HALF ISLAND WON

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 125, 22 February 1944, Page 5

HALF ISLAND WON

Eniwetok Fighting

(Received February 22. 1.40 a.m.) PEARL HARBOUR, February 21.

The American forces which landed on Eniwetok Island, in the Marshalls, now have possession of the western half of the island. This is announced in a communique from Admiral Nimitz’s headquarters, which adds: “The attack is being carried out by elements of the 106th Infantrv, supplemented by units of the 22nd Marines. Except for Parry Island. the remainder of the atoll is in our hands. Casualties continue to be light. Raids on Friday by American Army and Navy planes on Japanese positions in the Marshalls and the Carolines are reported in a Navv Department communique. Army Liberators bombed the dock and shipping at Kusaie, sinking a small ship. Warhawks, Ventura_s and Liberators attacked four Marshall Islands atolls, scoring hits on ground installations, an airfield and a radio station. All , the planes returned.

DEFENDERS WIPED OUT

NEW YORK, February 20. In the quickest victory of the Pacific war against a defended Japanese bastion United States marines, attacking under cover of a devastating naval aiid aerial bombardment, conquered Engebi Island today in 365 minutes, says a United Press correspondent aboard the United States flagship off Eniwetok atoll on February 18. He adds that the defenders were completely wiped out. The marines’ losSe* were light. The assault against Engebi. which is the site of the key Japanese airstrip of the Eniwetok atoll, followed the occupation yesterday of 10 small flanking islands without a single casualty.- The Japanese did not challenge the attack either by air or sea, indicating the American supremacy in both elements. The marines went ashore in the wake of a bombardment by naval units and dive-bombers, which poured over 1000 tons of explosives on to the tiny tn angular island. We saw almost incred ible destruction, surpassing that at Kwajalein. Every Building Razed.

A month ago Engebi was an. island city and lit* most important Japanes’ staging areawn the mid-Pacific. Now it looks as though a giant lawn mower had run over it. Not a single building is standing. The preliminary bombardment by battleships, cruisers, carriers and destroyers killed' many Japanese and knocked out most of their’weapons, particularly those defending the beaches. The swift and inexpensive success was made possible by complete immunity from air attack ad a result of the increasing strikes of the past week by carrier forces against Eniwetok and Ponape and the dramatic assault against Truk. An Associated Press correspondent says that the attack against Eniwetok was another demonstration of the’new American strategy in the Pacific—-striking at the centre of the Japanese defences and leaving the remainder to wither on the vine. The assault completes the neutralization of the Marshall Islands and also begins what obviously is intended as the encirclement and cutting off of both Wake Island and Truk, Possession of this atoll will clear, the way to Truk from both north and east and permit our bombers to carry lethal loads daily to Truk.

FRIGHT FOR JAPANESE (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) NEW ZEALAND BATTLE HEADQUARTERS IN THE PACIFIC, February 19.

The most frightened Japanese on Nissan was one who stumbled into a New Zealander’s foxhole by night. Sergeant T. Pagan, Pleasant Point, was peacefully resting in a shallow trench when the Japanese. who presumably had become lost in the bush, wandered into our lines, stumbled against a New Zealander’s trenching nick and sprawled over the prostrate s’oldier.

Pagan reacted smartly. Hurling his unwelcome visitor out with a mighty heave, he grabbed a tommy-gun io finish off the-Japanese, but fright added speed to tHc'fleeiug legs of the Japanese, and be disappeared in the darkness. His escape was short-lived, for, running out of the frying-pan into the fire, he careered over a 50ft. cliff and was .killed in the falL