The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-07-21
By JAMES R. YOUNG

BY JAMES r. YOUNG
The keenest eye witness account
OF our air blitI against japanese
cities Genes TO my attention from
an unidentified stan correspondent
for the Army Air Force. His mag.
nifcent report gave me the sepsa
ton OF riding with the lead wing
OF the 2lst Bomber Command in a
low level Job OF spreading paralyz,
ing IRE on Japan's shadow" house.
hold production units.
estimate that 100000 Japs
are homeless and that 5000, 900
additional are casualties in our
pulveriIing OF 80 cities.
We car immobilize Japan's war
output quickly with the new jetti.
son type nre ball bomb. and by
Tiger Cat 40o-mile-an-hour, tween.
CINE Navy planes which carry 1000
pounds of liquid IRE bombs on each
trip.
BY my computation we have al.
ready achieved the destruction Of
the Anne. lean equivalent OF the fol.
lowing:
Koke (one-half Of Baltimore).
Tokyo (one-third Of Chicsgo).
Nagoy. (one-foIrth OF Detroi).
My calculation Is, based on the
similarity of war product, geogra.
phical area and approximate popu-
lation.
Most of Nagoya. Japans third
largest city, burned from roaring
fires set by Mss incendiaries. Sec.
lions OF Tokyo burned with such
success that chemical warfare spe-
cialists tell me they are amazed at
liquid fire bomb accomplishments.
The American decision on a
series OF low level attacks marked
a revolutionary change in B-29 tao
tics over Japan. | have flown the
usual air routes Of Japan, Korea
and Manchuria, therefore | respect
the perils faced by our flyers in
deviating from high altitude bomb
ing.
Low level attacks reduce wealth
er disadvantages to rs and 80 knots,
from l20 to $50 knots at great alti-
tudes. Cloud conditions are i'm
proved especially over volcanic ia
pan where atmospheric disturb
ances are extremely variable
throughout the year, and as at
Wakayama, thermal updrafts are so
violent as to throw incendiary
bombs back at open bomb bays Of
planes. Maintenance problems are
simplified in low level flying. Re
duced fuel consumption permits
greater bomb loads Of liuid incen-
diaries.
A dangerous disadvantage is
more accurate Japanese. anti-air-
craft fire and presumably more
extensive fighter opposition at 5000
feet versus 10000 feet which we
maintained over German cities.
Tokyo's $1,000 shadow" war
plants, 80 per cent wooden con-
struction. presented almost impos'
sible individual targets. Only by
fire could they effectively be de-
stroyed.
On the FIRST low level trip over
Tokyo the four storied railroad sta.
tion, only two blocks from the pal
ace. and the great modern ueno
station. not unlike our Kansas City
or Omaha depots, were put out OF
action. The German style archi-
lecture Maurnouchi telephone ex.
change, nerve center OF all com.
munications for the empire. a mod
ern switchboard building with the
finest OF Chicago patented appara-
tus. trunk lines overhead and un-
derground 10 the imperial house
hold, army and navy headquarters,
was put out OF commission
The mission was intensely dra-
matte. Searchlights combed the
sky at the expected altitude. Our
bombs formed a perfect blazing
cross which spread into the great
est FIRE in history. The conceited
JapJ were overcome by the magni-
tude of a defense problem which
they had not memorized. Night
| fighters were timid and kept away.
Anti-aircraft FIRE was spotty and
inaccurate.
The Usual prevailing winds fan
ned the cross in one night to de.