Evening star., 1945-07-11
TokyoExpects
New Raids From
U. 5. Carriers
japanese and Nimitz
Speak Openly of
Invasion Moves
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Both Admiral Chester w. MINI
itz and the Tokyo radio today
spoke openly of future American
invasion moves, as first frag-
mentary assessment of the Tues
day 1,000-plane carrier assault
on Tokyo accounted for 154 en-
emy planes destroyed or dam
aged. Only two of these planes
were caught in the air, empha-
sizing the absence of Japanese
opposition.
Tokyo reported it believed the car
rier task force had withdrawn ir
fear of suicide attacks, but in the
same breath admitted it expected
the Americans back at any moment
Tokyo said there were no raids BY
carrier planes today, but admitted
the steady pounding of the home
land was being kept up without
respite by land-based planes from
Okinawa.
Kyushu AirfieldS Hit.
The new raids by $50 Thunderbolt
and Mustang fighters hit airflelds
on the east coast and south of the
home island of Kyushu. They stayed
over their targets for two hours.
In declaring that the American
Sd Fleet had withdrawn some dis
tance to the SOUTH" Tokyo made nc
claim that the episode was finished
1t expressed the belief that the
enemy task force is still in the seas
in the vicinity of our homeland
and said japanese forces are ''on the
alert against possible follow-up
raid"
While American sources refer re-
peatedly to the raids as a 1000
plane affair, Tokyo went one better
by boosting its previous estimate of
300 planes in the Tuesday attack to
a new total of 1000.
Returning pilots reported that
weather was excellent and visibility
gave them easy access to their tar
gets, but Tokyo made its usual claim
that damage to installations was
extremely small"
Damage Slight, Japs Claim.
A broadcast heard by the Federal
Communications Commission said
there were almost no damages in
f1icted upon our airfeldS, airfield
facilities, warships and ships"
The enemy also made the unsub-
stantiated claim that japanese in
Perception units shot down 26 at
tackers and damaged "a consider
able number of Others" There has
been no report of American losses
from feet sources.
Both Admiral NimitZ and the
Tokyo radio spoke in agreement on
one subject, however-future Amer
ican invasion moves.
Tokyo Speculated openly that the
American carrier strike preSaged an
invasion, recalling that the last car
rier force blow at Tokyo was fol-
lowed promptly by landings on I've
Jima.
On the American side, Admiral
Nimitz revealed a regrouping OF
growing air power in the Ryukus
Gen. Macarthur will command al
Army planes there. Admiral Nimit7
will keep his own Marine and Navy
aircraft at the job of blockadine
Japan in preparation for further
amphibiouS assaults.
Admiral Nimitz promised that
Hcfr T1Yaifnl CtntAc ofv fnronc
based on conquered islands within
effective striking distance of Japan,
will continue to hamper enemy ship.
ping and defenses preparatory tt
further amphibious assaults"
No Warships Attacked.
Preliminary reports for the morn.
ing half Of the Tuesday assault
showed that the two japanese
planes destroyed or damaged in the
air were reconnaissance craft
shopping too near the Sd Fleet cir.
cling off shore. None of the warships
including the biggest type carrier;
and battleships, was attacked, Ad-
miral Nimitz said.
With no indication of air opposi-
ton, the heavily armed Helldivers
Avengers, Hellcats and Corsairs evi-
IDENTIFY were free to spend the whole
day battering Tokyo's once-great
web of 7o-odd airports.
A simultaneous strike of Two
Jima- based Mustangs at Kobe, a
major port of Honshu on the In
land Sea, found. virtually no aerial
opposition there either. One enemy
plane was shot down, 18 knocked
out on the ground. The raiding
pilots turned to shipping and ground
targets, burning an aircraft plant,
ravaging two airfleldS and sinking
or damaging 25 vessels.
Fleet aircraft and Southwest Pa
cif1c planes hit 16 other enemy
ships.
There was no indication today
from fleet headquarters whether
Vice Admiral John S. McCain's
powerful Task Force 38 was con-
tinuing its search for targets around
Tokyo or had moved elsewhere in
its search for the last of Japan's air
power.
The enemy's remaining combat
aircraft either were remaining hid
den for invasion day use, or had
been moved-for safety-too far
from Tokyo to rally quickly to that
city's defense.
Three Powerful Commands.
The shift in American air COM
mands in the Ryukyus will result
in three powerful commands all
operating within striking distance
of the japanese homeland:
Far Eastern Air Forces under Gen
MacArthur,s air chief, Gen. George
c. Kenney, now including the Oki-
nawa-based 7th Air Force as well
as the 5th and 18th Air Forces.
Fleet and marine aircraft or
both Okinawa and Two Jima, under
Admiral Nimitz's command.
The newly designated Strategic
Air Force command of Gen. Carl A.
Spaatz, which will include the
strategic bombing B-29s of the pres
ent Goth and future 9th Air Forces
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