February 26, 1945:TOKYO SET ABLAZE; INCENDARY AND DEMOLITION BOMBS:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1945:

Salt Lake City, Utah, Monday Morning, February 26, 1945

200 Superforts,

Unopposed,

Set Capital Afire

Carrier Airmen Pulverize Ground

Defenses, Interceptor Craft

As Snowstorm Blinds Target Area

GUAM, Monday, Feb. 26 (UP) —

More than 200 Superfortresses, the greatest formation which ever took the air, teamed

with hundreds of carrier-based planes Sunday in a great one-two punch against the industrial heart of Tokyo and bombed secondary targets over a wide area, Japanese broadcasts admitted that the great port of Yokohama on Tokyo bay was hit by the carrier planes and said that the Superfortresses dropped bombs, incendiary and demolition,

"adjacent to" the moated palace of Emperor Hirohito in central Tokyo.

No direct word was received, however, from Vice Adm. Marc A. Mitscher's huge carrier fleet, leading to the belief the task force was still under the necessity of observing radio silence, (The British radio, heard by the blue network, said part of the imperial guard barracks was destroyed near the palace.

Tokyo Reports Bombers Return for Third Attack (The federal communications commission heard a Tokyo broadcast say that bombers were flying toward Tokyo from the

southwest Sunday night. That would mean a third attack. (A broadcast of the American broadcasting service in Europe, heard by N B C, reported that 25,000 square yards of Tokyo were ablaze.)

Superfortress pilots returning jubilant to base Sunday night after their flight reported that not a single enemy plane challenged them and that there was little antiaircraft fire.

Many of them never saw the earth or sea on the entire flight. They bombed through cloud formations 13,500 feet thick. But others saw sprawled beneath them the great task force 58 from which the carrier planes had bombed military targets all around

the capital.

The main Superfortress fleet met a 140-mile wind over Tokyo and bombed with the wind at a speed of 450 miles an hour.

Sweep Beyond Roer to Within 15

Miles of Cologne, Win 22 More

Towns as German Defense Falters

PARIS, Monday, Feb. 26 (AP)—

A. steamroller American offensive rumbled seven miles beyond the Roer river to within 15 miles of Cologne Sunday, knocking out Dueren—keystone of the Rhineland's outer defenses—and 24 other German towns against faltering enemy resistance.

In all, three American armies had hurdled all major water barriers west of the Rhine after shattering the Siegfried line, for the V. S. Third army 60 miles south

of the Rhine-bound offensive had smashed across the Pruem river

and was driving the Germans before it in disorder.

Tanks, heavy artillery and fresh infantry units poured across the Roer in endless streams, broadening the breach in the river line to 28 miles and slashing with gathering momentum to within five miles of the Erft river, last enemy line of defense short of the Rhine.

Campaign to Clear

Northern Flank

Gathers Momentum

LONDON, Monday, Feb. 26

(UP) —

Russian troops knocked out another section of the German's emergency Baltic line Sunday, capturing the Pomeranian stronghold of Preussisch-Friedland and crossing. the Chojnice-Stettin railroad in a drive of gathering power to clear their northern flank for a frontal assault on Berlin.

Indications mounted that the attack on the German capital, only 31 miles from Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov's First White Russian army spearheads at the Oder,

might not be long delayed. The German command sent out planes of Berlin's home defense air force to attack Zhukov's swelling concentrations and fierce air battles raged from the Oder to Berlin's eastern suburbs.

February 25, 1945; Manila Liberation complete:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1945:

ABILENE, TEXAS, SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 25, 1945 -THIRTY-FOUR PAGES IN THREE SECTIONS

U. S. PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUARTERS, Guam, Sunday,

Feb. 25.—(AP)--'

Three Marine divisions, driving straight into the face of the most modern weapons" Japan has yet employed in the Pacific and over a maze of long-built defenses, captured half of the enemy's last airfield on Iwo Saturday afternoon.

Pushing their lines north to encompass nearly the whole south half of the island, they ground out gains of 300 to 500 yards.

