Evening star., 1943-11-27
Battle Fleet Doubled
In Year, Now Has 817
Ships, Knox Reveals
Marine Casualties Very
Heavy in Capturing
Torowo, He Says

The United States battle fleet
has been doubled in II months
and has BIT fighting ships today,
Secretary Knox disclosed as he
announced fresh victories in the
Pacific despite very heavy"
losses to American marines in
capturing TaraWa.
The Secretary, discussing at
press conference the conquest of
Tarawa, said yesterday: "It was bit
ter, hard fighting. want YOU to
prepare the public tor heavy losses"
He said he was unable to esti-
mate the total casualties, but added
that the japanese suffered heavier
losses. The entire Japanese gar
rison of about 1000 is believed to
have been wiped out, he reported.
Mr.. Knox compared the campaign
for the atoll with the valiant de-
fense of Wake Island by 400 ma
rines, who fought off the japanese
for Is days and sank seven war
ships. Tarawa, he pointed out, is
about the same size as Wake, and
although defended by the sizeable
japanese garrison, fell in three days.
Maxim Losses Slight.
He described American losses In
winning Maxim, another japanese
base in the Gilbert Island chain,
as very slight"
In revealing the increase in the
American Fleet, Mr.. Knox said
japanese shipping was being sunk
at the almost incredible rate of
vessel a day. Nine more enemy
ships have just been reported sunk.
New American ships constructed
during the 11-month period total
419-more than ship a day, Mr..
Knox disclosed.
He said the 81 American Warships
lost since January l will be made
up within the next two weeks,
boosting the total combat strength
of the fleet to 1888 vessels.
And he voiced prayer that the
japanese fleet soon might be drawn
into action and wiped out.
40 Carriers Completed in 43.
Aircraft carriers, playing an ever
more important role in the drive
on Japan, made up large share of
the new construction-40 new car
riers OF all types have been COM
pleted in 1943.
In addition, approximately 230 of
the scrappy little destroyer escorts
have gone into action, primarily fo:
antlsubmarine work, though they
can do a. full sized job in any battle.
The first of this type was COM
pleted last February with a goal
then fixed at 260. Mr.. Knox said
that the quota has been filled 80 per
|cent-approximately 234 snips-and
will be exceeded by the end of this
year. He added that the DE's "now
are being turned out at a rate in
excess of 40 per month"
More Subs Being Rushed.
He reported also gratifying re-
suits" in steady increases in the size
of the submarine fleet, and said that
new submarines completed this year
would approximate 30 per cent of
the submarine fleet in existence last
January l..
The Secretary also said NAVY
combat planes will more than treble
in number with several hundred
planes to spare" The naval aircraft
construction program originally
called for 27000 planes, but, Mr..
Knox said, that total now has be en-
revised upward to 81 900.
Although 1943 has been the
bumper year in Navy production,
1914 is scheduled to be even larger"
he declared. In terms of dollars,
Mr.. Knox said, 1914 increases will be
81 300 100000 in ships and s1,40O,-
000, 900 In planes over 1943 expendi-
lures.