100-MILE BOUND

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 238, 5 July 1944, Page 5

100-MILE BOUND

Troops In Western

New Guinea (By Telegraph.—Press Assu. —Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received July 4, 9.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, July -1. American forces invaded Noemfoor Island, iu Geelvink Bay, western Dutch New Guinea, on Sunday morning. Their new landing point is 100 miles west of the recently-captured airfields on Biak Island. Kamiri airfield, one of the three on the island, has been captured. The American troops went ashore through a raging surf and over difficult coral reefs. They were supported by an intensive naval and air bombardment. The Japanese were taken by surprise and their carefully-prepared defences . were outflanked. They evidently had considered it impracticable for the Americans . to come ashore at the chosen landing point, and the unexpectedness of the invasion move enabled the capture of Noemfoor’s first strategic objective, the airfield, without a struggle. Thirty damaged planes were taken on the airfield. No Allied losses, naval, ground or air, were suffered in these operations. Australian and American warships had bombarded the pre-invasion targets, while Liberators dropped 150 tons of bombs. The first wave of assault troops reached the beach by. S o'clock, and within two hours had captured Kamiri. Artillery as well as infantry units have been landed. The Japanese garrison on Noemfoor is not thought to be large, but the enemy troops killed were in good condition, and had new uniforms and new weapons. Wider Air Deployment. 'This was the fourth American landing operation in Dutch New Guinea. Hollandia was invaded on April 22, Wakde Island on May 17, and Biak Island on May 27. The main military importance of Noemfoor Island lies in its three existing airstrips and the sites which it offers for new constructions. “The seizure of this base will give added breadth and depth to our air deployment and will further dislocate the enemy’s South Sea defences, already shaken by our previous advances,” says. General MacArthur’s communique which announces the landing. After stubborn fighting new gains have been made by the American forces at Sanni, Dutch New Guinea, where the invasion move coincided with that on Wakde Island. The Japanese garrison holding grimly to Maflin airstrip is being hard pressed. On the Hollandia' sector the known Japanese losses have now reached 5339. including 765 prisoners.