THREE ISLANDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1942, Page 3

THREE ISLANDS

OCCUPIED BY JAPANESE IN MOST WESTERLY PART OF ALEUTIANS. SIXTEEN ENEMY SHIPS SUNK OR DAMAGED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 18. A United States Navy Department communique states: “The army ah corps on July 6 bombed the Japaneseoccupied island of Kiska, and on July 11 bombed a Japanese cruiser in the Aleutians. Fiftysix bombs were dropped on Kiska.” Summarising operations in the Aleutians to the present, the Navy Department adds that the second Japanese raid on Dutch Harbour on June 4 with 18 carrier-based bombers and 16 fighters met with little success. Casualties totalled 44 military personnel killed and 49 wounded and one civilian killed. The Japanese have occupied the island of Agattu and thus now occupy three remote islands in the most westerly part of the Aleutians. Three United States destroyers and smaller vessels were at Dutch Harbour during the initial attack on June 3. United States planes on June 4 located and attacked with undetermined results the Japan-, ese carriers which launched the planes making these attacks. At least seven Japanese aircraft were destroyed, while a number of American aircraft were lost. . . . The Japanese force making the initial attack on the Aleutians consisted approximately of two small carriers, two seaplane tenders, several cruisers and destroyers and from four to srx transports. So far 16 Japanese vessels have been sunk or damaged in the Aleutians. These include one cruiser, one transport and three destroyers sunk and nine other warships damaged. The latter include at least one carrier The vessel Northwestern, which was bombed in the second raid on Dutch Harbour, has been beached and is now used as barracks for construction workers. On June 4 the Japanese also attacked the armed post of Fort Glenn, 70 miles west of Dutch Harbour. Two Japanese planes were shot down. The attack had been anticipated and a strong anti-aircraft barrage greeted the Japanese. Since June 4 there have been no further attacks on United States military installations in Alaska or the Aleutians, the military effectiveness of which has not been seriously impaired.