Evening star., 1942-01-09

Jap SnOt QOWu.st
December II - Thirty-two Jap
bombers at 1877 hit Camp /, Peale
Island. Diesel OIL supply, mess hall,
and pumps Of evaporators, Camp /.
December 10, 11:40 .m.-Ore Jap
high rec. plane (2-engine) (photo?>.
December 10, 1890 .am.-Jap
bombers hit airport and camp.
December 20-All quiet-first day
of bad weather.
Total casualties: % dead, 6 wound
ed, as Of December 20, from VMF-
2ll.
Notes: O Jap bombers of Dornier
type, two-engine, twin tail. 100 knots.
(2) Attack formations always in
form of line of division VS. in close
formation. Excellent air discipline.
90 Nine sure Jap bombers shot
down, three more possibly. One
four engine p boat. One CL, two
DID. one gunboat.
Maj. Putnam's report Of opera
tions to his commanding officer in
Pearl Harbor goes into more detail
on the efforts of the tiny aviation
complement to keep the planes that
were left after the first attack In
the air against each new attack.
81 in Aviation Force.
OF the original aviation force OF
II officers and 40 enlisted men, l9
enlisted men and 8 officers were still
on duty by December 20. OF these.
four enlisted men and two officers
were wounded but still on duty. One
officer and six enlisted men were in
the hospital and doing nicely" The
remainder, three officers and "a men,
were dead.
The letter relates that four planes
were in the air against the Japs at
the time of the first raid. The other
eight were on the ground being
serviced between flights, and OF these
seven. were destroyed and one was
slightly damaged. One Of the planes
that was in the air later TAXED into
debris on the field-the wreckage OF
the first raid-and bent its pro-
peller.
The Marine fighters, up to Decem-
ber 20, had made contact with the
enemy seven times, had shot down
five Japs in flames. four more had
been claimed by pilots but not veri-
fed and several are known to have
been damaged. OF the four claimed,
one was a four-engined seaplane."
Discussing the surface attack OF
December IL, Putnam reported -four
airplanes MARINE planes made a
total Of 10 attacks, operating in
greatly overloaded condition and
performing splendidly. We claim
the sinking Of one ship and serious
damage to another" The guns of
Devereaux's force evidently account
ed for the remainder Of the ships
reported destroyed in Maj. Bayler's
synopsis. In the attack on Decem-
Der II, one plane was lost, "a wash
out on the rocky beach"
Planes Made From Wreckage.
After the attack on December IA,
which saw two Marine planes de-
stroyed. "one plane on the ground
by enemy action and one crashed
on the takeoff" the Marines had
"only two operating airplaneS. one
Of which gives constant trouble so
that two planes in the air at one
time is the exception rather than
the rule" At one time only one
serviceable plane was left to Maj.
Putnam's squadron, but the me-
scilanics and ground crews evidently
made an additional plane. or even
planes out of the wreckage of the
remainder.
Lauding the work of the ground
crews at Wake, Maj. Putnam wrote
since that time tthe first raid
parts and assemblies have been
traded back and forth so that no
aAirplafle can be. identified. Engines
have been traded from plane to
plane, have been junked. stripped,
rebuilt and all but created"
. Continuing his praise for the men
under him, Maj. Putnam wrote all
hands have behaved splendidly and
held up In manner Of which the
Marine Corps may we'll tell. I have
no report to make regarding any
officer or man being outstanding in
bravery or fortitude; they have all
acquitted themselves with equal dis
tinction. On the other hand, I par
ticularly wish to comment on the
indefatigable labor, and engenuity,
skill and technical knowledge of 1t.
Kinney and Technical Sergt Ham
ilton. 1t is solely due to their efforts
that the squadron is still operating"
Discussing the living conditions
on the airdrome as they were on De-
cember 20, Maj. Putnam said Per
sonnel are living in dugouts made
by the contractors men and equip
ment. Not comfortable but ade-
quate against all but direct bomb
hits. Feeding Is from the contrac-
tors galley, a truck making the
rounds with hot food twice daily.
Sanitation is only fair, but so far
have had only a mild furry of diar-
rhea. Fresh water is adequate for
drinking. but salt water is used for
all other purposes,
The tone of the entire report indi-
Gates no particular anxiety on the
part of the air group at Wake. They
were there under orders with job
to do. They were doing the job and
would continue to do it until cir
cumstances beyond their control
forced them to discontinue their
efforts. They had kept those cir
cumstances under control for almost
two weeks and they would continue
to do So
: At no time during the seige were
more than four Marine planes in
operation, Putnam reported, but the