Evening star., 1942-06-13

Importance Of S%AtA
happen at Pearl Harbor last De-
cember. Every bit Of coordination
and reconnaissance which was alb
sent then was in evidence at Mid
way. The land-based planes were
on the alert and went out to meet
the enemy. The naval aviators with
their dive bombing planes made a
powerful force. And the aircraft
carriers worked in harmony with
the Army planes so that the net
result was not merely the beating
off of the Japanese attack, but a
severe crushing of enemy units.
Just as the percentage lost by us
at Pearl Harbor dented our naval
strength in the Pacific for while
so does the japanese percentage
lost not only diminish the naval
units of Japan, but renders that
country vulnerable to air attack
from carriers.
The American position in mid
Pacific is further strengthened so
that japanese supply lines to the
Netherlands Indies ultimately will
be broken down as the japanese
Navy finds it more and more diff
ficult to protect those long sea
lanes and vet use its fleet to de-
fend the islands close to Japans
shores.
The splendid teamwork and the
alertneSs of both the Army and the
Navy in warding off the attack of
a large Japanese fleet coming at
the Midway Islands and bound for
Hawaii makes all the more logical
and persuasive the points made in
the Roberts report on what hap
pened at Pearl Harbor.
Lesson Learned by L. S.
The lesson has been learned. The
criticism has made its impression.
It is pertinent to note that correc-
tives have resulted. and it is proper
to assume that the widespread pub
lie discussion had its effect, as it
always can have in a country where
the press is free and adverse facts
are not suppressed.
1t must be borne in mind that
synchronization of the operations of
Army and Navy air forces and sur
face vessels is by no means a simple
matter, as this is the first war in
which such tactics on a large scale
have been attempted.
There have been, moreover, some
tragic mistakes made by air forces
engaged in sea operations in other
countries. When the story of what
happened in this war can be fully
told, not only with respect to our
own air force. but that of Britain
and Italy and Japan, it will be
found that unfamiliarity by Army
flyers with the shape and outlines
of ships and lack of knowledge of
the operations of surface naval YES
sells has sometimes resulted in the
bombing OF ones own planes and
vessels. This is known to have
happened in the Mediterranean to
the Italians and in the Atlantic to
the British and once in Australia
on the Allied side.
Some better form of identified ton
end some insignia more readily
recognizable from the air will have
to be devised to avoid such mistakes
Happily the red tape obstacles which
have existed before against the use
of Army flyers far out to sea have
been removed and whatever rivalry
there exists between the Army and
Navy aviators is all to the good as
the officer in command at the base
gives orders to both.
Cleanup Chance at Hand.
The possibilities of action by land
based planes are by no means linn
tied BY the operations thus far
undertaken. Long-range bombing
planes and longer range reconnais-
sance planes than those used by the
enemy will gradually reinforce
Americas Navy as it moves west
ward. across the Pacific into the
Gilbert and Marshall and the Caro-
line Islands. cleaning up the bases
there and recapturing Wake Island
and Guam.
The opportunity of the American
Navy to clean up the Pacific is at
hand. but the public must not be
impatient as it takes time for naval
units and naval plans to be or
ganized for major actions. Before
the summer is over, however, it
would not be surprising If other
task forces of the United States
Navy have been in action again.
For our losses have been relatively
slight and more aircraft carriers and
bombers are coming out of the
shipyards and factories. Some day
perhaps before this war is very far
along-we will have a feet of air
craft carriers larger than those of
all other nations combined
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