Evening star., 1943-05-20
Ring Around Japanese on Attu
Completed by American Forces;
Enemy Admits Severe Losses
U. S. Troops Take
AirfieId Being
Built by Foe
By the Associated Press.


American troops have COM
pleted enlightenment of the rem
nant Of japanese forces on Attu
Island in the Western Aleutians
after capturing the partially
completed enemy airfeld there,
the Navy said today.
The Navys announcement fol-
lowed by several hours Toxic radio
broadcast of a Domei news agency
dispatch which acknowledged severe
losses and admitted that American
planes and warships had blasted
Japanese troops out of their ridge
positions and killed more than two
thirds Of one japanese force.
The japanese were caught in the
Chichagof Harbor area at the north
eastern extremity of Attu after
American forces captured Sarana
Pass, f1anking the enemys positions
from the southeast, the Navy said
The japanese were fighting with
their backs to the sea and the sea
was commanded by American war
ships, which, it was officially dis
closed. have already assisted in
smashing japanese resistance.
Text of Communique.
The communique said:
North Pacific:
Il. On May 18th, gunflre from
United States light surface forces
assisted in clearing the Holtz Bay
Massacre Bay pass of enemy troops.
% On May 19:
"(a) United States forces cap
tured Sarana Pass leading to the
Chicachagof area. The contacts of
the United States north and south
forces from the Holtz Bay and
Massacre Bay area have confined
Japanese resistance to the Chicha-
gof area, except for isolated sniper
activities.
"(b) A force of United States
Army bombers attacked military OBJ
jectives in the Chichagof Harbor
area.
"3. United States forces are now
in possession of the runway in the
Holtz Bay area.
South Pacific (all dates are east
iongitude):
"4.On May l8, during the night,
japanese bombers attacked United
States positions on Guadalcanal Is
land and in the Russell Islands.
There was no report of damage or
casualties"
Occupation by American troops Of
The partially completed airfield was
reported earlier today by Secretary
Of War Stimson.
Hope to Continue Air Assault.
Authorities here were hopeful that
the Army bombers would be able to
maintain their assault on the
crowded enemy positions around
Chichagof Harbor because, they said
an aerial pounding would help con-
siderably to speed final victory on
Attu.
Today's communique amplifled to
some extent yesterdays war bulletin
report of the northward drive of
American troops which originally
landed on the Massacre Bay shore on
the south side of Attu. 1t had been
disclosed then that this force had
cleared the pass between Massacre
and Holtz Bays, but the fact that
naval gunflre had assisted in this
operation was not known until today
The pass between these bays runs
some distance to the west of the
Sarana Pass, which runs near the
eastern end of the island and leads
from Massacre Bay into the Chi
chagof area Thus American forces
were revealed to have closed on the
japanese from two different direc-
tions In a new pincers maneuver
developed subsequent to their initial
pincer drive against the main enemy
positions around Holtz Bay.
The japanese attack on American
positions in the Russell Islands was
but the latest of a series of aerial
thrusts which the enemy has made
at the American base there.
Claims Heavy U. S. Toll.
The Toxic radio broadcast. record
ed by the Associated Press listening
post In New York. also advanced
unsubstantiated claims that heavy
losses were inflicted on the Amer
leans
In Washington, Secretary of the
Navy Knox said earlier this week
that American losses were lighter
than had been expected.
The japanese broadcast was
beamed to the United States and
Latin America and despite it's SEEM
ing frankness in admitting severe
Japanese losses it was clearly an at
tempt to raise misgivings in America
The japanese assertions have not
been borne out by any American
sources. They are similar to many
Japanese claims in the Pacific wal
which later have been exploded.
Heavy Air Bombardment.
The American landings were made
at Holtz and Massacre Bays in the
wake of heavy aerial bombardment
followed by laundering United States
Navy barrages, the japanese reporter
was quoted as saying.
Fog floated in to halt the air at.
tacks for a while but the weather
later cleared to allow the American
planes to come back and deal heavy
punishment to the japanese de.
tenders, it was admitted.
The reporter claimed that on May
IA the small Japanese garrison con.
tlnued TO hold out.
He also asserted that he saw .
tremendous explosion shake war
ship''-an attacking ship which he
said was either a battleship or cruis.
Grand huge tower of water
shoot up several hundred feet into
the air. Those of us who witnessed
the scene thought the ship had
either struck one of our automatic
mines off shore or been attacked by
Japanese submarine"
Eight-Hour Attack.
The Japanese account, from the
recorded broadcast, said American
planes began an eight-hour bom-
oardment at am. May IL. At IL
(SAA AT~TTT poon o0l