COSTLY TO JAPANESE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 210, 2 June 1944, Page 5

COSTLY TO JAPANESE

U.S. Carrier Attacks (Received June 1, 9 p.m.) RUGBY, May 31. The United States Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Forrestal, according to a Washington message, states that the United States carrier attacks on Saipan, Truk, Tinan and Palau cost the enemy 500 planes destroyed compared with the United States loss of 48, of which more than 50 per cent, of the crews hud been rescued. The attacks also sank 52 enemy combat and merchant ships and damaged 32 ships of all classes, without the loss of a single United States vessel. Land-based planes have raided Truk 25 times, Ponape 53 and the Kuriles 31 times in the past two months. The United States Navy was now engaged on permanent service against the Japanese, said Mr. Forrestal. He added: “The tremendous mobility of our fleet has been imparted to our land and air forces, for by its use we have been able to reconquer territory and establish airfields in all the forward areas of the Pacific.”

‘‘The .carrier task force dominates action in the Pacific and will probably continue to do so,” Mr. Forrestal said. Attacks by American bombers on four islands in the Kuriles Group are reported in a Pacific Fleet communique. Venturas bombed Paramushiru and Shumushu Islands before dawn on Monday. Large fires were started at Shumushu. A single Liberator bombed Shimushiri Island, and another Liberator bombed Matsuma Island.