Evening star., 1940-07-27
Canals Defenders
Give Raid Planes
Hot Reception
Satisfaction Indicated
With Results Of Second
Test of Protection

b the Associated Press.
BALBOA, Canal Zone. July 81
Panama Canal Zone defenses were
checked for possible loopholes today
after according hot reception to
swarms of enemy" planes which
roared across the narrow IsthmuS
last night in a surprise attack SIM
ulating modern blitzkrieg methods
and, incidentally, catching defense
officers in their dinner clothes.
Pending an analysis of detailed
field reports staff officers would not
say whether the defenders had
scored an unqualified victory, but
their grim smiles indicated they
were far from dissatisfied with the
protectors of the Canal, a vital key
to Western Hemisphere defense.
In the absence of official COM
ment the best indication of the
efficiency of the defense was the
fact the alert signal was sounded
an hour before the raiders we're
In position to strike, although the
raid had been planned with such
secrecy that only those in the high
est places knew it was coming,
The raiders had taken off some
time before from Coco Solo for
rendezvous far out at sea, The
detection of the approach long be-
fore they put in an appearance,
demonstrated the efficiency of the
Army's listening devices, officials
said
Flares in Place of Bombs.
Except for the actual crash of
exploding bombs the attack, exc
cuted by planes from the Coco Solo
naval base on the Atlantic side,
was carried out under conditions
closely resembling actual warfare.
For As minutes searchlights
stabbed the air as formations of
hlgh-speed bomberS swept over the
vital waterway searching for vul-
nerable points. Flares which the
raiders dropped instead of bombs
gave an eerie brilliance to the scene.
Both entrances to the canal AS
we'll as the locks were the object of
attack. Two forays were reported
on the Pacific side and one on the
Atlantic
The exact number of planes par
ticipating was uncertain. but one
outpost on the Pacific Coast re-
ported that a score of big bombers
had been spotted by searchlights,
Gen. Sanderford Jarman, COM
mander of the Canal Zone anti-air-
craft defenses. was attending din
ner party with members of his staff
when the warning system flashed
word about 6:15 pm. that "suspi-
cious" planes were approaching.
Clad in their evening clothes the
officers hastened to headquarters
and anti aircraft batteries strung
out along the 50-mile length of the
canal were standing by within a
matter of minutes.
Fortified Islands "Raided."
The raiders apparently attempted
to avoid areas known to be heavily
defended, but witnesses reported
that at least one flight paid brief
visit to fortified islands at the Pa
cific entrance. dropping flares in
that area.
The defenders endeavored to keep
their guns trained on the attackers,
but fired only theoretical shells.
The mock raid was the second
staged by Navy planes since the
Canal Zone defenses were reorgan-
lied last fall. The element of sur
prise played a greater part in last
nights raid, however, for word of
the previous attack had leaked out
in advance to some of the defense
forces.
Although the planes took off from
Coco Solo their departure from that
base did not in itself constitute
tipoff to the defenders, for the naval
craft there do considerable night
flying.
Prior to coming here last fall Gen.
Jarman was chief of antiaircraft de-
tense on the Hawaiian Islands. Un-
der his command all ground anti
aircraft units in the Zone were weld
ed into one organization known as
the Panama Provisional Coast Artil-
]ery Brigade, which operates in close
cooperation with the Army Air
Force,