Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-04-04
All Jap Vessels Caught at Pa|au
Sunk or Damaged Knox Reveals;
Reds Step Up Drives in ; Areas
Other Isles Also
Hit; Tokio Claims
Are Discounted
BY the Associated Press.

oS lllS AoeoCIdt6u
American warships, in theil
attack on Palau Island in the
extreme Western Carolines, neal
the Philippines, also hit Wolea
to the east and zap to the north
east, sinking or damaging al
ships caught at those three
japanese bases, Secretary Of
Navy Knox announced today.
It was the first disclosure tina
Woleai and zap were included
in the naval attack which begar
March 80.
The Secretary said there was NJ
way to estimate the number of Jap.
anese ships caught in the anchorage.
but in addition to these one jar
warship was sunk near Palau ane
two near Woleai. He did not say
what type warships they were.
Reports indicate, the Secretary
told his press conference, that the
strike continued through April l
Our airplane losses were fighters
IL bombers and 8 torpedo bombers
Original reports did not indicate
any damage to American warships
Jap Claims Discounted.
Radio Toxic, quoting an imperia.
headquarters communique, claimed
japanese airmen had intercepted
an American task force south Of
the Carolines last Wednesday, sink
ing two cruisers, heavily damaging
two battleships, an aircraft carrier
and other vessels and downing sc
American planes.
Secretary Knox gave no credence
to the Japanese claims, which he
read with a chuckle, and continued
to read to the press conference
japanese propaganda assertion
that although our force inflicted
considerable heavy damage on the
enemy we must note that the enemy
still possesses considerable strength
and we must maintain more speed. !"
Palau, a key point in the Japa-
nese defense system, lies about 500
miles east of Mindanao, big south
ern island of the Philippines. Woleai
has good anchorage and zap has
been used principally as COM
munications center.
Raid Alarm in Manila.
Secretary Knox said an interest
ing slant" on the Palau raid was the
fact that an afraid alarm was
sounded in Manila today The jap
anese-controlled Manila radio at
7 am. &c. w. T.) today interrupted
a program to announce that "the
all-clear signal has been given
throughout the city of Greater Ma
Mia" The broadcast did not indi-
cate whether Allied planes had
raided the Philippine capital OF
whether it was practice alert.
Mr.. Knox said, I'VE don't know
whether one of our planes went over
Manila and threatened them or il
they know of this attack close by"
The Secretary said the details or
the Palau attack were still meagel
because of the necessity of radio
silence, but expressed belief that
additional information would be
forthcoming shortly.
The original reports from Admira
Chester w. Nimitz of the strike al
Palau had told of japanese Ship
fleeing to the westward toward the
Philippines after the American tasi
force struck with its heavy bomber.
and big guns.
Today'S broadcast of Toxic!
claims was recorded by the United
States Foreign Intelligence Service
Text of Jap Communique.
The text of the imperial head.
quarters communique follows:
Firstly, powerful enemy force
on March 20 appeared in water.
oO0L1I vi lI1C Sol OllIlC lSldIlOS. oul
Air Force in that sector Immediately
intercepted and repeatedly attacked
the enemy from the night of March
% to April l, sinking two cruiser.
and heavily damaging or settins
ablaze two battleships. one aircraft
carrier, one large surface craft anc
other vessels.
Our units intercepted the enem,
and Shot down more than 80 planes
Our side suffered some damage.
Secondly, meanwhile the enem,
land based air units repeatedly at
tackled the Marshal Islands, tn,
Eastern Caroline Islands, the Bis
marck Islands and New Guinea bu
our units Immediately counterat
tackled the enemy aircraft, shootin,
down or damaging approximate,
IN f11oYNnC