U.S. BOMBARDMENT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 154, 1 July 1944, Page 5

U.S. BOMBARDMENT

NORTHERN KURILES

Destroyers In Fierce Action

With Small Craft

Rec. 10.30. NEW YORK, June 30

A strong naval task force bombarded Karabu Zaki, the Japanese air and naval base on the southern tip of Paramushiro, northern Kurile Islands, for 30 minutes last Monday, says the United Press correspondent aboard the American flagship. Nearly 5000 projectiles were fired into the base.

The correspondent adds: "The attack, which was launched in fog in the early morning darkness, apparently surprised the Japanese, who put up little resistance. We suffered no damage or casualties. Our destroyers also engaged a swarm of small craft in a fierce action. It was not determined whether these were armed patrol vessels or torpedo boats sent out in an attempt to trap our task force, but the destroyers, racing through the ghostly murk, charged time and again into the flotilla and sank and damaged a number of Japanese vessels.

The Associated Press correspondent says the destroyers virtually ran down a fishing fleet, which was possibly making catches for the Suribachi canneries.

Kurabu Zaki could not be seen and the bombardment was carried out by instrument.