The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-07-20
Aleutians
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came down to 1900 feet where
they could see to work. The
Japs threw up an umbrella of
anti-aircraft and one Liberator
caught a chunk apparently in
the bomb load. He was there in
formation one second and the
next he came apart in a soaring
blast that rocked the other
planes. Then only a cloud of
smoke and bits of debris tumbl-
ing earthward remained.
The remaining four planes re-
vised their technique and climb
ed to $4,000 to drop their loads.
They avenged their loss, for as
they left, one heavy cruiser lay
flaming in the harbor, hit
squarely by heavy bombs.
SEVEN ATTACKS
Before the day was over the
Catalinas made seven separate
attacks.
One Catalina caught subma-
rine on the surface enroute. Be-
fore the sub could rig for div
ing the Cat was on it with a
load of heavy bombs. The sub
broke up and sank without fir
ing shot.
Another Catalina got two near
misses on a large destroyer with
500-pounders and another did
the same with light cruiser.
Although near miss" sounds
harmless enough. near misses as
defined by bombardiers are
bombs close enough to work
serious damage on the target by
pressure and augmentation. In
their turn the Japs were doing
we'll against the bombers. Anti
aircraft, which is not particular
ly damaging to most fast COM
bat planes, is brutally Furnishing
to ships as large and slow as the
Catalinas.
In the harbor that day three
of the Japs' huge Kawanishi
four-engine flying boats lay
noored, evidence that the Jap
holds serious intentions of NOV
ing in to stay. One Catalina
dropped low enough to strafe
the cumbersome flying hayracks
and left them burning.
One Catalina came away bear
ing more than 100 bullet holes
and chrapnel cuts. Another, at
tackled by six Japs, got away
but was so badly shot up it sank
while landing.
The Japs showed signs of dis
enlargement and their ships be-
gan to get under way. A Cat de-
livered its load on the moving
ships and flew on out to Attu,
the last island of the interconti-
mental stepping stones.
Attu, formerly inhabited by
one Aleut Indian Fox farmer,
had suddenly become populous.
Many landing boats were drawn
up on the beach and tents were
pitched on the Tundra shore.
BY night the bombers noted
evidence the Japs planned a
permanent &C cupation. Attu
showed signs of construction
work and shore based Nakajima
81 fighters rose from Kiska to
meet the American craft. The
harbor was empty of ships that
night, but next day they came
beck, appearing in increasing
numbers throughout the day
light hours.
HEAVY FORCE
BY night Kiska's harbor held
five heavy cruisers, two light
cruisers, ten destroyers, two
submarines, nine cargo and
transport vessels, and a dozen
Kawanishi flying boats, sea-
plane and land based observa-
ton and fighter aircraft haunt
ed the murky sky. Other ships
were sighted arriving from the
south.
The fog closed in tight and
stayed most of the day and
bombers had to drop their loads
through mist. When the mist
rolled back two Catalinas drop
ped down to a thousand feet
and dumped a pair of heavy
bombs each on a destroyer and
light cruiser. All were punish.
ing near misses.
Both Catalinas were hit by
anti-aircraft fragments and one
now disarmed was chased
by flying boat but got away
The fortress bombers, work.
ine over the harbor, discovered
still more evidence of a perma-
ncnt establishment when Ack
Ack fire from the ships got sup
port from gun emplacements or
the hills.
AT Attu the Catalinas chased
a Jap landing party through the
brush, bombing their encamp-
ment and machine cunning per-
sonnet. At Kiska they blew ur
the radio station already erect
ed on the beach.
A Japanese cruiser plan flew
cast far enough to survey Atks