SURPRISE ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 March 1942, Page 4

SURPRISE ATTACKS

ON JAPANESE PACIFIC BASES AMERICAN OFFICIAL REPORT. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 25. A task of the United States Pacific Fleet raided Wake and Marcus islands recently, says a Navy communique, causing extensive damage. The communique says ViceAdmiral Halsey, commander of the naval attack on the Marshall Islands on January 31, delivered additional blows at two enemy outposts, the first on February 24, at Wake Island, and the second on March 4 at Marcus Island. “Although the islands have been the scene of much recent enemy activity,” the communique adds, “these surprise attacks met with little opposition. The attacking forces found few enemy planes or ships in the areas. Considerable damage was done to shore positions, aircraft runways and water tanks by a combined bombardment from aircraft and surface vessels, following the pattern so effectively used at the Marshall Islands. At Wake Island, 219 bombs from aircraft and many shells from cruisers and destroyers rained on shore installations and the landing-field. Two enemy patrol boats were sunk and three large seaplanes at anchor were demolished. Aircraft runways and part of the defence batteries were damaged. Our loss in this engagement was one aircraft.

At Marcus Island our forces executed a successful air attack before dawn on March 4, dropping flares to illuminate objectives. No enemy aircraft or ships were present. Heavy antiaircraft fire was encountered. Our planes dropped 96 bombs, resulting in considerable damage to hangars, fuel and ammunition storages, radio installations, and aircraft runways. Our loss in this engagement was one aircraft,”

AWARD OF DECORATIONS (Received This Day, 1.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 25. It is reported from Pearl Harbour that Admiral Nimitz has decorated-Vice-Admiral Halsey with the Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his feat in. the Marshall and Gilbert Islands raid on January 31. Admiral Nimitz has also presented the Navy Cross to Harold Dixon and commendations to Anthony Pastula and Gene Al Drich, who survived for 34 days at sea in a tiny rubber life-raft when their Navy bomber crashed.