Evening star., 1942-12-21
by the Associated Press.

sucStIUycu AZ ledSt 1Lo OppOSlLlOn
planes, knocked out many strong
shore batteries, drove back oppos-
Ang ground forces and finally
sSilenced the heavy guns of the
sbattieship Jean Bart when Amer
ican forces moved into French
North Africa early last month.
9 These exploits were related by
the Navy Department last night in
a narrative prepared from a report
written by an unidentified naval
task force commander for Admiral
r. E. Ingersoll, commander in chief
of the Atlantic Fleet.
These overall facts stood out:
Not a man or a ship lost on the
voyage across the Atlantic to Africa.
Not one United States plane shot
down in combat.
Twenty-six opposing planes shot
down in the air by our fighting
planes.
Over 100 opposition planes de-
stroyed on the ground.
Whole Operation Rehearsed.
The whole air operation was re-
hearsed before the carriers sailed
with the detailed care of a dramatic
production. Then one day the air
group steamed eastward. Early one
morning it made contact with the
convoy, which split up into groups
the day before the attacks were
made on several points on the
African coast.
Sunday, November 8, was attack
day. Long before daylight. the
Navy's planes took OF. The sea was
calm, visibility was excellent and
land was just beyond the horizon.
The bombers struck at Casa
blanca and the fighters followed
them in with determined straf1ng.
The first fight returned to the
carriers; refueled, rearmed and
took off again. The bombers en-
countered hot anti-aircraft fire, but
scored hits.
The Navy fighters brought back
news to the escort carriers Of planes
destroyed on the ground, of de-
struction of planes which rose to
fight. They reported their observa-
beaches. At Safi, particularly. they
said the landing operations ap-
peared likely Liberty boats plying
between ships and shore.
Jean Bart Opens Fire.
Fifteen miles north of Casablanca,
the big batteries of Ell Hank at
Fedala ranged the beaches searching
out the landing groups, and the
Jean Bart from her berth in Casa
blanca was firing her 15-inch guns.
3 Farther north at Medina, opposition
planes strafed the landing troops.
American reconnaissance planes
found a small airfield at Medouina,
with is planes on 1t. Navy fighters
were notified. and shortly over the
air came their report: Fifteen
planes on fire at Medouina"
Every one wanted to 60 in the
fight One rear gunner was offered
$3.50 for his seat He turned 1t down.
On the flight he was killed by a
shell fragment.
Word came to the carriers that
light French cruiser and three
destroyer leaders were standing out
Of Casablanca harbor. Next morn
ing all four were on the beach.
At dusk of this first day, planes
returned to their ships Next
morning before daylight, they were
back on the Job.
Bombers Attack Batteries.
The French shore batteries were
offering sharp resistance. Nothing
from the air but direct hits with
heavy bombs would put these guns
definitely out. The bombers went
after them.
On this second day American
forces encountered more effective
air opposition. Six Navy fighters
ran into flight of Is Dewoitine
sos. Five were shot down for
certain; four others were def
nitely damaged and may have
crashed later. Pounding of the
shore batteries and harbor de-
fenses by the American planes con-
tinued through the second day.
Many planes were destroyed at
Rabat, Cazes and Marrakech. A
ioi uideiOlk VA I~OOS WClC
smashed up by our fighters.
Opposition troops and tanks start
ed converging on Port Lyautey and
Rabat. Navy fighting planes dived
down on them. The troops would
scatter from their equipment which
our fighters strafed until most of
the vehicles were in flames. The
troops retreated from the area.
Natives appeared quite uncon-
eerned. Pilots reported that some
Of them working in their fields did
not so much as look up as the
American planes roared overhead.
Turret Guns Silenced.
During the afternoon of the third
day came an order to silence the
guns Of the Jean Bart. The bat
tleship had been hit several times
Comhs finv fhA Pain nf