KURIL RAID

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 July 1943, Page 4

KURIL RAID

JAPANESE NAVAL BASE AS TARGET GOOD BOMBING RESULTS. FORETASTE OF MORE TO FOLLOW (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.45 a.m.) NEW YORK. July 21. Commenting on yesterday’s raid . cn Paramusair, in the Kuril Isi lands, reported in yesterday’s Navy Department communique, the United Press says Paramusair is Japan’s main naval base in the North Pacific and has a strategic importance comparable with that of Pearl Harbour. American planes yesterday apparently operated from Amchitka in the Western Aleutians. Navy officials are well pleased with the results of the raid, which is the first blow struck by American bombers at the Japanese home islands since Tokio was bombed. An Associated Press correspondent says the bombers returned from the Paramusair raid without the loss of a single plane. Pilots said the bombing was no more difficult than the bombing of Kiska. No enemy fighters were encountered and there was only slight anti-aircraft fire. Bombs were dropped near ships in the harbour and several large- buildings near an aeroplane landing strip were set on fire. The raiders were in the air for over nine hours and spent at least forty minutes over the target. The correspondent adds that all the pilots were veterans of raids on Attu or Kiska. They knew they were making a dangerous survey flight, in preparation for future attacks which eventually will include all the Kurils, extending later to Japan proper.