The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-17
2 Conveys Damaged Before Battle Ended
Continued from Page D

"It demonstrates again that if you stick your nose out within range of shore-based aircraft without for midable fighting cover, you are going to catch 1t.
 "The Japanese learned that only in the last two weeks from the re- rnarkable American attacks in the Midway Island battle and the Aleutian action."
 Though they described the Medi- terranean action as only "a limited success" these authorized infor- mants said the net result was that certain supplies reached Malta and Tobruk.
 we suffered losses" an infor- mant said. "You cannot expect to avoid them under conditions such as exist in the Mediterranean. It is Q very hazardous enterprise, not an operation which one carries out unless the risk must be taken.
 Merchant ships and their escorts had to pass through areas of the Mediterranean dominated by enemy shore based aircraft. Ships leaving Gibraltar come under observation almost immediately, and are shad- owed until they arrive within range of bombers and torpedo carriers. They are also constantly exposed to U-boat attack.
 Danger Lies Here
 "When they come into the nar- row channel between Sicily and Italy's Panterlleria island there is the additional danger of torpedo boats and mines.
 '"The same thing applies more or less to the convoy route from Alex andria, which also can not have land-besed air cover all the way"
 The great significance of the engagement as seen here, however, was the participation of American army planes.
 Naval experts here believed that Italy has now but two battleships capable of action and only one heavy cruiser, also of the Trento class. It began the war with seven heavy cruisers. Five had been sunk in previous engagements.
 The full story of the first com- bined United States British air ac- ton in the Mediterranean remain to be told, including the extent of Allied losses in accomplishing the task of protecting huge conveys now safe at Malta and Tobruk, the Lib- van desert fortress, with urgently needed endorsements.
 But 1t appeared that the United States army air corps, the flying doughboys as they are called here, had lived up to the standard set by American airnen In the Coral sea and Midway battles and In the Australian zone.
 Conveys Went Through
 The conveys went through after a battle on the same pattern as that which is forming in all the oceans as the standard for modern sea fighting-the attacking of sur- face units by airplanes with bombs and torpedoes.
 There had been hints for months that American air activity was due in the middle east.
 As long ago as last December 1t was announced that Brig. Gen. E. E. Adler had arrived in Cairo with 8 group of technicians and pilots ito supervise American material, par ticularly aircraft"
 Similar missions went to Iran, Syria and Eritrea, Italy's ex-col- ony bordering on northeastern Ethiopia.
 It was assumed here that the American Air Corps in the middle east was operating under American command in conformity with the policy which Lieut.. Gen. Henry H. Arnold, its chief, outlined for the American Air Corps based in Great Britain which is to join the Royal Air Force in attacks on Germany.
 Under this policy an American Air Corps will be organized in tn- tegral units under United States of- ficers and staffed and serviced by United States crews.
 Long range United States liber- ators, as the great B-M Consoli- dates are known here, have logn been a mainSctay of the sea patrols of the Royal Air Force coastal corn- mand.
 Since their early success in pro- tecting conveys and engaging in long range reconnaissance and bombing operations, they have been reaching Britain in large numbers.
 Improved LiberatOrs
 The improved Libcrators received here exceed 335 miles an hour in speed, carry 8 four-ton bomb load and have four cannon in their homes. New features include anti- submarine devices and depth charg- es.
 Aviation experts said that the presence of the Consolidateds in the Mediterranean might change the whole aspect there. They could ranne the entire eastern Mediter-