, north of Nagasaki.

 

U.S.7th Fleet Prowls

Hostile Macassar Straits

By Associated Press

MANILA, June 29.—Presence of the U.S. 7th Fleet hi the hostile waters of Macassar Straits between Celebes and southeast Borneo was disclosed today by General Douglas MacArthur. He announced that surface craft had shot down three Japanese planes there Monday.

There was no further report Pontianak, on Borneo's west on the action and no confirmation of persistent Tokyo radio reports that an Allied fleet had been bombarding Japanese positions around the Borneo southeast, coast port of Balikpapan since June 15.—The Japanese have contended landing attempts already had been made on that coast.

Attack Dutch Borneo

MacArthur's communique did disclose that planes of the U.S. 5th and 13th Airforces and the Royal Australian Airforce continued heavy neutralizing attacks on gun positions and airdromes on the coast of Dutch Borneo

 

Casualties

Now Total

1,030,679

By Associated Press

WASHINGTON", June 28—Combat casualties of the Armed Forces since the beginning of the war reached 1,030.679 Thursday, a rise of 7,226 within the past week. Army losses on the basis of names received here through June 21 amounted to 908,025 and navy casualties totaled 122,654.

A breakdown on army losses as reported Thursday by Undersecretary  of War Patterson and corresponding figures for the preceding week follow:

Killed 190.277 ,and 189,294; wounded 564,302 and 560,836; missing , 39,255and 39,956; prisoners (before liberation) 114.191 and 113,615. Patterson said that 338,646 of the wounded are back on duty.

Similar figures for the navy: Killed, 46,438 and 45.417; wounded 60,986 and 59,196; missing 10,985 and 10,908; prisoners 4,225 and 4,231.

 

WAR

IN THE PACIFIC

JAPAN — Huge force of B-29s drop more than 3,000 tons of fire bombs on four Jap war production centers. Page 1.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC — U.S. 7th Fleet steams into hostile water of Macassar Straits between Celebes and Southeast Borneo. Page 1.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC—American planes sink or damage 23 Japanese surface craft off Korea, in enemy home waters. Page 1.

 

 

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June 28, 1945: BUNKER HILL HIT BU SUICIDE PLANES:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 28, 1945:

\

BUNKER HILL SURVIVES JAP SUICIDE ATTACK—Smoke filled the skies as It rose from the .flight deckof the U. S. S. Bunker Hill—another gallant ship that refused to die. The carrier, flagship of Vice-AdmiralWare A. Mitscher, was hit twice within 30 seconds by two Jap suicide planes just as she was ready to send off a flight of gasoline-filled and bomb-loaded planes on a mission over Okinawa. In the resulting inferno 373 men were killed and 264 wounded. Ship survived to limp into a west coast repair yard where she is being refitted for further duty.

 

Command

to Defend

Tokyo Set

Tokyo Says B-29s

Mine Inland Sea;

Nip Convoy Sunk

GUAM, Friday, June 29.

(U.P) A giant sky fleet of almost 500 Superfortresses showered more than 3000

tons of fire bombs on three major Japanese seaports and a huge army training center in a pre-dawn multiple attack today.

The B-29s attacked Sasesbo, one of Japan's most Important naval bases on the northwestern coast of Kyushu island; Moji, large shipping center at the northern tip "of Kyusliu facing Shimonoseki; Nobeka, on the southeastern Kyushu coast, and Okayaama, site of an enemy army training base.

Major-General Curtis E. Lemay’s Twenty-first Bomber Command Superforts flew in four separate formations and dropped their jellied-gasoline

incendiaries In pre-dawn darkness at 4 a. m.

Eighty-fifth Raid

 

Mitscher's Carrier Hit

With 656 Total Losses

Task Force 58 Commander Escapes When Two Jap Planes Crash

Into Decks; U. S. S. Bunker Hill Survives to Fight Again

By JAMES A. MacLEAN

United Trees Staff Correspondent

SEATTLE, June 28. OLE)—Two Japanese suicide planes on the morning of Mny 11 almost converted the

U. S. S. Bunker Hill into a flaming tomb off Okinawa for Vice-Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, whose flagship she was.

But the hard-hitting and hard-to-kill commander of Task Force 58 escaped—without a scratch or blister, and the Bunker Hill survived.

After a six-hour ordeal of blasting bombs, exploding ammunition

636 casualties, including 373 killed, 19 missing and 264 wounded.

But thanks to her crew's heroism and to a daring maneuver under enemy hoses, the 27,500-ton Bunker Hill lived to join the Franklin, her “Essex"class sister, and the mighty: Saratoga in the proud company of United States carriers which refused to sink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 27, 1945;U, N, CHARTER SIGNED / INSTRUMENT FOR PEACE:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 27, 1945:

 

By Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO, June 26.—United Nations' statesment signed today the charter of a new world organization and President Truman closed one of the great assemblies of history with an assurance that "You have created a great instrument for peace."

