Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-13
u. 5. Filters Blast
laps in Footho|d
On A|eutidn Isles

Enemy Lands on Most
Westward Area. Ships
Sighted in Kiska Harbor
Continued from Page One)
70 thwart two South Pacific inva-
zion thrusts of the enemy.
That battle, II is now revealed,
vas a prelude to the great air.
naval Battle of Midway, which
ragged for several days late last
week.
NAvY's COMMUNIQUE
The navy's communique said:
Information just received by
the navy department IL TO the
effect that the japanese have
made landings on a small scale
on Attu Island, at the extreme
tip of the Aleutian Archipelago,
and that japanese ships have
been reported in the harbor of
Kiska, In the Rat group.
Japanese operations In the
Aleutians are still In progress,
according to tho information re-
ceived. although continuing
army and navy aircraft attacks
have forced them to retire from
the populated regions OF the
islands.
Attacks of the army and
navy forces In the area against
these operations are continuing.
Weather conditions In these out
lying islands precluded air
search operations until within
the last - hours"
The landings in the Aleutians
are a sequel to the japanese air
attack on Dutch Harbor and seem
to have been timed TO coincide
with the attempt TO invade Mid
way.
LITTLE INFORMATION
Lacking definite information on
the enemy's major detectives. OBJ
servers believed that for the pres
ent the Japanese moves against
Attu and Kiska are primarily de-
steps toward large
scale invasion. They may be in
tended to forestall American ali
attacks by way of the Aleutians
against Japan.
Although geographically tn e
moves place the enemy in the
Western Hemisphere, the islands
invaded actually are much closer
to Asia and hundreds of miles
from Alaska and several thousands
Of miles from tho Pacific coast OF
the United States proper.
Attu Island. westernmost out
post of the United States In the
North Pacific. is 769 miles west
Of Dutch Harbor and is known
to Alaskans as the "lonesomest
spot this side of hell"
Kiska Island, 100 miles to the
east is in the Rat Island group
so called because the first Russian
who landed there found
only rodents.
The two islands are so close IL
Asia compared with North Amer.
lea that the international Date
Line has been bent sharply for 1C
degrees Of longitude TO keep then
nominally in the Western Hemis.
phere.
STRATEGIC VALUE
II is this nearness to Siberia
that has made the islands stra.
logically important. Kiska has
long interested naval minds be.
cause of the excellent harbor
which. il properly improved, would
be superior in size and anchorage
to either Singapore or Pearl Har-
Dor. Weather conditions-fog mos,
OF the year-would be difficult
however.
Kiska is 1900 miles from Toxic
900 miles from the major Russian
base at Petropavlovsk, and only
i 900 miles from the northernmost
military establishment al
Paramoshiru. The distance Il
Dutch Harbor, closest American
outpost, is 5S5 miles.
Kiska Harbor rests in cres-
cent of volcanic remnants only
FIVE miles long and two miles wide.
protected from the angry waters
Of the Boring Sea as we'll as from
the North Pacific. Attu is much
larger, but just as rocky and bar
rem. except for a few miles of
stunted tundra.
Home Of Foreman