Evening star., 1941-12-29
Marines Defense of Wake Island as Heroic
As Alamo, Navy Says in Stirring Account

base was ignited. Casualties in the
first raid were heavy. Some 25 per
sons were killed and more than that
number wounded.
Raid number two followed the
next day at almost the same hour
About 20 bombers attacked, these
including incendiaries in their bomb
loads. Raid number three came
before the day was over-this was
the ninth of December at Wake
Island. Due to vigorous plane and
anti-aircraft defenses, damege was
less severe than on December 8.
The third day Of the battle. De-
cember 10, brought the fourth air
raid and the first surface attack,
AS dawn broke. enemy Warships
started pumping shells onto the fiat,
virtually ShelterleSS atoll. There is
practically not a natural cover
against bombardment on Wake.
Except for man-made construction,
It's surface is bare and inhospitable.
AS the enemy Warships opened fire,
their aircraft came over in waves.
Nevertheless Wakes guns replied
with such good effect to this double
attack that a light cruiser and de-
stroyer were sunk. The defenders
also had the satisfaction of chalkng
up a total of six enemy planes de-
stroyed to and including this third
day of the battle.
The effectiveness of the Wake
shore batteries. demonstrated by the
sinking of two warshipS. evidently
impressed the enemy, for although
on that day two transports with
escort cruisers and destroyers were
sighted they made no effort to land
troops. They held off beyond the
range of shore batteries The pur-
pose of this delay soon was evident.
Eighteen planes. making the fifth
raid of the battle, appeared from
the southwest. AS in this days
earlier action the enemy was badly
.worsted. Although hiSsbomhS did no
damage beyond further pulverizing
beaches, two Of his planes were shot
down. Terse official dispatches
made no mention of the garrison S
feelings, but the results OF the blows
exchanged December 10 must have
been encouraging. And, after almost
constant action for three days. the
marines still had three planes. They
lost only one out Of the four with
which they started the battle, eight
having been destroyed on the ground
out of the original IL.
Anchored Plane Felled.
December II was another bright
day in the defense of Wake. Toward
dawn a four-engined enemy sea-
plane attacked. Marine flyers were
ready for it and promptly shot it
down. Meanwhile, the convoy re-
appeared and defending flyers at
tackled this, severely damaging one
of it's vessels. A submarine, which
was discovered. was attacked with
bombs and sunk.
The enemy did not appear at
Wake December IL.
In the early morning of Decem-
ber 13, attacking by moonlight, large
four -engined bombers came over the
island. They were held off suffi-
ciently by anti aircraft fire to pre-
vent damage, although bombs
dropped.
December IA was not so hearten-
ing. Nearly so enemy medium
bombers came over in a succession
of waves, the heaviest onslaught of
the battle. Anti-aircraft and planes
brought down three and damaged
several others. But of the marines
three planes, one was destroyed on
the ground and another washed out,
landing in damaged condition,
although the pilot escaped.
THE japanese used incendiary
bullets and bombs in this raid and
caused heavy damage. BY pattern
bombing they were able to cover
much of the island areas with such
large numbers of planes. When the
raid was over the marine defenders
had one plane left in service
How the marines were able to
patch up another plane in the
space of few hours on the backed
out island with wrecked facilities
may never be known. But when
daylight of the 18th came the ma
rines again had two planes.
During the night the ninth raid
was made, but no serious damage
was done.
Heavy Damage on Island.
"On the 18th more than Is bomb
ers raided the island and again in
the early evening of the 18th. By
now practically every installation