Evening star., 1943-07-20
japanese Ships
|nParamushiru
Straits Bombed
Kisko Blasted Again;
Enemy Planes Roid
Canton Island
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY,

American Army flyers reached out
across the North Pacific yesterday
afternoon and bombed Japanese
shipping in Paramushiru Straits
They scored near hits on shipping
and knocked down some wooden
buildings ashore, the Navy reported
today.
On the same afternoon another
formation of Army bombers bombed
Gertrude Cove on Kiska, while in
the South Pacific Japanese planes
bombed Canton Island.
Paramushiru Strait is at the
northern end of the island of the
same name and separates it from
Shimushu Island.
Paramushiru Island is at the
northern end of the Kuril group
which extended along 700 miles from
the main japanese Islands to the
Russian peninsula of Kamchatka.
Observed Many Fires.
The attack was carried out by
Army Liberator heavy bombers, and
they observed a number of fires
after dropping their bomb loads at
the northern tip of the island, where
the Japs have strong naval and
air base. Naval officials were with
out any information on results of
attacks on shipping in the strait, al
though they reported a number of
near hits were observed.
The nature of the wooden build
ings knocked down by bombers was
not known here.
The island is almost always
clouded in fog and naval officials
said the raid was carried out at one
of the few times when there was
clear weather.
The site of the bombing is 861
nautical miles from the island of
Amchitka. one of the Aleutian
chain, where the United States
Army has had an air base for some
time. This island is 81 miles south
east of Kiska. where the japanese
have been implanted for more than
a year.
Paramushiru is $50 miles. just
south of west of Attu. the western
most of the Aleutians, which has
been retaken by the Americans.
In the attack on Gertrude Cove,
the Navy said the bombs were un-
loaded in the main camp area of
Kiska as we'll as IN the cove The
latter place has beer under lombard
ment by surface vessel during the
past Is days. Owing to overcast
weather. the flyers could not observe
the damage.
The japanese carried out their
bombing attack Oil Canton on Sum-
day. South Pacific time. but the
Navy said thai no personnel
casualties or material damage was
sustained Canton Island is one of
the Phoenix group, $50 miles due
north of Samoa.
Paramushiru Island is about 55
miles in length ard has an average
width of II miles, running in a
northeast-southwest direction. 1t is
southwest of Kamchatka, and is a.
the northern end of the Kuril group
Of islands. which extends in TOO
mile arc from the main japanese
islands.
Coast Bold and Steep.
On the eastern coast, it is washed
by the Pacific Ocean while on the
west it is faced by sea of Okhotsk.
1t is described as being bolder and
sleeper On the Okhotsk coast than
on the Pacific side. 1t has generally
steep cliffs and bolder beaches. with
few outlying rocks on its western
side. while on the Pacific side it is
fanked by many outlying rocks.
The island is separated ON the
north from Shimushu Island by the
Paramushiru Strait, where the Amer
lean bombing action took place.
The island is moun a nou S
throughout and has several vol
canoes, the most prominent of which
is Shiriyajiri. 1t is 1894 feet high.
The mass of mountains at the
northern end of the island is higher
on the western side, where an eleva-
ton of 300 feet is reached. The
only active volcano on the island
is in this group. On the eastern side
is the extinct volcano of Mitsugo.
The naval and air installations on
the island, according to naval off,
Gials, are in the northern part,
fronting on Paramushiru Strait.