"The world must now use it!" Mr. Truman said. Addressing the - final plenary session of the United. Nations' Conference, the Chief Executive appealed to delegates of 50 nations to make the charter "a living thing." to seek its immediate ratification. He promised:

Given Rising Ovation

"I shall send this charter to the United States Senate at once. I am sure that the overwhelming sentiment of the people of my country and of their representatives in the senate is in favor of immediate ratification." Mr. Truman was given a rising ovation. .He smiled and, extending his arms outward, declared, "Oh, what a

great day this can be in history."

Facing him as he spoke were the men and women who met here two months and a day ago to draft a master plan for peace. Behind him was a bright blue background, with the flags of all the United Nations silhouetted against it, interspersed between four austere, golden columns.

 

WAR IN THE PAFICIC

JAPAN—B-29s blast Japan twice in one clay as small force raids, main aviation gas refinery following huge assault on 10 enemy war centers. Page 1. •

OKINAWA—Score of Japs with surrender leaflets emerge from caves and canefields on Okinawa. Page 2.
PHILIPPINES—Americans compress remaining Japs in Luzon’s Cagayan Valley into 20-mile corridor. Page ].

 

Superforts Strike Twice;

Bomb Jap Gasoline Plant

By Associated Press

GUAM, June 27.—Nearly fifty B-20s struck the Utsvibe river oil refinery, Japan's principal producer of aviation gasoline, in a precision demolition attack before midnight Tuesday night. The raid followed by half a day the greatest Superfortress demolition pin-pointing of Honshu industries in which nearly 500 of the sky giants blasted 10 targets with 3,000 tons of bombs.

The Utsube refinery is located near Yokkaichi, 18 miles southwest of Nagoya on Ise Bay. Since the destruction of fuel centers at Tokuyama and Osake on May 10, the Utsube plant was the enemy's largest remaining producer of aviation gasoline.

First on Big Plant

The city of Yokkaichi was heavily damaged in a fire raid June 18. Some fire bombs fell into the Utsube refinery area in that attack, causing slight damage, but Tuesday night's - strike was the first with the Utsube plant and storage area as the primary objective.

Army, navy and marine air power ranged far over the western Pacific in other scattered blows at enemy shipping and ground installations.

 

20,000 Japs

Squeezed in
American Trap

By Associated Press

M A N I L A, June 27. — Liquidation of the last Japanese stronghold in Cagayan Valley, northern Luzon Island in the Philippines, is near with t h e Nipponese compressed into a 20- mile corridor between American columns. General Douglas MacArthur's communique Wednesday said  the Japanese were being pinched between Maj. Gen. Robert S. Breightler's 37th Infantry Division pushing down-river from the south while llth Airborne Division elements advanced up the valley.

The 37th swept through Tuguegarao, capital of Cagayan Province, Monday to find the Japanese force which had won control of the city from hardpressed Filipino guerrillas already in flight to hills to the east

 

More Japs Quit

On Okinawa

By Associated Press

GUAM, June 27.—Emerging from caves, canefields and the brushy valleys, scores of .Japanese carrying surrender leaflets, gave themselves up to American 10th Army troops Tuesday. The day's total of prisoners, including hundreds of Nipponese captured at rifle point or driven from caves with grenades, was 802, increasing to 9,498 the number of enemy troops in stockades  on Okinawa. The figures were given in Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz' communique Wednesday.

Yank patrols continued their mop-up operations throughout Southern Okinawa.

A number of Japanese planes appeared over the Okinawa area Monday night, but did no damage with the few bombs they dropped, the communique reported.

Twelve raiders were destroyed by anti-aircraft fire and combat air patrols.

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June 26, 1945; B-29s Hit Japan in Huge Force:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 27, 1945:

 

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, TUESDAY MORNING, JUNE 26, 1945

 

Final Work

Session

Held Monday

BV Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO, June 25

President Truman flew to this temporary international capital Monday to acclaim and be acclaimed by wounded veterans and statesmen about to seal with a final vote a charter intended to stop wars.

For all of them, men maimed in the Pacific and delegation chiefs at the United Nations conference, the Chief Executive had a warm greeting, a smile and a friendly handclasp.

To Herbert V. Evatt, Australian foreign minister and outspoken champion of the cause of smaller nations at the two-month old conference Mr. Truman declared:

Pleased With Result

"You have all been working hard here. We are all pleased with the final result."

Tonight, while delegates turned out for a' final working session to adopt formally the charter of a new world organization, the President looked over in the seclusion of a hill-top hotel an address with which he will conclude the conference at. 5 p. m. (P.W.T.) tomorrow.

 

Huge Force

Of B-29 Hit

4 Jap Cities

Manufacturing Centers

Targets of Very

Great Superfort Formation

By Associated Press

WASHINGTON, June 26.

