ADMIRAL HALSEY

Grey River Argus, 8 January 1944, Page 5

ADMIRAL HALSEY

Very Confident Attitude (Rec. 11.50.) NEW YORK, Jan. 7. On his return to the United States for the first time since June, 1942, Admiral Halsey, at a press conference, said: “The powess that be have decided to concentrate on the other side, so we shall await our turn, but after the boys roll up Europe, the South-Pacific will get quantities of men and material, and soon thereafter there will be a huge celebration where Tokio used to be.” _■ Commenting on the South Pacific situation, Admiral Halsey said they needed men and more material. That was a normal request for .any fighting man. T’he American losses in the South Pacific were in the ratio of one American to ten J'apanese. He added that that was the approximate ratio of Japanese and American ability as fighters. Admiral Halsey revealed that units of the British Navy served under him on several ! ocicasionsi, '.fighting''alongside Americans with perfect co-operation. He added: “At present there are two Japanese aircraft-carriers operating in the South Pacific. They have not yet been located.” IN MID-PACIFIC U.S.A. Air Force MAINTAINING SUPERIORITY

(Rec. 10.55) NEW YORK, Jan. 7. Brigadier General Flood to a “New York Times” representative at a central Pacific base stated: The Seventh U.S.A. Air Force is inflicting severe punishment on the Japanese in the Marshall Islands. Our losses have kept well below the “no profit” level. General Flood predicted that the United States would maintain air superiority there, despite an advantageous strategic position for the Japanese, who, he said, can send reinforcements almost at will by staging fighting planes to forward positions across their many island bases. General Flood added: We have the Japanese on the run here, and General Kenny has them on the run in the South-west Pacific. Gen. Flood explained that the Seventh Air Force is using pin-point navigation to find and raid infinitesimal islands which are. no larger than some individual targets.