July 23, 1945 U. S. FLEET UNAPOSED FOR 14 DAYS:

THIS WAS REPORTD TODAY, JULY 23, 1945:

Kingsport, Tenn., Monday, July 23, 1945

 

Guam—AP—America's mighty Pacific Fleet thrust boldly inside the mouth of Tokyo's outer bay today to wreck a four-ship convoy, and Admiral Nimitz said carrier planes sweeping over the same waters Wednesday blew the top off one of Japan's last two seaworthy battleships. In all, the carrier pilots sank or damaged 21 enemy vessels.

It was the 14th consecutive day the fleet prowled unopposed off Japan— 14 historic days in which the fleet and far-ranging land-and air power of Admiral Nimitz and General MacArthur had sunk or damage 791 vessels and small craft and destroyed or damaged 596 airplanes.

 No Opposition

Significant of the total lack of opposition, the fleet today was operating in at least two widely separated units. While one light force ventured farther into Tokyo's outer bay than ever before in the war, another light force of warships bombarded Chichi Jlma 580 miles) southeast. Seventy-five to 100 superforts added to the cloud* of flying debrla today with a 450-ton demolition strike on the Ube synthetic oil refinery on southwestern Honshu.

Crewmen observed "excellent results," and all planes returned.

Movements of the combined fleet's heavy units remained hidden by radio silence. There was no Indication that typhoons which stalled MacArthur's aerial threats from. Okinawa for the second consecutive day had shifted into the fleet's zone of action—and Tokyo radio warned that new fleet attacks are expected momentarily.

 

Potsdam—AP—A broadcast U. S. surrender ultimatum to Japan was viewed by many competent observers here today as a thinly veiled warning to the enemy that Soviet participation—at least "to some extent—in the Pacific war is imminent.

.It was known here that the Saturday night short-wave

broadcast' from Washington was authorized by President Truman and was cleared in Potsdam at the little White House, Significance was attached to  Japanese leaders that they would not be able to deal with the United Sates alone unless they surrendered promptly.

 

Chinese Hit

Approaches
To Kweilin

Chungking —AP— Chinese forces hammered today at the approaches to strategic Kweilin, former U. S. 14th Air Base city In Kwangsi Province, in a multi-pronged drive supported by American fighters.

The High Command announced last night that the highway town of Liangfeng, IB miles south of the air base city, had been overrun, and its seizure threatened to cut off all  forces to the south, both on the Kwangsl-Hunan railroad and on the subsidiary highway to Kweilin.

 

+++++++++++++++++++++