Superfortresses in very great strength struck Monday at military and industrial targets in four Japanese manufacturing areas.

Headquarters of the 20th Airforce said the early daylight attack (June 26 Japanese time) was directed against "multiple important" targets located in the areas of Nagoya, Osaka, Akashi and Gifu.

Further details awaited the return of the 21st Bomber Command crews to their Marianas bases.

 

Japanese Make

4 Small Raids

On Okinawa

By Associated Press

GUAM, June 26.—Four small Japanese' aerial assaults, the first against Okinawa ground installations since that island was secured Thursday, caused minor damage to American airfield installations Sunday.

Two of the raiders were shot down. ' Presumably, no attacks were made against U. S. shipping off Okinawa, since Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz made nomention of such a raid in Tuesday's communique.

Mopping up operations Sunday netted another 794 Japanese prisoners of war for a total of 8,696. Of. the total, 2,854 are reported to be labor troops. Yesterday, night reported 101.853 Japanese had been killed.

Bodies Sought

American patrols searched conquered Okinawa for still lurking foes and for bodies of comrades, hoping to solve the mystery of what happened to U. S. soldiers and marines captured by the Japanese during the 82-day battle for the island.

 

Hard Air Blows

Rained on Japs

By Associated Press

MANILA, Tuesday, June 26.—

A series of hard aerial blows at the Japanese on Borneo, Formosa and at many points throughout the East Indies was reported Monday by General Douglas Mac-Arthur.

Ground action on Australian invaded Borneo was limited to patrol operations, MacArthur's communique reported, with no indication how near the Australians had reached to the Miri oil fields on the north coast.

Off Borneo, Allied planes destroyed four coastal vessels and damaged others being built in the Pontianak area on Borneo's west coast.

 

Japs Are Told

To Win or Die

By Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO, June 23.—

Members of  the Japanese People's Volunteer Corps were ordered Monday to commit suicide rather than be taken prisoner as they prepared to go under personal command of Emperor Hirohito.

The volunteers were warned in a new handbook that if the home islands are invaded they will be called out to take part in the actual fighting , the Japanese Domei News Agency reported in an F.C'.C.-recorded broadcast.

Hampers Defense

As preparations, for the feared invasion were made, Japanese imperial headquarters again claimed Allied landing attempts at Balikpapan in Southeast Borneo had been "completely checked" and belatedly conceded the fall of Okinawa. The Balikpapan report was without confirmation.

Domei frankly admitted the loss of Okinawa rendered defense of the home islands more difficult. However, the high command made a fantastic claim of 80,801 American ground casualties on the island and 600 warcraft   Or transports sunk or damaged.

 

THE WAR

IN THE PACIFIC

 

PHILIPPINES—Yanks tighten vise on 20,000 trapped Japanese in Cagayan Valley of Northern Luzon. Page 1,

OKINAWA —Japs make four small air raids on captured Okinawa, but fail to score damaging hits. Page 1.

JAPAN—Jap civillian army ordered to die or win defending, homeland against Allied invasion.  Page 1.

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June 25, 1945; UNITED NATIONS CHARTER READY:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JUNE 25, 1945:

11th Rains on

Trapped Nips

By RAY CRONIN

Associated Press War Editor

American paratroops were thrown into the battle for the Cagayan valley of the northeast Philippines Monday as Yanks led guerrillas fought against furious Japanese counter-attack!

to hold a strategic town in the heart of that Nippon stronghold.
 

The Americans used gliders for the first time in the Southwest Pacific to land supplies, jeeps and other equipment for the paratroops

On other Pacific-Asiatic fronts Allied forces scored important gains. Chinese troops on the Asiatic mainland were within 175 miles of Shanghai, Veteran Australian forces advanced deeper into the great ^oil fields on Borneo's west coast.

As the final battle for the Cagayan country took form against an estimated 20,000 trapped Japanese. Gen. Douglas MacArthur rushed hundreds of battle-seasoned troops of the 11th Airborne division into the northern part of the valley to Join other Yank and guerrilla forces there.

 

UnitedNations

StatesmenCall

Meet 'Succes

SAN FRANCISCO, June 24 —(UP)—

Statesmen of 50 nations appraised the United Nations conference today as a success — it has produced a charter for a new world league.

The task is finished. Only a two-day whirl of formalities for the conference — a plenary

session tomorrow for final approval of the charter text, the signing of the document by delegates who drafted It, a round of speeches Tuesday.

President Truman flies In from his Pacific Northwest vacation spot late tomorrow to look In

on the ceremonies and brlng the conference to a conclusion with a congratulatory address

late Tuesday afternoon,

Except for a comma to be inserted or a word changed here and there, work on the charter is complete. A steering committee of all conference delegation chiefs saw to that last night.