Evening star., 1942-08-08
ChicoQo Tribunes Statement on Story OF Midway Botte

the matter from Vice Admiral Will
son. chief of staff to Admiral King,
commander of the fleet, who had
the recommendation on his desk.
We understand that this recon-
mendation was made by Admiral
Fitch, in charge of the Coral Sea
task force, approved and forwarded
bv Admiral Nimitz, and is now rest
ing on the desk of Admiral King IN
Washington, together with other
Coral Sea citations.
soon after the battle of Britain,
Johnston, who was still at that time
an Australian citizen, came to the
United States on his way to his
homeland. While here he sought
employment with the Tribune. His
name was submitted to both the
naval and military intelligence by
the Tribune at that time. Both these
divisions checked his life abroad
and gave him a clean record. About
this time Johnston received his final
papers as United States citizen.
when the Tribune hired john
ston it had every reason to believe
that he was a man of fine character,
large experience, exceedingly well
| informed on the weapons OF modern
warfare, especially ships and air
planes, and that he was loyal to the
cause of the United Nations, and 1t
still so believes.
Johnston, fighting side by side
with the men and officers OF his ship
in the battle of the Coral Sea, added
to his already great store OF nforma-
ton through experience and asso-
citation with these men. After the
battle the officers with whom he was
closely associated--three of whom
bunkeu with him and dozen OF
more of whom visited his room daily
often discussed the makeup Of
the Jap ships in the Coral Sea battle
Units of japanese Fleet
; And Foes Losses Discussed.
He also discussed. as is being dis
cussed everywhere, the units OF tn
Jap feet as listed in the latest edl
tions of James Fighting Ships ant
the probable units secretly construct
ed and not appearing in Jane
Fighting Ships They naturally dis
:, cussed the losses in the Coral Se
,, battle and also the losses that ha'
been sustained by the Japs else
, where.
THE makeup of the Jap Navy, 1t
. fire power, speed, etc, has been an
:. is being discussed everywhere anon
. naval men, armchair strateglsts an
even ordinary citizens. AS was tn
u case in the World War, and as is tn
case in all wars, soldiers, sailors, air
men. ETC., think continually OF tn
= forces opposing them and discus
! possibilities of attack and method
, of outwitting and outfghting tn
= enemy.
> This Is what Johnston and hi
:. comrades on shipboard did.
y Johnston entered into these dis
= cussions enthusiastically Navs
= = affairs, especially the names, size
. effectiveness and range OF Nav
. fighting units of the various nation
d" have been hobby with Johnston II
years.
: During his stay in London h
Office was adjacent to the Office I
Editor McMurtrie of James Fight!r
Ships, the publication which hs
q long been standard on the world
. navies. Johnston knew Mr.. McMul
= trie we'll and frequently discusse
with him in detail the nav
strength of the worlds navies.
THE prime object of the discus
:, sion was the secret naval bulldir
!, throughout the world and espec
- allv by the japanese, there is prol
ably no man in the world better II
,r formed on these subjects than M
~ -, McMurtrie." Since Pearl Harbor,
~ quote Mr.. Johnston:
- "Jane's Fighting Ships has BET
!, - my Bible because of the great in
i, portance of navies in this Wor
r. War II. Consequently I am faml
%. lar with the characteristics of pra
-, tically every capital ship, aircra
~ carrier and cruiser listed therein
~ ut was Johnston's general know
~ edge of the Jap navy together wi
- - his discussions with naval men, al
~ officers of Jap naval losses, whi
~ enabled him to give an intellige
", ", opinion of the probable names al
~ organization of the Jap warshi
u ~ composing the fleet which later q
-. - tackled Dutch Harbor and Midw
. Ga Island. The story was printed alo
o. with Admiral NimitZ's announC
ils ment of the great American victo
"a in this sea fight.
u Next the Tribune's magazi
10, ,,o editor took up the circumstant
ia IL, which led to the printing OF t
'iu ;s story that precipitated the col
,a plant.
l,r ar After his thrilling experience
"a the battle of the Coral Sea a
'-N his trip back to the United ST
M in the crowded cabin Of transpe
ha Johnston arrived at West Co
We port on June 2. He called the Tr
for une. He declared he had the m
,er fascinating, detailed eyewitn
IN story of a sea battle which has be
told in lifetime"
,at when asked for details he
for fused to give any. He said tt
in under Navy regulations, to VIII
did he was subject as a corresponds
tho the outline Of his stories. which
ith had already written. would have
en- be transmitted to the Navy Depa
ment In Washington through M
Of channels. This he did on June