Evening star., 1945-07-10
Raids
Continued From First Page.)

attack-Kyushu, shikoku and
HonshuD
The Super Fortress Coin Jessie
on todsy's strike dropped the 2.000,-
000th ton of bombs unloaded on
enemy targets by Army Air Forces
in World War II. Gen. Henry H.
Arnold, chief of the Army Air
Forces, has promised that Japan
alone will feel 100000 tons of
bombs in the year which started
July l.
A single Super Fort was lost on
today's mission, but all crewmen
were saved FLAX and aerial inter-
ception were termed "inconsequen-
tial" Bombing was visual over all
targets except Sakai, near Osaka
which produces picric acid for NUM-
tions.
The Sd Fleets tremendous con-
centration of striking power was
launched at the heart of the
Mikado's empire from Vice Admiral
John S. McCain's fast carrier task
force-part of the Sd Fleet-which
steamed practically to Tokyo's door
steps under cover of darkness and
co-ordinated supporting air attacks.
The great attack, elimination of
weekend OF unremitting assault
on >the Japanese homeland, was
launched at dawn on the heels Of
the great Super Fortress attack
Admiral Nimitz's communique
named 10 commanding admirals
and rs of the task force vessels
while the attack was in progress.
Other Carriers Believed in Raid.
Vessels named were four carriers,
four battleships, four cruisers and
IA destroyers. To launch 1000
planes, it was evident that other
carriers were along.
So completely were the japanese
trapped by the strike and by neu-
tralizing raids on Southern Jap
anese fields which preceded it. that
eight hours after the first plane was
launched from the carriers still no
sight of any Japanese defending
planes had been sighted by the fleet.
Norman Paige, American broad
casting Co. correspondent, talking
from the bridge of one of the battle
ships of Tokyo, said "the men COM
ing back give us vivid descriptions
of the damage inflicted, even as
other planes-wave after wave of
them-take of for Tokyo just ahead
of U.S."
Mr.. Paige listed the approximate
ly, airfields in the Tokyo area and
other especially designated targets
over some 2,400 square miles" as
the objectives of the Hundreds
upon hundreds of Corsairs, Hellcats,
Avengers and Helldivers" which
participated in the strike.
First Since February.
Presumably at least TOO of the
/ 900 planes launched would be over
their targets at the same time and
by steaming so close to the objec-
tives, fleet commanders multiplied
the striking force two or three times
through increased sorties possible
for each plane.
Today's strike Is the first against
Tokyo by carrier planes since Ad-
miral Raymond A. Spruance and
Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher
drove in with their 5th Fleet task
force February 16, II and Is and
blasted the enemy capital in a
series OF attacks which Admiral
Nimitz said scored decisive vic
tory"
Named as commanders in today's
attack under Admiral Halsey. who
Is from Elizabeth, N. j., were four
carrier admirals.
Admiral Mccain. Carrollton, Miss.
Rear Admiral T. l.. Sprague, Lima,
Ohio; Rear Admiral G. r. Began,
Mackinac Island, Mich, and Rear
Admiral A. w. Radford, Chicago.
Each of the latter three subordinates
presumably commands a formation
or unit of the carrier force.
Other AdmiraIs Named.
Other subordinate admirals OF the
Sd fleet named by Admiral Nimitz::
Rear Admiral John r. Shafroth,
Denver, Colo, whose wife lives In
Washington, D. c.; Rear Admiral
Lloyd jerome Wiltse. Mitchell. S.