Evening star., 1943-04-21

accurate anti-aircraft fire, and pro-
ceeded to bomb and hit an aircraft
works, an oil storage warehouse, an
arsenal and barracks.
Objectives Checked Off.
One by one, each objective of each
plane was checked off. Now it was a
tank factory, now shipyard with
a cruiser in it, now an airplane
plant. The explosions and also
the flames from incendiary bombs
wrecked steel plants, powder fac
tories, machinery works, railroad
yards and sidings, docks, arsenals
and oil refineries. Direct hits were
made on a new cruiser or battle
ship under construction.
Planes arriving over Toxic after
the first bombing met heavy anti
aircraft fire, but no real damage
was done to any of the bombers.
Flames and columns of smoke leap
ing several thousand feet into the
air marked the trail of the Ameri-
can planes.
Even though the attack on Kobe
came probably an hour after the
raid had started on Toxic. it seemed
to be a complete surprise to the
people on the streets.
More than 80 Japanese pursuit
planes we're observed during the
raids. They were ineffective at in
Perception and several were shot
down.
The anti-aircraft fire Of the
Japanese did little damage. When
shooting at one Of our airplanes,
they shot down one of their own
barrage balloons, which were flying
in small numbers
BY order of Gen. Doolittle, no at
tack was made on the japanese
Emperor's palace, although it was in
sight of the flyers. 1t was not a
military objective.
Run Into Storm.
1t was upon leaving Japan that
the most hazardous part of the
venture was reached. The scat
tered airplanes ran into a storm.
Their already depleted gasoline re-
serves were drained further as they
bucked the winds Darkness was
coming on and the unfamiliar ter
rain added to the difficulties.
There were no light beacons or
landing flares. Unable to go farther
in the darkness 5000 to 10000 feet
above a strange land, the great
majority of the men bailed out
Most of the men landed in un-
occupied China and made their
way to Chungking. But some of
them landed in the occupied re-
gion. This led to the capture of
eight. Others made their way out,
with the aid of friendly Chinese.
Several of them hid away for an
extended period until they could
escape to the free territory of
China. Two of the men are still
entirely unaccounted for.
Seven men were injured in crash
es. but survived. One was killed.
Corpl. Leland D. Faktor's parachute
opened, but he landed in noun
famous territory and may have
suffered secondary fall. He was
found dead.
One Heads for Siberia.
The plane piloted by Capt. York
bombed Toxic, but had so little gas
left that it made for Siberia and
landed 40 miles north of Vladi-
vostok. The plane was landed safe
ly and the crew was interned.
The crews of two planes came
down close to Japanese positions
They contained the men listed as
missing or presumed to be prisoners
of war.
1t. Charles ]. Ozuk, navigator on
the same plane as Coprl Faktor
was injured, as were Its. Ted w
Lawson, Dean Davenport, Charles
L. Mcclure, Robert S. Clever, Harold
F. Watson and Corpl. David j.
Thatcher. All survived.
In this connection, Corpl. Thatcher
was cited for his initiative and cour-
age in tending his companions after
their plane crashed in the water
This aircraft. piloted by 1t. Lawson
landed in the China Sea with q