SURPRISE FLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 123, 19 February 1944, Page 7

SURPRISE FLIGHT

Liberators’ Visit Before The Attack

(By Telegraph.—Press Af.sn. —Copyright)

(Received February IS, 11.30 P-mJ NEW- YORK, February li.

Two Liberators which made a reconnaissance flight to Truk preceding the American attack caught the Japanese by surprise, says the Associated Press correspondent at a South Pacific base. Xiie •two planes had to battle through freak tropical storms and became separated en route, yet they arrived at Truk only a few minutes apart. Only 12 bursts of erratic flak greeted the first Liberator, but the second met a tremendous concentration of fire. Both returned unharmed through a protecting cover of clouds. Zeros attempted to intercept them after their last run, but the Liberators eluded them. The crews brought back tales of huge ship concentrations. One island is covered with airfields. Heavy coastal guns aie mingled with expanses of palatial living quarters. Captain James Yawn counted 25 warships through a small gap in the clouds. “It looked like the whole Japanese fleet, yet I saw only part of one of the many anchorages,” he said. “Strips, taxiways and workshops covered the entire layout. There did not seem room for anything else.”