KISKA TARGETS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 236, 6 October 1942, Page 3

KISKA TARGETS

DAILY U.S. BOMBINGS

Seaplanes And Ships Heavily

Hit In Raids

British Official Wireless Ilec. 2 p.m. RUGBY. Oct. 5. The United States Navy communique states that army bombers operating from the Andreanof group, in the middle of the Aleutians, are making almost daily raids on Kiska. The weather conditions have favoured these operations, and the enemy has been under continual fire.

On October 1 and 2 many demolition anil incendiary bomb hits were scored on the camp area and the seaplane hangar. Five en< :r.v seaplanes were shot down during "a raici on October 2. Although no hits were observed on the three cargo ships at present at Kiska, subsequent photographic reconnaissance revealed that two were damaged by bombs and had been beached.

. "The military occupation of the islands marks the beginning of active preparations to expel the Japanese invaders from the* Aleutians." states the New York Times. "The threat that the Japanese might march, island by island, to the American Continent mav be dismissed. The enemy is under a sharp warning to defend himself against an American offensive.

The occupation of the islands alters the strategic situation in the North Pacific almost as great!v as our conquests in the Solomons altered the situation in the southwest Pacific," the .New York Times adds. We are now moving on Japan from two directions, and the nortnorn nank is the shortest.

, ."J ho Aleu , tians offer a militarv highway to Japan. It is only 1640 miles from Dutch Harbour to Paramushiru, the great Japanese naval £? se ., at northern end of the Kuriie Islands. We have now advanced to within 125 miles of Kiska, 'whicn is the half-way point. ' ? ur cx P e ''ienee in the Solomons T "i?k that . the reduction of Kihka will be neither easy nor quick. 1 ne news that we are alreadv ODerating an airfield in the Andreanofs explains the increased tempo of the recent attacks on Kiska, but aerial 'pil 30 - n ? 1 dislodge the enemy. The> will soften him up and dishis defence against the final amphibious assaults. The Andreanofs are a bridgehead for that assault,"