Evening star., 1943-05-23

Troops on most of the front line
now have sleeping bags in contrast
to the first couple of nights, which
were spent in fox holes without
protection. Rations have been re-
plenished and there is plenty OF
ammunition for all types OF guns
and small arms.
BY heroic-the word is used ad-
viSedly - and continuous work
American medical forces, going into
the f1ghting areas unarmed. have
succeeded IN evacuating most OF
our wounded to dressing stations
and hospitals aboard ships in the
harbor. There has been no oppor-
tunlty. however. to bury any except
a very few of our own or the enemy
dead.
Jap Positions Pounded.
Major action on this front today
was the artillery pounding of Jap
positions and potential gun en-
placements. Mortars and field guns
concentrated for hours on a snowy
slope high above and to the right
of our advanced positions. at the
foot OF the pass. A few Japs had
been seen there attempting to put
mortar in position to control the
American advanced command post
and to make life miserable for in
fantry in the valley. But the ar
tlllery. by working over the hill for
hours on end. succeeded in prevent
ing esta blishment of the position
although the Japs were only a few
yards from the proposed site OF
their gun.
Another part of the batteries near
the beach concentrated again on the
foot OF the pass. ripped all yesterday
afternoon by heavy naval gunfre
Probing again and again through
the rubble left where some Jap posi-
tions had been, the land guns today
sought to find Jap survivors and to
keep enemy reinforcements from
coming down a single foot path
communication line which could be
seen from the American positions.
Ships damned With Supplies.
On the beach. the front line diff
culties have failed to stop the
steady unloading of American ships
1ammed with supplies for the fight
ing soldiers. Using landing barges
the ships have continued unloading
on 24-hour basis.
Naval small boat crews, working
In salt soaked clothing, have barely
taken time out for meals. in fact
have taken many OF their rations
cold while on trips between ships
and beach. One boat crew. adrift
with crippled motor. even made
a meal OF Goldfish. caught on a bare
hook without bait and cooked on a
stove made of two trench helmets
supporting a tiny cooking top. They
reported the fish good eating.
Mr.. Worden 1Drote the follo7u-
inc dispatch May ~, the day
after the first American LANDINGS
at Attu.
United States Army amphibious
troops today established a beach.
head on Massacre Bay at the south
tip OF Attu Island and drove JAP
anese defenders back to the passe.
at the center OF the island
simultaneously, other American
units made two landings on the
north side of Attu at Blind Bay ano
near Holtz Bay, both successfully
driving inland toward the same
passes now under attack from this
beach.
The Massacre landing proceeded
without serious opposition unit
American front lines stood at the
foot OF the principal passes about
three miles from the beach. Nea,
Holtz Harbor, scouts and small unit.
succeeded in reaching heights which
command the harbor. Troops Al
Blind Bay also established a deer
beachhead.
The three prongs of the Ameri.
can attack were designed to driv,
the japanese back against .thei]
main positions near and in Chich.
aghof Harbor. site of the old ma.
tive village of Attu.
Delayed by Jap Guns.
Lands began late yesterday, ane
by dawn today the beaches wer,
secure. Further advances from tn,
beach are being held up by strons
Japanese machine-gun and mortar
positions in the lower reaches O.
the foggy passes between Massa.
ere and Holtz.
japanese gun positions on Tenn.
nae Bay. beyond Murder Point
were eliminated this morning by 6
unit led by Capt. Robert Goodfel.
low OF Salem, Greg. All defender.
were killed before the guns coule
be manned.
An artillery barrage was ordered
to smash defenders positions at the
foot Of the interior passes as 8
preparation for infantry attack. Fol
about four hours naval and lane
guns combined to rip the tundra of
most Of the lower sections of tht
passes directly facing troops from
Massacre Bay, who now stand or
high ground facing a valley. ..
On the other side of the valley
the terrain rises steeply into the
passes. For the time being this val.
ley is no-man's-land.
Passes Cleaned Of Snipers.
Several side passes leading out OF
the valley are being cleared of snip
ers. pass by pass and sniper by
sniper, while artillery from both
warships and land positions con-
tinues to rake the Jap positions.
Today's attacks, last nights land
ing and the earlier approach to this
island by the largest fleet of war
vessels and transport ships ever to
enter the Bering Sea were all con-
Quoted under low-hansing bank
OF heavy fog. which has reduced visi-