| Show New Philippine Invasions LoomAs LoomAs Loom LoomAs As Navy Summarizes Victory WASHINGTON Nov 18 R- R Powerful new sea-borne sea invasions of the held enemy-held Philippine islands appear probable in the near future The probability grows out of ot information disclosed in an nn official navy summary of ot the recent great victory over the Japanese fleet which may turn out to be among tho the decisive battles of ot modern times the navy says The Tho same cOl coi indicates the possibility of ot American landings landings land land- ings in islands north of the Philippines Philippines Philip Philip- pines pine to sever the island-guarded island route over which the enemy even yet i Is pouring reinforcements south In a n desperate effort to check Gen Douglas MacArthurs MacArthur's Leyte and Samar campaigns campaigns' aimed at I the eventual conquest of ot Luzon Luzon Is the key to domination of ot that area of ot the Pacific Recapture Recapture Recapture Recap Recap- ture of bases which MacArthur lost In tho the first weeks of or the war under overwhelming enemy pressure pressure pressure pres pres- sure will both slash the Japanese empire in half haIr and provide a startIng startIng starting start start- ing point for whatever new drives west vest to China and north to Japan arc are in tho the making The navy issued late Friday to bring the Oct Ocl 27 23 battle of or the Philippines up to toI date still did not give ghe an estimate estimate estimate esti esti- I mate of damage suffered by AmerIcan American American Amer Amer- ican ships because it said the Japanese still arc are wondering what hit them I On the other hand the Continued on Page Pace Two Column Two Invasions Loom LoomIn I In Philippines Continued from Pa Page Pac e One brought out that all the damage suffered by the six ships not actually sunk was capable of or I repair Some of the United States ships hurt in the fight already are back In duty the navy disclosed Total Japanese losses were put at 18 48 ships sunk or damaged plus an undetermined number of ot de destroyers destroyers do- do which Adm Chester W. W Nimitz had previously pre fixed at 10 for a grand total of ot 58 enemy vessels either destroyed or in somo some degree injured In the attack The American ships lost were ere Identified as the light carrier Princeton the escort carriers Saint Lo and Gambler Gambier Bay the destroyers destroy destroy- em ers Johnston and Hoel Hod and the destroyer escort Samuel B. B Rob Rob- erts crts A few small craft also were officially identified or counted as fleet casualties The navy nary drew two over all conclusions conclusions conclusions con con- as to the effects of the battle on the Philippines campaign campaign campaign cam cam- 1 There Is no prospect that the enemy now can prevent our own reinforcement and supply pf ot f Gen MacArthur and his gallant troops 2 The Japanese will continue to reinforce their units on Leyte and Samar despite the crippling of their fleet because the location of the islands affords protection and hiding hidIng- places for short fast transportation runs But the reInforcements re- re must move In at an Increasingly diminishing rate The full Cull story of the battle showed a carefully worked out plan of attack preliminary to the Philippines action which gave Sa MacArthur MacArthur MacArthur Mac- Mac Arthur the benefit of great surprise surprise surprise sur sur- prise in the landings on Leyte These actions running back to Oct 9 cost the Japanese a total of to ships sunk Bunk 56 probably probably probably ably sunk or heavily damaged 21 damaged and almost airplanes destroyed They also baffled the Tokyo command The com m u n i que brought rought out it was suffering from the loss of planes and other damage Inflicted by Vice Adm Marc A. A carrier task force of the Third fleet neet In th the operations which led up to the landings andings on and southwest of the on 66 Sept 15 The pattern of ot the great battle Itself turned out simply The Japanese Japa Japa- nese nose planned a three pronged assault assault assault as as- sault to entrap th the American forces guarding the operations at Leyte and then to smash the beachhead beach- beach h head ad itself by devastating naval bombardment Authorities concede concede concede con con- cede that the concepion conception conception concep- concep tion ion of at the attack was good but buthe the he makes clear that I these points point principally cost the I enemy the victory They were outfought in the air alt and on the surface by American forces even cn when they outnumbered outnumbered bored the American forc forces by terrific terrific ter tot odds They were evidently outnumbered I ered over the whole area although al- al alI I though hough the number of American ships participating was not given They proved inferior In the tactical tactical cal execution of oC their plan and I particularly in gunnery and sea sea- I manship I |
