Evening star., 1941-12-17
Japs' Hit-Run Raids
Seen Attempt 10 Divert
Parts Of i. ). Fleet
Effort to Decoy American
Ships Bellies Claim Of
Destroying Bulk Of Navy

warships today in an effort to divert
some of the offensive strength of the
United States fleet, now at sea
searching for the main enemy
forces.
The tactics. evidenced by the
shelling of Johnston and Maui
Islands for the first time in the
war, tended to belle Tokio's bland
claim that the bulk of the American
Navy had been destroyed. They in
dicated that Japan was seeking to
decoy as many United States ships
as possible into a Will-o'-the-W -Wisp
hunt for the nuisance raiders.
The Navy Department, however,
intimated that the fleet would not
be distracted from its main mission
and reported tersely that operations
against the enemy are continuing.
The Navy announced today that
there were no injuries to personnel
in the weak attack on Johnston Is
land. In communique No. 10 the
Navy added that the naval situation
in the Atlantic remains quiet.
The attacks on Johnston and Maui
and a renewed assault on Wake Is
land were disclosed in Navy COM
munique last night, which stated
that the actions had taken place in
the preceding "a hours. A recur-
renee of the hit-run forays appeared
likely. but the belief here was that
defense forces were adequate 10
meet the threat.
Kahului, a shipping center on
Maui was the target of a sub
marine attack, the Navy disclosed,
but only slight damage resulted to
the concrete loading platform of a
private company, the War Depart
ment said today in reporting on the
military situation at 1890 am.
today.
No casualties resulted from the
brief attack, the communique added.
About 10 shells we're fired by the
submarine and the only damage
mentioned in reports from 1t. Gen.
Walter C. Short. commanding the
Hawaiian Department, was to the
loading platform of a pineapple
company.
No Report From Other Areas.
There was nothing to report from
other areas in Hawaii, the of shore
attack by the submarine having
been the first phase of japanese
activities since the surprise attack
on Pearl Harbor December 7.
The report dealt only briefly with
the Philippine theater of war. NO
discernible enemy activity was re-
ported during the past "a hours.
That seemed to indicate that Jap
anese landing forces were merely
irving to hold their ground.
japanese Make Claims.
The navy section of japanese i'm
perial headquarters said today that
,Japanese naval units destroyed
most enemy defense facilities in
the attack on Johnston Island,
which lies about ITO miles south
east of Honolulu. The japanese
also reported similar results in an
attack Friday on Americas Baker
Island. which lies about 1000 miles
southwest of Hawaii.
The Capital continued to glory
In the valiant resistance OF the
marine garrisons at Midway and
Wake C'Send Us More JapsD
Islands. The last Navy commu-
nique yesterday said both tiny bases
still were "countering the blows OF
the enemy" Two new japanese
bombing attacks on Wake were re-
ported, one of them very heavy,
but the Leathernecks apparently
still had the situation in hand.
Johnston Island was bombarded at
dusk. the Navy reported, in language
indicating that surface vessels made
the attack. The island is the site
of a naval air base, and successful
action would impair American
communications.
The shelling of Kahului occurred
at approximately the same time.
The attack on Maui was more
daring. for the island is one of the
Hawaiian group. only about 100
miles southeast of Pearl Harbor and
Honolulu. Here again, damage to
communications would appear to be
the objective of the attack.
However, the sporadic nature Of
the Japanese attacks and the odds
against their inficting heavy dam
aee bespoke the deeper strategy in
volved-diverting strength from the
battle fleet.
Objective Believed Something Big"
One qualified source said he be-
lieved the objective of these Japa-
nese forays was something big
and the biggest thing would be to
reduce the fighting strength OF the
feet, either by tricking Hawaiian
bases into keeping repaired vessels
from joining it, or by having the
feet detach units to hunt the
nuisance raiders.
With Japan, 1t was pointed out
warships are not the expendable
quantity they are with her foes
Where the United States and Brit
ain with their vast resources car
rapidly replace losses, Japan il
handicapped by her poverty OF raw
materials. Therefore. her warship'
are doubly valuable to her and SHE
cannot court losses unless the re-
turn is big-bigger than a dubious
hsrassing of secondary communlca'
tions.
Repetition of German Aim.
And the return would be big i
nuisance raiders and kindred oper'
stions diverted enough strength
from the United States fleet U
reduce its offensive power to tn
point where the japanese nee
would have the advantage in rlsklns
a decisive sea battle.
The continued hammerlng as
saults on Wake and Midway b,
japanese light surface units, backed
by air support, and the Likelihood o
even bolder hit-run attacks a
widely scattered United States pos
sessions in the Pacific, all flt IN VIII
this strategic concept.