Evening star., 1944-06-21
ForrestaI Indicates
Fleet Has Caught Up
With Jap Forces
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
the long sought Japanese Navy
since its crushing defeat at Midway
in June, 1912.
Eager and ready for battle is the
bth United States Fleet with enough
muscle to take care of every
thing" in the words of the confident
commander in chief of the Pacific
Fleet.
A japanese naval spokesman was
quoted in q Berlin broadcast today
as saying Japan's air and naval
forces have successfully engaged an
American fleet" but Tokyo radio In
another broadcast to the homeland
quoted an imperial headquarters
communique as acknowledging we
have suffered considerable losses OF
ships and planes"
On embattled Saipan, in the
Marianas $500 miles southeast of
Tokyo. the going still is tough. The
Yanks called on planes, artillery and
guns of warships to help crack Bit
ter resistance of an estimated 10000
japanese, a Nimitz communique re-
ported last night.
"Our troops now hold the entire
southern portion of the island.
the communique said, from the
southern outskirts OF Garapan
principal city of 10000 six miles
up the southwest shore) across to
the center of the western shore OF
Magicienne Bay" three and one
half miles up the islands southeast
side.
To the south of Saipan, enemy air
fields on Tinian were shelled by war
ships and bombed by planes.
Packs Decisive Power.
What may prove to have been the
first preliminary blow of a show
down naval fight was struck Sun
day from enemy aircraft carriers.
Their planes, flying from the direc-
ton of the Philippines by way of
Guam and Rota in the Marianas,
paid frightful cost of 300 aircraft
in trying unsuccessfully to sink
United States carriers and battle
ships of the invasion feet Last
night Admiral Nimitz told a press
conference that not one combat ship
was sunk
Then the Admiral issued an elec-
trifying hint that the enemy blow
was paid back with success Mon
day. He said graphically 1t was pos
sible that damage was inflicted on
elements OF the enemy feet that
day.
Admiral Nimitz assured a press
conference the 5th Fleet packs sufn-
cient power to be favorable to us
in q decisive engagement" even if
1t Is msssed more than 1000 miles
beyond the United States advance
naval base in the Marshalls and
$500 miles from Pearl Harbor.
we hope the Jap fleet will stay
In that philippines area" he said.
AS long as they stay, we have
. chance to get at them"
Saipan Airdrome Ready.
Ready to figure in decisive naval
engagement is an unsuitable car
rier," the 3.600-foot Aslito airdrome
captured by Marines and soldiers
who now control the entire southern
part Of Saipan which they invaded
June II.
Also ready To send land -based
hombers into action is the air arm
Of Gen. Douglas Macarthur. His
planes are poised within bombing
range Of the philippines and adja-
cent ocean areas at captured Mok-
mer airfield on Biak in the Schou-
ten Islands OF north Dutch New
Guinea. Today he announced the
capture of two more airfields on
Biak.
The destruction of the enemys 300
carrier planes. extremely costly be-
cause of the long training required
for carrier pilots, raised to nearly
800 the total Japanese air losses in
the Marianas since the American
carrier task force moved against
that segment of Japan's inner de-
tense perimeter.
IF we lost 900 naval planes in
two or three DAYS, we'd be very
unhappy, even with our plane pro-
duction," Admiral Nimitz said.
He emphasized that he had ex-
pected Japan's violent reaction at
Saipan because it is in the last island
defense line before China and the
Philippines.
Japs Forced on Defensive.
The 72-square- mile island was in
vaded "on the assumption the Japa-
neee would bring out everything they
possibly could"
He expressed conviction Japan no
longer possesses the naval strength
to use the Marianas for an offensive
but the Japs need to hold them to
keep lis from penetrating west of
their island defense line"
And north, too" interposed Rear
Admiral c. H. McMorris, chief of
staff, with an eye on the japanese
homeland.
Admiral Nimitz said the Aslito
airdrome will promote control Of
the air in the immediate Marianas
area" But, considering all the
angles. he noted the japanese hold
the advantage OF land-based air
reconnaissance west of the Mari
anas and that the first concern OF
the American feet must be to safe
guard the Saipan invaders. Even So
he was supremely confident.
II can't control Japanese fleet
movements" he said.
IF l did, there definitely would
be naval engagement"