CASUALTIES ON ATTU

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23965, 4 June 1943, Page 5

CASUALTIES ON ATTU

ONLY FOUR JAPANESE TAKEN PRISONER MOVE AGAINST KISKA SUGGESTED (Rec. 7 p.m.) , LONDON, June S. Only four prisoners were taken by the Americans during the fighting on Attu Island, in the Aleutians. Washington, in releasing official figures, says that 1500 Japanese dead were counted, but this did not include those killed by high explosive or those buried by their comrades. ' A United States Navy spokesman said that the figure of enemy casualties was based on the actual count of bodies, but the total killed was possibly 50 or 100 per cent, greater, since it was not known how many had been killed By naval shelling or buried by their comrades. Thus the exact number of Japanese remaining on Attu could not be estimated. The Japanese reported that their men numbered 3000 at the beginning of the campaign. The Navy has not revealed the American casualties on Attu Island, but Senator A. B. Chandler told the press that the conquest had cost many American dead. He added; “It looks as if Kiska is next on the list. The Japanese have 12,000 men there and also an airfield and submarine base.’’ On Monday United States h£avy bombers and fighters strafed Japanese positions on Kiska.