ENEMY TOE-HOLD IN ALEUTIANS
Potential Threat
(Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 15. “The Japanese toe-hold on Kiska and Attu constitutes a potential threat, but the, situation is not serious,” said a ranking naval officer, who has returned from the Aleutians. He added: “If we needed Kiska we could take it. The Japanese are due for a surprise if they attempt a major attack.” The officer minimized the importance of the Aleutians in the general Pacific strategy. Mr Magnuson, a member of the United States House of Representatives, who has returned from a visit _to Alaska, said he was convinced the military plan was to pulverise Kiska out of commission or take it by invasion before the winter. Mr Magnuson alleged that United States bombers last June lost a chance to annihilate a Japanese surface force, including an air-craft-carrier because of an unfortunate failure of Army and Navy co-operation. He says that the Navy informed the Army command that a Japanese task force was located within operating distance and requested the aid of landbased Army planes against the Japanese. The Army Command, however, did not believe its ' orders warranted sending an air force and consequently the Japanese escaped unscathed.
Mr Magnuson added, however, that the Army and Navy in Alaska are now working in the closest co-operation. “Therefore,” he said, “there is no possibility of this happening again.” HEAVY BOMBARDMENT
Further details of the raids on the island of Kiska by a United States task force on August 8 and 9 are given in a Navy communique which reveals that a fourth enemy vessel—a destroyer—was heavily damaged and left burning. A fleet of about 10 cargo ships and transports and four submarines was observed in the harbour before the bombardment by the task force, which encountered opposition from the shore batteries and seaplane fighters. The American ships were not damaged and only one plane was lost. Over 3000 shells were fired at the enemy’s main camp and large fires were started. A secondary camp was also heavily bombarded, resulting in the silencing of all the batteries ashore.
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Southland Times, Issue 24824, 17 August 1942, Page 5
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346ENEMY TOE-HOLD IN ALEUTIANS Southland Times, Issue 24824, 17 August 1942, Page 5
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