Evening star., 1942-06-10
Western A|eution Isles Seized,
JoPs Assert, Conceding Loss Of
Carrier, C|oiming Two Of U. S.
Army Forces Used
In Sunday Attack,
Toxic Declares

Japan today claimed the occu-
patton of some of the western
Aleutian Islands and declared
that operations in that strategic
area near Alaska were continu-
ing.
Later Navy Department
spokesman asserted mo inhab-
tied American areas" in the
Aleutians had been taken by the
enemy. Further details on Page
1-XD
The occupation claim followed an
earlier broadcast of communique
in which the japanese belatedly
lifted the veil of secrecy on the
battles of Midway and Dutch Har-
bor. This first Toxic version OF
the conflicts acknowledged the loss
of one japanese aircraft carrier and
the damaging Of another, but
claimed the sinking of two Amerl-
can plane carriers.
The Japanese score sheet bore no
relation to the account OF stag
gering japanese naval losses as re-
ported in United States war bulle-
tins. The Navy refused to COM
ment on the japanese statement
today.
Army Forces Reported Used.
The claim of having occupied
some of the Al/.tian Islands was
made in a nation wide broadcast
to the japanese people by Capt:
Hideo Hiraide, chief Of the naval
press section of imperial headquar-
ters, who declared that Japanese
forces had been able to occupy
Western Aleutian Islands because
the enemy was unable to seno
strong reinforcements north on ac-
count of the strong Japanese az
tack at Midway
Imperial headquarters in Toxic
asserted earlier today that Japanese
Army troops we're used in attack
ing the Aleutian Islands of Alaska
on Sunday, three days after the
Dutch Harbor raids, and declared
they ARE continuing operations IN
this area"
Besides acknowledging their car
rier losses, the japanese admltteo
damage to an unidentified cruiser
and the loss of IS planes. In addl-
tion to the sinking of two American
plane carriers, the Toxic COM
muniuue told of the sinking OF
transport and the shooting down OF
1874 American planes-l20 at Midway
and IA at Dutch Harbor.
Carriers 1890 Ton Types.
This compared with previous
United States announcements that
two and possibly three japanese air.
craft carriers and one destroyer had
been sunk and II to IA other ships,
Including three battleships, dam
aged. with a loss Of one American
destroyer sunk and one plane car
rier damaged.
Toxic headquarters said the two
sunken American carriers were OF
the Enterprise and Hornet types,
each normally carrying 2,072 men
and about 100 planes. These were
said to have been sent to the bot
tom off Midway Island, while the
transport was listed as sunk at
Dutch Harbor.
The Enterprise and Hornet are
two Of three aircraft carriers max
ing up a l9,900-ton class In the
United States Navy. Their sister
ship is the Yorktown, launched April
1, 1886, and eldest of the three.
Armored at the waterline over
machinery and boiler spaces and
carrying a heavy protective deck,
each carries eight 5-inch guns and
80 smaller weapons.
No Details on Aleutians.
No details were given by the Japa-
nese as to the extent Of their occu-
patton of the Aleutians, strategic
chain of islands which stretch across
the Bering Sea from Alaska toward
Japan.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz, COM
mander- r-in-chieef Of the United
States Pacific Fleet, described the
situation in the far north as con-
fused" several days ago, but there
has been no hint from any source
other than. Toxic of any Japanese
troop landings in the Aleutians.
"On June T." a japanese COM
munique said, naval units in closest
cooperation with troops of the army
destroyed a number of enemy posi-
tions on the Aleutian Islands and
are continuing the operations in this
area"
Japanese planes raided Dutch
Harbor in the Aleutians on Wednes-
day, June 8.
Aleutian Attacks Continued.
The Japanese command said Its
naval forces attacked not only the
United States naval base at Dutch
Harbor. but also "the whole group OF