Evening star., 1942-10-08
Army Planes Blast Nskd JaDs
AS Foe Quits z A|eution Isles;
Reds Break Into Nazis' Flank
No Invading Forces
Seen on Attu or
Aguttu in Weeks
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Blasted by American sea and
air power, the Japanese ap-
peared today to have fled from
two of the three Western Aleu-
tian islands they occupied four
months ago and were undergoing
heavy bombardment on their re-
manning foothold.
Probably realizing they had blum
dered into what a Naval spokesman
termed rat trap" enemy forces
have disappeared from the western
most island of Attu and nearby
Agattu with losses thus far totaling
SO ships sunk or damaged and 40
planes destroyed.
The Navy reported yesterday that
no signs of Japanese activity on
either island had been detected for
several weeks. The enemy's lone re-
manning base, the island of Kiska,
thus drew the concentrated fire OF
United States bombing planes.
Presumably operating from their
new Andreanof Islands base. Army
Liberator bombers with fighter es-
eorts dumped explosives and incen-
diaries on the japanese Kiska en-
campment Monday, scoring hits on
keaplane hangers.
All U. S. Aircraft Safe.
Six enemy seaplane fighters which
counter attacked were shot down,
and all the American aircraft, es-
Gaping what the Navy termed "only
light anti-aircraft opposition" re-
turned to their base.
The enemy's occupation of Kiska
was regarded in Naval circles as in
creasingly jeopardized, not only be-
cause the new American base is but
lbs nautical miles distant but be-
cause Of the approach of bitter win
ter weather. Less than 10 days ago,
the Japanese radio reported that
snow and biting winds were causing
hardship to their unsheltered forces
In the islands.
Nipponese invasion of the islands.
recently described as japanese
''rat trap" by Capt Leland P. Lo-
vette of the Navy's Bureau of Public
Relations, opened with tho bombing
of Dutch Harbor on June g. a day
before the battle of Midway.
Kiska has offered comparatively
adequate harbor for japanese sub
marines and possibly might have
been desired, naval officials said, as
q vantage point from which to in
tercept American supplies moving to
Russia in case OF Japanese attack
on the Soviet. Less than 900 nau-
tical miles west of Dutch Harbor,
Kiska likewise offers facilities for
operation of japanese planes.
Advantages More Than Offset.
Occupation of the Aleutians also
gave the japanese an opportunity
to forecast weather conditions in
the eastern islands and on the
American continent.
Whatever advantage was gained
by the invasion was more than off,
set, naval circles believed, by the
enemy casualties in ships and
planes.
American submarines and planes
sank 13 vessels, including cruiser,
six destroyers, a warship identified
as either cruiser or destroyer, two
mine sweepers, a troop transport and
two cargo ships. A destroyer, sub
marine and transport were listed
as probably sunk
Among % enemy vessels reported
damaged were four cruisers, three
destroyers, a. carrier, three subma-
rines, six transports. a gunboat and
four large cargo ships.
Text Of Communique.
Navy Department communique
No. 143 said:
North Pacific:
81. (A) Reconnaissance by our
aircraft has failed to detect any
signs of continued enemy occupancy
or activity on Attu and Agattu in
the Western Aleutians for several
weeks.
"(B) In the latter part of Sep
tember Army aircraft bombed Attu,
destroying most of the buildings on
the island. A study of photographs
made during the raid revealed no
trace of the enemy on Attu at that
time. A similar situation has been
observed at Agattu.
q. Attacks by our aircraft on
Kiska continue. On october S Army
Liberator bombers, escorted by fight
ers. dropped many demolition and
incendiary bombs on the camp area.
Hits were made on the seaplane
hangar and six enemy seaplane
fighters were shot down. Only light
anti-aircraft opposition was en-
countered and all of our aircraft