CENTRAL PACIFIC

Grey River Argus, 16 December 1943, Page 5

CENTRAL PACIFIC

BLOWS AT JAPAN

U.S. Navy Ready

[Aust. A N.Z. Press Assn.] WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.

Colonel Knox, Navy Secretary, stated: “The Pacific preliminaries are now over and we are getting ready to deliver powerful offensive blows against the Japanese. We are going to drive home some hard blows. The operations of our combined sea, air and land forces in all areas of the Pacific are going forward very satisfactorily. We now have equipment and trained men to do the complete job Tre whole strategy will become apparent as these things develop. It is perfectly obvious now that what seemed to be only nibbling was carried on with the purpose of decimating progressively the enemy’s air and surface strength. The enemy contributed to that by sending out small task forces, which were regularly overwhelmed. This enabled us tb’riip off very important elements ot the Japanese’ Fleet piecemeal.” Colonel Knox said: “United States air superiority in the Pacific continued unchallenged,” and added: "Air losses ran between six and eight to one in favour of the United States Air Forces, due to the steady attrition of Japanese pilots.” He derided the Japanese claims to losses .inflicted on the United States sea forces.

Direction of Blows MARSHALLS AND RABAUL. (Rec. 9.40) NEW YORK, Dec. 15. The New York “Herald-Tribune’s’ Washington correspondent says: Colonel Knox’s statement that preparations have been made for blows against Japan indicates strongly that simultaneous drives will soon be launched against the Marshall Islands and against Rabaul in New Britain Island. . , . , . Officials in Washington point out that the Marshall Islands must be neutralised to permit of best use of the Gilbert Islands. Although strong Jananese resistance is anticipated in the Marshall Islands, they are expected rapidly to fall to the same type of attack as that which won the Gilbert Islands. U.S. Raids in Marshalls ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY. (Rec. 9.50) NEW”YORK, Dec. 15 A communique from Admiral Nimitz’s Headquarters at Pearl Harbour reports raids by American bombers on Wotie atoll and Jaluit atoll in the Marshall islands. Army heavy bombers attacked enemy installations on Wotje atoll on Monday. One raider was damaged by flak. Two Navy Liberator bombers made a low altitude attack on Jaluit atoll at dusk on Sundav. Both planes were damaged by machine-gun fire. JAP RAID ON TARAWA. NEW YORK, Dec. 15. Admiral Nimitz’s headquarters reports that on Saturday Japanese aircraft made small night raids on Tarawa atoll in the Gilbert Islands. No casualties or damage was caused. U.S. Tarawa Casualties LANDING CRAFT NOT WELL HANDLED. (Rec. 11.0.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 15. Faulty handling of the Higgins landing craft, and not the craft itself, is claimed to have been responsible for the heavy United States Marine casualties at the Tarawa Atoll. There were 1,026 Marines killed and’ 2.557 wounded.

This claim of faulty Handling was made to-day by the designer and builder of the craft. Mr. Andrew JHiggins. He was replying to statements that the landing craft would not cross the great reef encircling Tarawa, thus forcing the invaders to ■r-ansfer to small boats under a terrific Japanese fire. Mr. Higgins said that his craft were designed-;tp?;/be hurled ashore at full-speed over reefs. He offered to train landing crews at New Orleans, where the craft have been successfully tested in the hurdling of tree stumps and of other obstructions.