AMERICAN NAVAL CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 276, 18 August 1944, Page 6

AMERICAN NAVAL CONTROL

West Pacific Waters (Received August 17, 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 16.

“The American naval forces which are hitting the Japanese on a 3500mile front in the western Pacific hold virtual cr-ntrol of 8,000,000 square miles of Pacific waters and islands once dominated by the enemy,” said the Act-ing-Secretary of the Navy, Air. Bard, reviewing the Pacific war. Air. Bard described the western naval front as extending from Paramushiru to the Bismarck Sea. “Another naval front,” he said, “stretches 2400 miles from the Marshalls to New Guinea. The naval forces throughout these lines, some under Admiral Njmitz and others under General AfacArtbur, continue the constant harassing of enemy positions.” Air. Bard reported that approximately 11,000 enemy dead had been counted on Guam, bringing the known enemy losses in the Afariannes campaign to at least 40,000. Undoubtedly, he added, Japanese losses considerably exceed that figure because they conducted mass burials. In addition, large numbers were sealed up in caves and pillboxes. The American total losses, including wounded, were much lighter. Air, Bal'd said that there was ample wider*™ from Japanese broadcasts that the Zfinerican successes in the Mariannes had been a severe shock to Japanese psychology. It was not known whether the absence of a final Japanese suicide attack on Guam, was because of the enemy will failing or whether the impact of the American forces unbalanced him. In the Solomons and Bismarcks, the enemy was still trying to keep bis remaining forces alive. Light naval forces conducted frequent bombardments of enemy positions and were steadily destroying such little barge traffic as the enemy was able to carry on. Tokio official radio says.that the army spokesman, Colonel Nogai, said that Japan plans to fight a decisive battle for victory along an arc linking Japan with the Philippines, where a grand-scale American offensive will eventualy aim. Nogai acknowledged that Japan's air power was only roughly one-third of the enemy’s. , . He added: “In spite of this inferiority, we have absolute confidence in our victory, because the decisive battle undoubtedly will be fought on the arc where Japan has undisputed air control.”