Evening star., 1944-02-19
Firm Beockheods
Won on AtoII $50
Miles From Truk
MAP on Page Az

fAO1r ~ + LEE t1EALNROA AN =
TIERS, Pearl Harbor, Feb. 49,
Army and Marine invasion forces
battled japanese today for Eni-
wetok, in the westernmost Mar
shalls, while Americans awaited
further news of Wednesdays at
tack on Truk, which Secretary
of the Navy Knox in Washing
ton acclaimed as a victory.
Firm beachheadS we're won Thurs
day at Eniwetok, last lifeline fol
by passed japanese garrisons
throughout the Marshalls, while
guns of battleships thundered a
protective barrage and carriers sup
piled air cover. The assault forces
then moved in strength against
enemy pillbox defeenses already
battered by repeated plane attacks
Day After Truk Attack.
Only the day before at Truk, 75C
miles southwest of EniWetok. ar
America sea armada sent hundreds
Of bombing planes to open the frs
attack of the war on enemy fleet
concentrations in the heavily forti.
fled lagoon.
(T'he Toxic radio in a broad
cast reported by NBC said today
third United States carrier task
force attacked the Eastern Mar
shall Island atolls of Taroa and
Moloelap Wednesday while one
task force was carrying out op-
erations against Truk and an
other was attacking Eniwetok)
AS at Kwajalein, invasion forces
moved far in back of many other
fortified Marshalls bases when they
struck at EniWetok. The 21-by-17-
mile atoll, 400 miles northwest OF
Kwajalein, has at least one anC
possibly two or three airfields anc
several seaplane bases scattered
among its 30 islets as well as deer
lagoon anchorages.
Nimitz Discloses Invasion.
The capture of Eniwetok Atol
has been undertaken by forces oI
the Pacific Ocean areas" Admira
Chester w. Nimitz announced yes.
terday in the first disclosure of tht
new operation
Those attacking forces included
22d Marines and elements of the
l06th Army Infantry.
Troops went ashore under the
cover of battleShip gunfire and with
the close support of low flying air
craft Admiral Nimitz said.
Even before that. pulverizing pre-
paratory attacks were delivered by
carrier planes and heavy ships OF
the Pacific Fleet
Turner in Command.
Rear Admiral Richmond K. Tur-
ner, who directed the Kwajaleir
campaign, commanded all forces at
Eniwetok. Rear Admiral Harry w
Hill was in charge of amphibious op-
erations and Brig. Gen. T. E. Wat
son, U. S. M. c., commanded the
assault troops
Portentious implications were to
be found in the gathering Pacific
offensive which extends for more
than 3,700 miles from Paramushiro
shelled February by American war
ships ranging into the Kuriles north
OF Toxic, down to Rabaul, pounded
daily by Solomons bombers.
Secretary Knox at his news con-
ference in Washington spoke of 1.-The
overall campaign to destroy for all
time japanese ability to wage war
whether it be on the sea, on land
or in the air."
He said the Truk assault was an
air strike by carrier based planes
and suggested there is no present
plan to invade that massive naval
base, where scores of japanese war
ships were spotted recently by recon-
naissance flyers.
Points to Lack of Details.
He pointed out that the lack of
details in the United States as to
the attack is due to the need for
radio silence in such an operation
to prevent the location of the Amer
lean task force ships from becom-
ing known to the enemy.
(The Toxic radio yesterday re-
ported fierce fighting" at Truk,
said the attack was part of per
Sistent activities aiming at Toxic
on our japanese mainland" and
made an unprecedented exhorta-
ton for production of more war;
shipsD
Capture of Eniwetok would hasten
the process of allowing other enemy
Marshall bases such as Maloelap
Wotje, Jaluit and Mill to "wither on
the vine,' as one military leader put
it, due to severed supply lines.
Would Be Within Air Range.
1t would bring Truk within bomb
ing range of land-based planes and
permit increased air blows against
Ponape, 425 miles south of EniWetok
There is an airfield on Engebi Isle at
the north END of Eniwetok Atoll
There possibly may be others on
Parry and EniWetok Isles.
Eniwetok Islet has a fine anchor
age. Parry has pier on the lagoon
side. There are other anchorages
off the atoll islands of Mui, Egurin
and Engebi. The almost circular
atoll also has a radio station, under
ground oil storage facilities and sea-
plane bases.
II Army Flyers Die