ATTACKS ON ALASKA

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 June 1942, Page 5

ATTACKS ON ALASKA

NO SERIOUS DAMAGE FURTHER RAIDS EXPECTED WASHINGTON, June 3. A United States Navy communique announced that Japanese bombers and fighters attacked Dutch Harbour. It is now known that the attacx caused only a few casualties. A few warehouses were set on fire, but there was no serious damage. A second raid took place six hours later, but detailed reports of this are still awaited. Rear-admiral Freeman, commander of the Alaskan Naval District, issued a statement that the attack was not a surprise and the station was prepared to meet it. , It is almost certain the attackers came from an aircraft carrier and American bombers are now hunting against odds which are in favour of the ship through the fogs anU storms which at present prevail. Mr. Hanson Baldwin, the “New York Times” correspondent, considers that the Japanese air raids on Dutch Harbour will prove to be merely the first of several raids in the near future against the west coast of the American Continent. Moreover the Dutch Harbour attacK may only be a feint to distract vigilance from points on the west coast, where a full-out raid may be intended.

WIDESPREAD PRECAUTIONS.

WASHINGTON, June 3.

The Japanese raids on Dutch Harbour have shifted the focus of the Pacific war towards North America. They have put the defences right from the Aleutian Islands to Panama on the alert against further thrusts. The brief official reports on these first air attacks on North American soil have failed to indicate immediately whether they are a hit and run blow, or are the opening phase of an western stepping-stone to Canada and the United States. Mr. Anthony Dimond, Alaskan Delegate to Congress, has given a warning. He said: “I am afraid that there are too few defending planes to beat back a possible sustained series of attacks if the Japanese open up a big scale offensive such as the Philippines invasion. The Western Headquarters of the R C A.F., at Victoria, have ordered a radio black-out in the British Columbia coastal area. The A.R.P. leaders in Seattle have warned the public to prepare for a black-out at an instant’s notice.. The California Defence Council has issued an emergency alert, calling for vigilance. , _ The military authorities at Balboa have cancelled all leave for soldiers and sailors in the Canal zone, and have ordered the alert to be intensified.

ALL QUIET AGAIN. (Recd. 11 a.m.) V WASHINGTON, June 4. A communique said that no bombs were dropped during the second raid on Alaska. It was probably only a reconnaissance. The situation at Dutch Harbour is quiet at present. The total damage at the base was not extensive. Fires were quickly extinguished after the initial raid. While the source of the attacking aircraft is not determined definitely, it is believed to have been carrierbased. MR. STIMSON’S WARNING. (Recd. 11.20 a.m.) WASHINGTON, June 4. Mr. Stimson, in a Press interview, referring to the Japanese air attacks on Alaska, said: “I warn you that this is not the only and the last*raid we may expect.” Asked whether the warning applied to the continental United States, he replied that he would not like to place geographical boundaries on where the enemy might strike. He did not care to go into that phase of Japanese minds. He similarly declined to speculate as to why Japan struck first in the Alaskan area. A Navy communique states that the first raid on Dutch Harbour was apparently made primarily to test the defences. High explosives and incendiaries were dropped but the casualties were light.

MIDWAY ISLAND

(Rec. 1.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 4. The Navy announced that Japanese planes had attacked Midway Island, this morning. NAVY ADDITIONS.

RUGBY, June 3

The launching of two destroyers from a port on the east coast of the United States to-day gave point to an almost simultaneous announcement by the chairman of the House of Representatives Naval Affairs Committee (Mr Carl Vinson), when he was introducing legislation for a vastly increased Navy programme, estimated to cost §,300,000,000 dollars. A later message says that the programme includes 500 fighting ships. The new ships will be additional to those already authorised. In the most recent official disclosure, the United States Navy reported that it had 346 fighting ships in service and 347 building. An agency message adds that this programme provides for 19,000,000 tons of new combatant vessels, including 500,000 tons of additional aircraft-carriers. There will also be about 800 small vessels for patrol and mine-sweeping duties. Mr Vinson predicted that the two ocean Navy originally proposed would probably be completed within the next 24 months. He believed that the proposed programme would virtually 'double the number of ships in the present fleet apart from aircraftcarriers, He contemplated 500,000 tons of cruisers, both light and heavy, and 900.000 tons- of destroyers and destroyer escort vessels. PRODUCTION AND TRANSPORT. -RUGBY, June 4. Mr. Harriman has returned to the United States on a brief visit. He will consult with production, transport and lend-lease officials at Washington and will participate in discussions there with Mr. Lyttelton. ARMY AND AIRCRAFT.

(Recd. 1 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 4.

The War Department has nominated Brigadier General Idwel Edwards, as Assistant Chief of Staff, in charge of the organisation and training of the entire Army. He is a pilot of experience and his appointment is regarded as giving new recognition to the importance of the air in Army training. Mr. Stimson also announced the appointment of Mr. R. W. Ireland as chief of the new air division of the Army’s transportation service, in connection with the broad programme to utilise aircraft to speed the flow of manpower and materials in all phases of war effort. SPEEDY DELIVERY. BURBANK (California), June 4. The Boeing flying fortress is now rolling off the Vega aircraft assembly line, six months ahead of schedule, the President, Mr. Courtland T. Gross, disclosed to-day. The Vega; which accomplished the

initial tooling less than a year ago, is the first plant to begin deliveries under the pooled facilities plan of speeding up production. Mr. Gross said the foregoing was accomplished without slowing the twin-engined bombers for the British. Indeed, the Venturas were will ahead also.

CADET OFFICERS

WASHINGTON, June 4

Mr. Roosevelt to-day, signed legislation increasing the number of cadets at West Point from 1960 to 2496 a year. Each member of Congress- will be entitled to make one additional appointment to fill the new quota. MAN REALLY WOMAN (Recd. 1.20). NEW YORK, June 4. Ten draftees from Galesburg (Illinois) appeared before the Draft Board for induction. Nine were accepted but the tenth was rejected, because “he” turned out to be a woman. The draftee had been raised as a boy by the parents, and never knew the truth about her sex. WAR WITH BALKANS. (Reccl 11 a.m.) WASHINGTON, June 3. The Senate unanimously and without debate, completed Congressional action of declarations of war against Bulgaria, Hungary, and Rumania, and sent the resolutions, to White House. ILLNESS IN CAMPS. (Recd. 1 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 4.

Mr. Stimson told the Press that the special War Department Board of research scientists were studying the outbreak of illness at Fort Muster (Michigan) and other Army camps, which appeared to be caused by abnormal reaction to yellow fever inoculations. Mr. Stimson said the disease resembled jaundice rather than yellow fever. Asked whether there was any substance in the rumours of the possibility of sabotage by the yellow fever serum, and whether any indication of this might be the beginning of enemy germ warfare, Mr. Stimson said he had not heard of any indication of this.

GREEK KING’S VISIT

WASHINGTON, June 3.

The State Department has announced King George of Greece will arrive in the United States on a visit on June 10. He will be accompanied by the Greek Prime Minister, M. Tsouderos and other Greek dignitaries.