But it was paid for in blood every inch of the way past pillboxes, blockhouses and fortified caves. On one flank alone 100 caves, 30 to 40 feet deep, had to be knocked- out.

Bud Foster, NBC war correspondent aboard the expeditionary flagship of Vice-

Adm. Richmond Kelly Turner off Iwo, said today the "final all-out drive" is on.

Warships of the fleet have moved In closer to Iwo in backing up the offensive.

The Marine invasion army of Lt. Gen. Holland M. (Howlin' Mad) Smith, perhaps exceeding 40,000 men, apparently passed the crisis on Iwo Friday and, with steadily unloaded equipment, is north bound in accumulated power, screened by

artillery, carrier planes and warship guns.

But today's communique went ' to unusual ends to emphasize that the Nipponese power of resistance also remains great despite absence of supporting warships

and planes.

Prisoners Freed From Last Jap Prison on Luzon

' LOS BANOS, Philippines, Feb. 24— (IP)—

More than 2,000 civilian prisoners of the Japanese—most of them Americans were freed today, liberated by Yank soldiers and Filipino guerrillas in another of the Pacific war's daring and dramatic rescues.

The liberating force struck yesterday from the sky, over land and across water, far behind the Japanese lines, to free 2,146 men, women and children and wipe out the entire Japanese garrison at the Los Banos internment camp, about 45 miles southeast of war-battered Manila.

The internees, pinched by hunger and showing signs of more than three years internment, quickly were carried to safety. Some of them, Including the aged, were brought out on litters.

American casualties in the sensational operation totaled six—two

Soldiers killed, two wounded and two internees slightly injured.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who ordered the rescue, said Providence was certainly with the Doughboys and the guerrillas. He declared: "Nothing could be more satisfying to a soldier's heart than this rescue. I am deeply grateful."

Among the rescued were 11 United States Navy nurses. They were captured at the Canacao naval hospital, near Cavite, in January, 1942. 'first interned at Santo Tomas camp, they volunteered to take over duties of the Los Banos hospital when the Japanese opened the latter camp in May, 1943.

Liberation

Of Manila

Completed

MANILA, Sunday. Feb. 24.—

Manila, strewn with the bodies of more than 12,000 Japanese, was completely liberated Saturday —three weeks to a day after Yanks first entered it.

The death gasp of th5 enemy's fanatical garrison was emitted within the centuries-old walls of the Intramuros where 3,000 frightened and tortured civilians were rescued—a day after the dramatic behind the lines liberation of 2,146 civilians

southeast of the city at Los Banos.

The triumph was reported in a communique whitch pointed out that Japanese losses on Luzon and Leyte, far exceeding 200,000, were so disproportionate that early liberation of all the Philippines is in prospect.

The communique also listed more than 2,000 on Corrceidor,  in Manila Bay with other' thousands dead underground.

Grim-faced Yanks of Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beighller's 37^th (Buckeye) and Maj. Gen. Verne D. Mudge's First Cavalry divisions, try first to enter Manila, slaughtered the last remnants of an enemy garrison once estimated at 20,000.

Yank Force Only 19 Miles of Cologne

Gains Nearly

Five Miles

PARIS, Sunday, Feb. 25.—(AP)—

The American First and fifth Armies plunged nearly five miles across the Cologne plain beyond the shattered Roer river defense line yesterday, engulfing 30 towns and villages and capturing thousands of the German west bank Rhine force which General Eisenhower declared he was going to destroy.

At dusk on the second day of the powerful push—by German account "the greatest offensive Eisenhower has ever staged"—American spearheads were 12 miles from the western Ruhr basin and 19..from Cologne, and had won half of the Roer river bastion to Dueren.

February 25, 1945; IWO GAINS PAID WITH BLOOD:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1945:

ABILENE, TEXAS, SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 25, 1945 -THIRTY-FOUR PAGES IN THREE SECTIONS

U. S. PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUARTERS, Guam, Sunday,

Feb. 25.—(AP)--'

Three Marine divisions, driving straight into the face of the most modern weapons" Japan has yet employed in the Pacific and over a maze of long-built defenses, captured half of the enemy's last airfield on Iwo Saturday afternoon.

