VERY HEAVY BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 February 1942, Page 3

VERY HEAVY BLOWS

STRUCK AT JAPANESE IN AMERICAN ATTACK ON ISLAND BASES PARTICULARS OF DAMAGE DONE. FIVE ENEMY WARSHIPS DESTROYED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 12. The United States Navy authorities at Pearl Harbour, the Pacific headquarters, have released a detailed account of the attack on the Japanese bases in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands on February I. The report states that four military and air bases were destroyed, 16 ships were sunk, and two villages were wiped out in the devastating assault. At least 38 enemy planes, most of them big bombers, and five four-engined seaplanes were destroyed. Also four radio stations were left in ruins. Five enemy warships were destroyed, including a converted aircraftcarrier, and also 11 naval auxiliary vessels. It is estimated that the enemy naval and merchant shipping sunk exceeded 100,000 tons, and an additional 60,000 tons of shipping was damaged. The ships destroyed included a 17,000-ton liner of the Yawata Maru class, two large submarines, a modern cruiser, three 10,000-ton tankers, and one 8,000-ton auxiliary vessel. Those which were damaged included an old cruiser, four auxiliary vessels, and three large submarines. The installations razed included nine modern hangars, fuel dumps, munition dumps, a concrete causeway, shore batteries, storehouses, warehouses, and quarters. The American fighters proved faster, heavier gunned and more manoeuvreable than the Japanese. The Japanese shore batteries were extremely ineffective and fired wide of their mark, and they were quickly silenced. A naval spokesman emphasised the extremely heavy blow which was struck against Japanese ships in this sweeping assault. It was the task of the force to “knock over some damn fine ships,” he said. Tremendous demands would be made on the Japanese ship-repair and rebuilding facilities. The assault was not without a miracle. In approaching Taroa Island one flight commander flew in at a low altitude, and he and one wing-man engaged almost an entire Japanese squadron of 12 fighters. The commander shot down two fighters, and the wing-man shot down one and collided with a second, which crashed. The American pilots returned to their aircraft carrier safely with their planes.