SAW ENEMY HARBOUR JAMMED WITH SHIPS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 41, 18 February 1944, Page 5

SAW ENEMY HARBOUR JAMMED WITH SHIPS

AMERICAS OBSERVERS

On Reconnaissance Flight Before Big Attack

N.Z. Press Association —Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. WASHINGTON, Feb. 17. Twenty-two marine flyers, in two Liberator bombers, flew 2000 miles on Friday, February 4, to Truk on a reconnaissance flight in preparation for the attack, which has been commenced on the great enemy naval base in the centre of the Caroline Islands. They spent 20 minutes over Truk and saw the harbour "jammed with ships of all types and descriptions." . ~ The air raids were probably centred on the four main Truk islands of Eten, and Param, which possess airfields, also Dublon and Fefan. , . . . If the Japanese are able to . get planes they can attack the American aircraft-carriers, which necessarily must approach within 200 miles of their objective. Although the communique announcing the opening of the attack on Truk did not reveal whether surface units were shelling the Japanese base the wording of the statement gave the impression that waiships participated in the bombard ment. There is no indication that the Japanese Fleet has yet accepted the bold American challenge. Truk which is 900 miles north of Rabaul,' has been described as one of the strongest naval bases in the world.