ENEMY’S LOSSES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 229, 24 June 1944, Page 7

ENEMY’S LOSSES

Heavy Damage To

Carriers NEW YORK, June 22. Admiral Nimitz listed the following' casualties as having been inflicted on the enemy:— . . One carrier, believed to be the Zuikaku, of 17,000 tons, received three 1000 lb. bomb hits. On. Hayataka class (modern 27,500ton) carrier sunk. One Hayataka class carrier severely damaged and left burning furiously. One light carrier of the Zuiho-Taiho class (12,000 tons) received at least one One Kongo class battleship, 29,000 tons, damaged. One cruiser damaged. Three destroyers damaged, one of which is believed to have been sunk. Three tankers sunk. Two tankers severely damaged ana lert burning. .. . .. From 15 to 20 defending aircraft shot down. ’ The American losses in the attack were 49 aircraft, including many which landed in the water at night, from which an undetermined number of pilots and crew appeared to have been rescued. The search for the others is continuing. The announcement, after referring to the damage to United States warships, stated that 21 aircrafts were lost in the combat. A Smashing Defeat. Admiral Nimitz made his announcement in an extraordinary broadcast, in which he said: “The United States’ Fifth Fleet has delivered a smashing defeat to a major section of the Japanese Fleet in a great carrier-aircraft v. surface ships battle in the sea between the .Mariannes and the Philippines. “What was left of the Japs when the battle was over ran away. Our forces sank four Japanese ships and probably sank two more. They heavily damaged three and damaged five, a total of 14. “During an attack by enemy carrier type aircraft on our ships on Sunday 353 enemy aircraft were shot down. Of these 835 were destroyed by our carrier aircraft and 18 by our ack-ack fire. “The Japanese fleet consisted of four or more battleships, five or six carriers, five fleet tankers, and attached cruisers and destroyers. The engagement was broken off by the Japanese fleet, which fled toward the channel between Formosa and Luzon (northern Philippines). “The Pacific Fleet units in these two actions were commanded by Admiral Spruance.” , . The carrier force was under the immediate tactical command of Vice-Admiral Mitscher. An American spokesman, commenting on the damage to United States warships, said that the term “superficial damage” meant that a ship’s capacity for battle was unimpaired. NAVAL INFERIORITY Japanese Flight Seen As Admission (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received June 23, 11.30 pmi.) SYDNEY, June 23.

No disposition exists among Australian war commentators to regard Monday's air-sea battle of the Mariannes as the decisive naval encounter of the Pacific war. As was widely anticipated, a major segment of the Japanese Grand Fleet, faced with the inevitability of a smashing defeat, withdrew from the engagement before units of the American 58th Task Force could close iu for the long-hoped-for close-range fight to the finish. Nevertheless. news of the flight of the Japanese warships-is received with elation as being a clear enemy admission of naval inferiority. The extent of this inferiority is heavily underlined by official disclosures of the strength of the American task force. While observers await details of the encounter, the Sydney “Telegraph” says in an editorial: “It is considered questionable in these days of air reconnaissance whether two great fleets can ever be joined in battle. It has not happened so far iu this war. However, an important feature is that the American Fleet is seeking out the Japanese 'and the Japanese Fleet is evading the Americans. With the whole of her war conquests immediately threatened, Japan remains on the defensive. If the Japanese Navy does not defend the Philippines, then our reconquest of all the Indies will come sooner than expected.” No Opposition Over Truk.

The diminution of Japanese strength in her now isolated central Pacific bases as a result of the American invasion of the Mariannes is already becoming apparent. In three successive days. Southwest Pacific Liberators raiding the big enemy base of Truk, in the* Carolines, have met no fighter opposition. Previously, every Allied attack was fiercely resisted by Japanese fighters and air battles were often continued till the bombers were more than 100 miles on their way home. It is thought that the Japanese may have withdrawn their air strength from Truk to- bases closer to the Philippines, or that they are saving vitally needed planes to meet further moves by Admiral . Spruance’s mighty task force.FURTHER ADVANCES Americans On Saipan (Received June 23. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON. June 22. “Our troons on Saipan Island, in the Mariannes, have made further advances more than a mile along the shoreline of Magicienne Bay to the town of Laulau and have advanced about a mile up Mt. Tanotchau.” says a Navy Department communique. “A pocket of enemy resistance an Nafutan Point has been reduced by half and our forces have gained heights on Mt. Nafutan on the east coast. “Heavy pressure is being maintained night and day against enemv troop concentrations and defence works by our aircraft. army and marine artillery and naval gunfire. Several enemy aircraft on Tuesday night dropped bombs near our transports and along the shore, without damage. Sporadic fire was directed against our shins by shore batteries, but enemy emplacements have been quickly knocked out.”