The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-08
Contact With Fleeing
Japs Lost Saturday
Continued from Page u

ASAAA \ eSfSV ~
commanding admirals refrained from
claiming definite victory in the
Midway battle, specifically because
the enemy fleet had not chen de-
stroyed, but had Withdrawn.
But each hour which passed made
1t seem more certain here that ia
pan had suffered its greatest de-
feat in its brief naval history.
Admiral King, at Washington, had
called the Coral Sea battle of
eastern Australia, which ended
month ago today" another decisive
setback to the japanese"
Japan Fell Into Trap
It seemed beyond doubt that In
the Midway battle, with a far larg-
er force engaged, Japan had blum
dered into a trap and had taken a
beating which would mark one Of
the big mile posts of the war toward
an Allied victory.
In the four communicates he had
issued on the battle, his first COM
munique since he took command
here, Nimitz had been able to in
dictate more plainly in each one OF
the Importance of the American
success, won by the navy, the air
force, the army and the marines.
His first, announcing the Japa-
nese battleship aircrft carrier
cruiser destroyer transport-Supply
ship attack on Midway last Thurs
dy, reported the attack repulsed and
one battleship and one carrier def
nitely hit and other vessels believed
hit.
His second on Friday said several
ships each in the battleship, car
rier, cruiser and transport classes
have been sunk or damaged.
His third, Saturday, listed two,
probably three carriers destroyed
with al their planes, ore or two
carriers damaged with most Of
their aircraft lost; three battleships
damaged, at least one badly; four
cruisers damaged, two heavily, and
three transports damaged.
Fourth Communique
Adm. Nimitz' fourth communicate
issued Sunday, said:
pearl Harbor
"Pacific Fleet Communique No. 4
1.-THE enemy appears to be with
drawing.
Contact was lost during satur-
day night.
Additional damage was inflicted
on two enemy cruisers. Until all re-
ports can be checked 1t Is impossi-
BILE to state whether these cruisers
wer Elm addition to those included
in the previous report.
zone enemy destroyer was sunk.
zone United States destroyer was
sunk by a submarine but nearby
ships rescued the personnel with
small losSe of life.
Except for minor submarine ac-
tivity in the vicinity of the Hawaiian
island chain, this section Of the
Pacific is quiet"
This day six months ago was the
darkest in Hawaii's history. The
sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was
over; the extent Of the disaster was
starkly apparent.
Today Hawaiians believed the
United States forces had beaten
back at Midway second Japanese
attack on Hawaiian attack meant
to be an invasion.
Experts Complete Story
Naval experts today began to
piece together, from the scant off,
cial reports, the story Of the battle
Of Midway.
They believed that in the early
stages the United States planes,
Army, Navy and Marine, fought to
keep of Japanese planes attempt
ing to attack the two little coral
reefed islets which make up Mid
way.
They saw United States Navy
carrier biased planes, dive bombers
and torpedo planes, rocketing past
enemy fighter planes and through
q hail Of anti-aircraft gun fire, to
attack the Japanese fleet.
Big land based Army planes, fly
ing across hundreds Of miles OF
trackless sea, then Joined in the
fight.
Finally, 1t was believed here,
United States Navy surface units
may have closed with the japanese
fleet while carrier.based planes
aided in pressing home the attack.
Attacks Of such daring as those
the United States airmen have
pressed home in this fight could
only result in a number of casu-
alties, It was emphasized.
It was believed that now some
OF these men dwere afloat on their
rubber life RATS, with little food
and water, hoping that Q patrol
plane would see them and send
help.
But there was every indication
that great American victory hac
been won at remarkablyq small
cost IN lives and combat units and
that the question was whether the
United States forces could turn 4
serious enemy defeat into an enemy
6iNagtegs