Evening star., 1942-09-05
BY GEORGE WELLER,
War Correspondent OF The Star and
Chicago Daily News.

SOMEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA.
Sept. 5.-"What are you doing here?
We never expected to see war cor
respondent in this neck Of the
woods. Who told you we had a
base at Milne Bay?"
1t was with those words that your
correspondent was greeted several
days ago when he succeeded in
reaching the secluded and secret
base at the extreme end of South
eastern New Guinea, which is now
the center of heated fighting.
The surprise of the Americans
there was understandable. Although
dozens of correspondents have been
able, during the last nine months,
to reach Port Moresby and describe
the Allied situation there, none
either American, English or Aus
tralian--had been able to get from
there to- the hush hush base at
Milne Bay. How we'll the secret was
kept may be judged from the fact
that many troops in Port Moresby
itself never knew of the bases ex-
!; lstence.
Even high officers who had visited
the base could be counted on the
fingers of one hand. Your CORE
Spondent's visit, which was made in
company with an American general
OF engineers, naturally could not be
the subject Of dispatches thereafter,
NOW, however, the direct attack by
the japanese on the base itself
makes possible some relaxation of
the double le-barreled secrecy orig
lnally cloaking it, although natur-
ally many facts which would be
useful to the enemy must be with
held.
Bay Shaped Like Horseshoe
Your correspondent reached Milne
Bay aboard plane whose guns were
ever ready against patroling Jar
Navy zeros. The Australian gunners
stripped naked to the waist and
wearing only shorts and black, half
length boots. sat vigilantly in their
positions. Every person aboard. in
cluding the American general, who
had come from the Philippines
scanned the skies INCREASINGLY fol-
Zeros, which have been seen repeat
edly over this lonely tongue of LAND
outthrust into the face of the enemy
Milne Bay is shaped like a horse
shoe and appears about 20 miles
long, by from two to four miles
wide. 1t resembles a two-pronged
hayfork, pointing at the chain OF
reefs and coral islets making up the
Louisaide archipelago "a natural
barrier against japanese naval in
curSions southwark.
But it faces more northeast than
southeast, and opens north of the
barrier, rather than south. Trans
lated strategically, this means that
If the Japs take Milne Bay, they
have still not penetrated the barrier
by sea, but can do so easily over
| land.
Base Ignored Before Attack.
The japanese calculatedly avoided
taking any particular notice ol
Milne Bay before their attack
When your correspondent walked
ashore, the first question was wher
the last red-balled reconnaissance
plane had been overhead. Al
American officers reply was tha
it had been nearly three week.
since humming, heard through the
overhanging palms and coconuts
had betrayed japanese interest
Milne Bay then had never beer
bombed or even strafed. Super.
flcially, it seemed as though tht
Japs were prepared to ignore tn.
work going on there, if they wer,
not actually ignorant of it.
Apparently, the japanese, still
smarting from the Solomons defeat
decided to exploit the diversion O
Allied naval forces there and at
tempt to bring halt to the Alliee
work.
In Milne Bay, Americans ant
Australians together were sharing
something between rough planta
tion life and the damper, muddiel
existence of Australian Commando
troops. Americans from all part
Of the States were there, mostl,
living in the plain. square plantation
houses which are characteristic o
this coconut-growing area. Som'
of the privates, both white ant
colored, lived in tents. ALL botl
men and officers, slept under long
white mosquito nets.
Americans Were Ready.
One officer, from Schenectady
whose wife lives in Bethesda. Md
names and ranks are deliberately
omitted here-hospitably took il
your correspondent, lending him
canvas cot on the porch.
| What happened when 1t hrst be