The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-04-21

came 10 q sour ending. Tho planes
were supposed 10 have landed on
RlrileIds In froe China when their
lob OF destruction was done, But
this Is what happened
All but one Of the 10 planes we're
wrecked In forced or crash land
lngs In China or of the Chinese
coast The exception was q plane
that landed In Russian Siberia.
OF tho 90 participants, eight are
prisoners or presumed 10 be prlson-
OrB OF the Japanese. one was killed
after q parachute landing In noun.
famous Chinese terrain. Two Others
Rre missing, with no clue 10 their
fate. Five are informed In Russia,
The remaining 81 gained the safety
OF unoccupiod China, Seven Of
these were injured,
And there In an anti.cllmax 10
the story. or the o. who got away,
nine subsequently we're killed or are
missing In action and one Is q priss
0ncr Of Germany.
Admiral william r. TEalsey, Jr,
now u. y. commander IN the South
Pacific, commanded tho task force
that carried tho planes TO within
800 miles Of Tokyo. Hasley had
planned TO carry the flyers 70 within
400 miles OF Japan, but an encounter
with an enemy patrol vegBel--which
was sunk Bpoiled that plan.
DoolIttie was tho first 10 take on
from tho Hornet In one OF the spo.
cnlly-equipped, twin.engined North
American "Mltchell' bombers At
$40 a. M, on April IS. 1912. Short
~, oil 10 were IN the CIR headed to-
ward Tokyo after take-offs In Q
heavy sea that sent waves over
tho carriers bow and forced tho
pilots 10 time their take-offs with
the up.beat Of the flight-deck.
The primary objective OF the
miyion-to bomb tho Japanese
mainland--was accomplished with
complete success" the war depart
ment said. Not q single American
plane was lost In Japan proper.
What Is more, the war depart.
ment assures, Tokyo Is due TO be
hit again.
III the secrecy (of shangri-La)
could always have been kept from
the Japanese which In the end was
iEnpossible--it would naturally have
added TO the tension with which
Japan awaits the attacks that still
lie ahead" the report said.
Beside It's destructive and psy-
Geological effects, the war depart
ment emphasized, the raid ire
suited In freezing within Japan,
enemy airplanes, and other forces
which might have been used in Of
fenslve operations elsewhere"
This was one OF the deciding fac
tors In the decision TO keep details
Of the American operations a secret
for more than q year. This was
why President Roosevelt referred 70
the raid base MS "Shangri-La," o
mythical place.
"As long as this secrecy could be
maintained" the war department
pointed out, "the japanese were OBJ
iiged to set I'D defengeS against 0
number OF possibilities. They could
not be sure whether the planes had
come from China, or an aircraft
carrier, or some stepping stone ~
the North Pacific. They did not
know when the attack might be re-
peated. Thus, the japanese were
forced 10 tie up part OF their mile
tary strength during crucial
months.
Months ago the Japanese claimed
10 know the secret Of ShangTi-La.
They named the Hornet. They had
already had their revenge on that
gallant ship, sending her 70 the
bottom In the battle Of Santa Cruz
on Oct. 20, 1912.
THE fact that the planes took OH
from an aircraft crarter was FIRST
revealed Sunday night in . dispatch
which the United Press received
from correspondent Donald COe In
North Africa dealing with plans for
an anniversary celebration for D0o-
little and some Of his Tokyo-misslon
flyers, now stationed IN that war
zone.)
Had the fate been more kindly,
the aftermath Of the raid might
have been @ happier one. But 81.
most from the start. hard luck inter-
vened. After evadlng two enemy pa
troll vessels. the Hornet ran into q
third. This was 800 miles or Tokyo.
The taIzc-oH had been planned ct
a point about 400 miles from the
enemy capital. It was 10 have been
lust before dark, so that the attack
could be carried out AZ night and
the planes could continue on 20
land at specified Chinese airflelds
IN the morning.
But fear that the third patrol
vessel, which was sunk, might have
radloed q warning caused the Inn
mediate launching a. tins planes
10 hours ahead ~ schedule.
what happened over Japan has
already been told BY p0oiittle him
self ufne nlanem HeW Ia a 1oNasxE