SMALL GARRISONS AND HUGE SUPPLY DEPOTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5304, 17 January 1947, Page 7

SMALL GARRISONS AND HUGE SUPPLY DEPOTS

Little more than a -yeal ago, the islands of the Pacific were crammed arsenals of Allied might — springboards for the final thrust at the Japanese home islands. With the Japanese surrendel; few retained permanent value and all saw a decline that left them little more than rusting museums of battle. In a recent trans-Pacific flight. a staff correspondent of the Christian Science Monitor made a survey of the once-great bases. He writes: — 4

The quantity of material Which was.poured into the islands to enable United States forces to cross the Pacific impressed even the lowliest private or seaman with a>. sense of the eost and waste of war. But with the end of the fighting came the ery "let the stuff rot — let's go home." CongTess called the boys home, but fast. As Admirals in the Pacitic 'today descrihe the roll-up, it was a case of downing tools, literally. After more than a year, and for all that has been removed and sold, surplus property — second hand or new — is still the dominating sight on many islands. As yet the bases are not quite as deserted as Goldsmith's village. Island by island there is some activity, thoug'h naval commands complained of manpower shortage everywhere and had ample proof of their problems. Here is a report on how some of the islands in the Western Pa.cific appear to-day, more than a year after Japan's surrender: Kwajalein. Kwajalein always was a grim island' for duty and* stil} is. There are still only four cocoanut trees growing, although Commodore B. H. Wyatt has utilised thd help of the Marshallese to bring in some grass and low shrubs, stoftening somewhat the landscape of Quonset and Dallus huts. A few officers' families have arrived. Commodore Wyatt is anxious to bring out families of as many men as possible, as soon as possible. Thus far the families have been hrought out hy ship to Pearl Harhour and then flown to Kwajalein. Chief activity on the island is the servicing- of transoceanic aircraft, although there are some personnel from Operation Crossroads winding up details of the Bikini operation. Kwajalein is a welt'ome spot on the long flights between slcy and sea. But you are glad to be off in a few hours. Majuro Majuro is a dilapidated base. If anyone wants evidence of what happenenl to the islands which the Amerieans rebuilt from cocoanut groves to military bases he will find it here. Everything is deteriorating due to the lack of men and supplies to maintain the equipment. There is no word to describe the jeeps exeept "beat-up." At least half the jeeps v/on't start themselves. Local Marshallese are used by the Navy wherever possible, from road workers to tnesshoys. One gets the impression of rust, rust, rust. A small naval detachment tries to keep the air strip in commission, maintains a seqplane base for the Mai*tin Mars, which stops en route from Pearl Harhour to Guam, and carries on in military government. Several enlisted men have their families here. Guam There are approximately 25,500 service personnel on duty here at Western Naval Headquarters. The total population of the Guamanians is only about 23,000. Rear Admii'al A. Pownall wears three bats. He is Governor of Guam, Commander of the Mariana Islands, and Island Cnmmander of Guam. He maintains his headquarters in the old Cinc Page G.H.Q. atop what is popularly known on Guam as "snob-hill." The Admiral and his staff have retained the staff quarters on the hill. Two of the former super-Quonset B.O.Q.'s (bachelor officer quarters), now painted white, house the civil service girls who have come out to Guam. Some families of both officers and enlisted ranks have arrived. There is a noticeable current of complaint among the enlisted men that the officers are being given special advantages in acquiring Quonset homes to enahle their families to come out. Corespondents were unable, for lack of time, to check upon the validity of these rumours, but morale is not as high as on some other islands. Saipan. To speak of Saipan and Guam — whieh are about 100 miles apart — is almost to speak of black and white. The atmosphei-e, scenery and morale on the two islands is so mueh in contrast. Perhaps it is the climate, which is more pleasant on Saipan than on Guam, which is hotter and more humid. Perhaps it is the old complaint that where there is rank there are formality and restrictions. In any case, some junior officers on Saipan, who now have their wives and families on the island, have requested their tour of duty there be extended — something contrary to every other base we visited from Hawaii to China. Enlisted men also spohe well of Saipan and their commanding officer, Captain D. F. Smith. Military government for the Saipanese appeared more thoroughly established and in better operation than on any other island. This is one of the largest military government projects in the Pacific. (Guam is not to bq; conxused on this point — Guam has had a naval civil government for nearly 50 years and is not under the stricter military government.) Commander L. Findley, U.S'.N.R., has his schools teaching English to the Saipanese (who for the last 25 years have been under the Japanese), has a modern fish plant which the Saipanese operate, small shops, handicrafts and farms. What was shown was impress'ive, ibut it was ta one-day visit and correspondents were unable to f erret for themselves. Tinian. Tinian is the island with the world's largest airfield, but witbout a

i single airplane. Whether the military assertioh as to size is entirely accu- : rate is beside the point. Ir Tinian does not have -the largest airfield, it ( has the most. W'herever you look from , the air upon this island you see the mile-or-more long air strips; you see . revetments by multiple dozens. The ! day we flew -over, not a living tljing ADD U.S PACIIPIIC IBIAISIESIIII could be seen. Two years ago there was never a moment, night or day, when men were not working. We were told there are military caretakers on the island and we wondered what there is to do there now. Revetments and air strips, air strips and revetments. No. B29s. Nor any more destruction of cities and civilians. Tinian, an island the Japanese will not forget Palau Islands. The Palau Islands are some of the most battered islands in the Pacific, which is saying a gooS deal. The island of Peleliu presents a striking example of how a base that was once strategic can fall apart when everything — manpower, supplies, food and moraje — runs low. Eleven naval offi- , cers and 166 enlisted men are endeavouring to keep the Palaus "in commission." The island of Korror was the seat of the former Japanese South Seas Development Company, as well as the government seat of its South Seas empire. This island once housed 5'000 persons. To-day there- are almost no habitations standing. Boarded-up Quonsets, used truclcs and bulldozers and crates full of war materials appear to be rusting or rotting away,Amidst this hackground of desolation, the Navy's military government men are working with the United States Comanercial Qfompany to reactivate the copra, shelling and (fishing industries of the Palaus, and a start toward recovery has been made. Truk Atoll. Truk Atoll is the Japanese base which propaganda built into mythical streng'th but which finally surrendered without firing a shot. It was bypassed. The Japanese could have put up a stout defence. High, volcanic conqs on the various islands were natural gun emplacements of which many are #stil in evidence. Caves and a system of underground trails honeycomb the hills. Aside fi*om the grim military aspeet, these islands are beautiful. Tlie foliage is abundant and some of the islands have a great agricultural potential. American forces, which eame to Truk after the war, have built a small holding base and airfield on Moen Island. To-day 200 naval personnel are stationed here. Of the 1'0,000-odd Japanese who were in Truk 18 months ago, only 600 remain. They are all on Moen, classed as detained military personnel rather than prisoners "of war, and in the former capacity as labourers. Japanese naval installations on the Jsland of Dublon, in the words of Admiral C. H. Wright, "did not amount to much by our standards, are now worthless as a result of bombing, and the jungles are taking over."