Evening star., 1945-08-29
Yokosuka Wreckage
Like Pearl Harbor,
Navy Officer Says
BY AL DOPKING,

ABOARD UNITED STATE S
LANDING BOAT CRUISING YO-
KOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Aug. 20
I have just visited the Yokosuka
naval base in the first American
boat to enter the narrow channels
leading to it from Tokyo Bay since
long before the Pearl Harbor attack
The group of newspapermen in
this boat came within Is feet of the
sacred soil of the japanese home
island. japanese soldiers and naval
personnel watched curiously as the
small boat flying the American flag
slowly passed their installations
Armed sentries less than 100 feet
away stared stonily from their posts.
There was only one sign of friend
illness -Four japanese in a small
boat along the wooden docks waved
as they tussled with bicycle they
were putting aboard. They appeared
to be civilians.
The navy yard looked stricken
Evidences of the effects of Ameri-
can bombing were everywhere with
the buildings of both the aircraft
arsenal and the shipyard complete
ly gutted.
Saw Warship Wreckage.
When We passed the wrecks of
the battleship Nagato and other
ships it was evident that japanese
are not going to need any Ameri-
can scrap metal for long time to
come.
Here at Yokosuka is most of what
Is left of what the Japanese once
proudly termed the most powerful
navy in the world.
AS We passed the wreckage of
japanese ships scattered around
one of the Navy men commented:
Its just exactly like Pearl Har-
Dor on December T."
The first japanese we saw ashore
were half a dozen or so youths
swimming off a pier. They went
on with their swimming. AS we
threaded our way through the mar
row waters more japanese began
showing up.
SdHoAhd6C ANCkS Stih - r.
We passed by the Nisoto Baki
Saki coal storage and oil tanks as
we entered Nagaura Harbor. One
japanese freighter with bamboo
bridge, indicating the Japanese even
ran short of usable scrap metal,
stood there. There were still a few
camoufage nets over some of the
tanks despite orders of Admiral
Badger that they should all be re-
moved and all installations made
visible from the air
AS we passed through the 100
foot channel between Nagaura and
Yokosuka Harbors we could see
numbers of ammunition vaults
built back into the side of the hills
Two Navy Corsars few overhead
as We started through the canal and
passed a group of japanese in small
boats. They were dressed in some
what shabby olive drab uniforms
and stared at us without sign of
friendliness.
Saw Only Two Trucks.
The japanese sentries stood alert
as we passed close by with no ex-
preston on their faces. One SEN
try swung his rifle stifhy to his side
as an officer wearing sword walked
UP to him and said a few words
What he said, no American in the
boat could tell but we couldn't help
watching him and that rife.
Two big characters painted on a
naval base building were translated
for us by the Chinese corresponds
ent. Chu Chipping, as reading no
smoking"
More japanese got word there
were Americans offshore and came
running down to the piers for look.
I saw only two trucks on the
road during the entire trip. Two
oxen drawn carts were being used
to haul loads around the base and
one cart was drawn by japanese. 1t
was piled high with what appeared
~ ho porcorol he1opUipOc