Evening star., 1943-05-05
BY WILLIAM WORDEN,

AT SEA WITH A UNITED
STATES NAVAL TASK FORCE
March 26 OelayeO.-This small
United States naval task force
fought japanese fleet of twice its
size today, disrupted the enemy
plans in a four-hour surface duel
and retired without the loss Of a
ship.
The battle was joined so miles
of the Russian-oWned Komandor-
skie Islands, at the confluence of the
North Pacific Ocean and the Bering
Sea, and a comparatively short dis
tance south of the ice pack which
blocks the Bering in winter.
One japanese heavy cruiser was
known to be severely damaged and
several other vessels were almost
certainly hit. A japanese convoy
headed for the Western Aleutian
Islands was scattered and turned
back west.
(The Navy reported in Wash
ington yesterday that at least two
enemy heavy cruisers and one
light cruiser had been damaged.
(Seven men were killed in the
battle. Eugene Burns, Associated
Press correspondent, writing from
an advanced base in the Aleu-
tians. reported in dispatch pub
lished April % that five of the
men were buried in cemetery
overlooking mountain girt
Aleutians harbor. These five. it
is now disclosed, were killed
aboard one of the destroyers that
launched the almost suicidal tor
pedo attacks described below by
Mr.. Worden, who was the only
newspaper correspondent with
the American force and watched
the engagement from the flag
ship bridge.
(The Navy first announced the
battle in a communique March
28)
Planes Take No Part.
The, battle of the Komandorskies
was the first surface engagement OF
the war in the Aleutian- -Bering area,
one of the first and longest purely
surface naval battles of the war.
In contrast to other Pacific naval
air power took no part
in the battle proper, each side re-
lying on heavy naval guns, torpe-
does and smoke screens.
Although the outcome was not de-
risive, the Japanese broke off the
after four hours of
shelling. They made no attempt
tonight to renew action with this
force. The surface engagement gave
land-based American bombers, sea-
planes and land-based fighters time
to come up. and tonight these
planes may be searching for the
fleeing japanese convoy and fleet.
Today's battle began at sunrise.
ALI night the American forces, long
on the prowl in these waters for
Jap conveys, were spread in thin
line, hunting merchantmen. Just
before dawn a few Jap vessels were
located and the Americans were
called into battle formation by Rear
Admiral c. H. McMorris.
Our force at this time was moving
north, the Jap vessels on the horizon
of the starboard bow of the flag
ship, an old cruiser. The first Jap
force sighted included two large
transports or cargo vessels escorted
by three destroyers. Medni Island,
easternmost of the Komandorskies
lay about 70 miles northwest, and
the Bering ice pack only short dis
tance north Of the islands. Siberia s
Kamchatka Peninsula was $50 miles
west, Japanese-occupied Attu the
same distance east.
Other Jap Ships Arrive.
The flagship and its destroyers
began a long stern chase after the
Jap transports.
just as the flagship was approach
ing firing range on the transports
more japanese ships arrived at full
speed from the north. Including at
least two heavy cruisers, two or
three light cruisers and another
trio OF destroyers, this apparently
was a task force summoned to aid
the convoy. The Japanese heavy
cruisers opened fire on the Amer
lean flagship at 8::39 am, Just nine
minutes after sunrise in this area
The first japanese salvo was re-
markably close. The Jap transports
made full speed northwest while the
enemy warships moved Southeastern
ly. When the American flagship
opened fire, Jap warships were in
Inc formation northeast OF us. Other
american ships Joined the firing, in
clud1ng a heavy cruiser.
Cut of from the east. outnum-
oered and badly outgunned. the
nevertheless turned
northwest after the transports in
stead of doing the obvious turn to
the east and their own bases which
might have been expected. jap
Salvoes bracketed the flagship and
other vessels.
But no hits were scored on this
vessel. One near miss shook the en-
Ilre ship and others splattered the
decks with water while our aft guns
were still pouring shells at the near
est enemy ship. Other American
ships were trading hammer blows
With the Japs at short range.
Destroyers Go on "Suicide Mission .
Our vessels now were retiring
having failed to catch the fleeing
bransports-but had the Komandor-
skies blocking their way northwest.
'he Ice as a very potent danger north
ana the stronger Japanese fleet
across the whole eastern horizon.
The American commander ordered
destroyers to lay covering smoke
screen. Just then one enemy heavy
cruiser began belching black smoke
apparently from a deck fire, and
retired temporarily from the action
Other Jap vessels began closing in
However. the American com
mander, while ostensibly retreatinp
toward the Komandorskies. actually
was edging west and south. Each
new course change increased the
turn behind the smoke