Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-20
u. S. TO Fire
Secret Guns
On I'd Front
Nazis Eyes Due TO Pop
al New Weapons
BY PAUL MALLON

WASHINGTON, July 20. -
w Mr.. Roosevelt has not been
emulating Hitler and Dragging
about any new secret weapons
but the NaziS will see some
which will knock their eyes out
when the second front is opened.
The JapS have seen a few al
ready.
When details of the befogged
battle Of the Aleutian Islands
are let out, for instance, you
will learn how the fighting army
air corps sprang a new land
based torpedo plane on the Nip
ponese (the first such ship in
history, and accomplished much
more damage than has yet been
officially claimed. The JapS al
ready know of this new weapon.
They found out the hard way.
The Jap invasion fleet in the
Aleutians figured that all they
would have TO contend with were
naval planes which naturally
have to be much lighter to
operate from carrier decks.
These land-baSed torpedo craft
carry an unprecedented project
lie which leaves no doubts as
10 Sinkings when it hits. Where
they came from the Japs do not
yet know.
THIS is only an inadequate ex-
Il ample of what is coming on
land, sea and in the air An
official of the Inventors Coun-
Gil testified to congressional
committee the other day that
the army, navy and marine
corps had let $640.000.000 of
contracts on its recommendation
ton.
The Inventors Council is a
committee set up by Mr.. Roose-
welt 10 consider all the sensa-
tional innovations of warfare
cocted by mechanically
minded Americans. His testi-
mony therefore, means nearly
two-thirdS of a billion dollars of
new secret weapons will shortly
appear on our side in this war.
These include extravagantly
imaginative missiles and weap-
ons that have never been seen
before outside of Sunday news
paper supplements-and some
not seen there.
Not only are these new and
old weapons coming along bet
ter than satisfactorily, but every
one around here has begun to
realize our boys have fighting
zeal greater than any one else
has shown in this war. The
NaziS have it, too, unfortunately,
especially when they are win
ming. The Russians have it when
they are losing. Our troopers
have it, winning or losing.
MO MORE significant news
4 Y was ever passed down the
line than that contained in spots
of the Midway battle commune
que. which gave final proof that
our men will go anywhere. Look
at that communique again, and
you will find that, first, four
army torpedo bombers went in
against the Jap armada: two
came out. Six marine torpedo
planes went in next, only one
returned.
In the face of this terrifying
experience. 16 marine dive
bomberS, nevertheless, dared
that devastating fire; only eight
returned. The first experience
would have been enough for the
Italians. The second and third
might have finished even the
Reds and Nazis. But then. Is
naval torpedo planes took off to
dare il again and not a single
one returned.
After this, carrier-based tor
pedo planes braved another at
tack and wrecked much that
was left of the Jap fleet. And
in a final attack we lost two out
of four Flying FortresseS, and
again single Flying Fortress
carrying brave army air force
General Tinker
That is the way we got the
Jap fleet. No better evidence
can be drawn from all American
history that Americans have
superior fighting spirit still.
MORE evidence can be plucked
vi from any incident Of the
SkirmiSheS so far, as additional
indications of what is 10 come
when the second front is opened.
In the battle of the Java Sea.
our Flying FortreSses carried
tail gun for the first time. The
JapS had become accustomed TO
going after the tails of our big
ships since they found at the
outset OF the war. this part was
least well protected The pilot
of one OF the FortTeSSeS became
perturbed during the battle.
when he heard the Jap Zeroes
looming in upon the tail of his
ship and the rattle of their ma
chine gun fire against it. That
happened three or four times.
before he called back to his rear
gunner and asked. in an exas-
pcrated voice, why did the gun
ner not knock off those Zeroes