Pushing their lines north to encompass nearly the whole south half of the island, they ground out gains of 300 to 500 yards.

But it was paid for in blood every inch of the way past pillboxes, blockhouses and fortified caves. On one flank alone 100 caves, 30 to 40 feet deep, had to be knocked- out.

Bud Foster, NBC war correspondent aboard the expeditionary flagship of Vice-

Adm. Richmond Kelly Turner off Iwo, said today the "final all-out drive" is on.

Warships of the fleet have moved In closer to Iwo in backing up the offensive.

The Marine invasion army of Lt. Gen. Holland M. (Howlin' Mad) Smith, perhaps exceeding 40,000 men, apparently passed the crisis on Iwo Friday and, with steadily unloaded equipment, is north bound in accumulated power, screened by

artillery, carrier planes and warship guns.

But today's communique went ' to unusual ends to emphasize that the Nipponese power of resistance also remains great despite absence of supporting warships

and planes.

Prisoners Freed From Last Jap Prison on Luzon

' LOS BANOS, Philippines, Feb. 24— (IP)—

More than 2,000 civilian prisoners of the Japanese—most of them Americans were freed today, liberated by Yank soldiers and Filipino guerrillas in another of the Pacific war's daring and dramatic rescues.

The liberating force struck yesterday from the sky, over land and across water, far behind the Japanese lines, to free 2,146 men, women and children and wipe out the entire Japanese garrison at the Los Banos internment camp, about 45 miles southeast of war-battered Manila.

The internees, pinched by hunger and showing signs of more than three years internment, quickly were carried to safety. Some of them, Including the aged, were brought out on litters.

American casualties in the sensational operation totaled six—two

Soldiers killed, two wounded and two internees slightly injured.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who ordered the rescue, said Providence was certainly with the Doughboys and the guerrillas. He declared: "Nothing could be more satisfying to a soldier's heart than this rescue. I am deeply grateful."

Among the rescued were 11 United States Navy nurses. They were captured at the Canacao naval hospital, near Cavite, in January, 1942. 'first interned at Santo Tomas camp, they volunteered to take over duties of the Los Banos hospital when the Japanese opened the latter camp in May, 1943.

Liberation

Of Manila

Completed

MANILA, Sunday. Feb. 24.—

Manila, strewn with the bodies of more than 12,000 Japanese, was completely liberated Saturday —three weeks to a day after Yanks first entered it.

The death gasp of th5 enemy's fanatical garrison was emitted within the centuries-old walls of the Intramuros where 3,000 frightened and tortured civilians were rescued—a day after the dramatic behind the lines liberation of 2,146 civilians

southeast of the city at Los Banos.

The triumph was reported in a communique whitch pointed out that Japanese losses on Luzon and Leyte, far exceeding 200,000, were so disproportionate that early liberation of all the Philippines is in prospect.

The communique also listed more than 2,000 on Corrceidor,  in Manila Bay with other' thousands dead underground.

Grim-faced Yanks of Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beighller's 37^th (Buckeye) and Maj. Gen. Verne D. Mudge's First Cavalry divisions, try first to enter Manila, slaughtered the last remnants of an enemy garrison once estimated at 20,000.

Yank Force Only 19 Miles of Cologne

Gains Nearly

Five Miles

PARIS, Sunday, Feb. 25.—(AP)—

The American First and fifth Armies plunged nearly five miles across the Cologne plain beyond the shattered Roer river defense line yesterday, engulfing 30 towns and villages and capturing thousands of the German west bank Rhine force which General Eisenhower declared he was going to destroy.

At dusk on the second day of the powerful push—by German account "the greatest offensive Eisenhower has ever staged"—American spearheads were 12 miles from the western Ruhr basin and 19..from Cologne, and had won half of the Roer river bastion to Dueren.