Evening star., 1942-10-04
Advance in A|eutians
Puts u. 5. in Position
For Sustained Drive
Eorly Counter-Invusion
Against Jops Is Not
Held Likely, However
BY MAX HARRELSON.
Wide World.

Establishment of new United
States base in the Andreanof group
of the Aleutian Islands, which was
announced by the Navy last night,
put the United States in good posi-
tion to launch a sustained air Of
fensive against the japanese on
Kiska Attu and Agattu Islands.
It also gave American forces a
potential jumping-of place for
counterinvasion of these Japanese
occupied islands, $50 miles closer
than they had when they were op-
Grating from Dutch Harbor.
1t should not be concluded, how
ever, that such counterinvasion
must follow at once. The new land
ings certainly are another step to-
ward Pacific offensive, but there
are several reasons to believe a drive
IN the Aleutians is not imminent.
In the first place, available infor-
nation about the size of the forces
involved indicates they probably in
clude only advance units, such as
defense troops. ground detachments
for the Air Forces, work battalions
to prepare airflelds and other auxil-
iary forces.
- At Least Five Squadrons.
The Navy communique listed two
types OF heavy bombers and three
types of pursuit planes, which are
now operating from the new base.
This probably means that the Army
has at least five squadrons of planes
there. for it is not the practice at
present to mix different types of
planes in the same Squadrons.
An airforce of this size requires
hundreds Of auxiliary troops to keep
1t operating. The communioue in
referring to the new base men,
TONED "airflelds," indicating that
there were more than one.
The preparation of these fields
and the anti-aircraft defense of
them would naturally require hun
dreds more men. One also must
Keep in mind that there are about
80 islands in the Andreanof group
and that even a thinly spread de-
fensive patrol would require hun
dreds more.
i. So it appears that, although the
landing party was large it probably
did not include an invasion force
extensive enough to try to throw
the Japanese out of their three is
land bases.
The second major factor against
an immediate counterinvasion is the
weather. Winter already has settled
over the Aleutians. Recent reports
from Kiska said the island was
covered with snow and swept al
most continuously with biting Arctic
winds. These conditions would make
ground fighting extremely difficult.
Enables Fighters Aid.
The primary advantage of the new
base is that it places United States
planes $50 miles closer to the Japa-
nese. This enables fighter planes
to accompany heavy bombers on
their attacks.
Ihls advantage already has been
demonstrated by results since the
landing took place late in August.
A dispatch from an Alaskan Army
base September mentioned for the
1lrSt time that U. S. Army fighters
had attacked Kiska. Previous raids
mad been carried out eigher by long
range bombers or Navy planes.
Since then the attacks have be-
come more and more frequent. Last
nights communioue referred to
raids on three successive days-Sep-
Canadian Air Force apparently is
working with the United States
flyers from the new base. for on
September % a Navy communiuue
mentioned for the first time a Joint
United States-Canadian air attack
on Kiska.