PACIFIC NAVAL CLASH

Grey River Argus, 5 July 1944, Page 5

PACIFIC NAVAL CLASH

PREVENTED BY WIND NEW YORK, Jtily 4. An Associated Press correspondent with the United States Fifth Fleet in a delayed despatch stated: A prevailing east-west wind spoiled Admiral Spruance’s naval party on June 18-19, when, the Japanese fleet moved from the Philippines to the Mariana Islands. The Japanese launched ‘theii’ pla'nels when they were 400 miles from the American fleet. The American fleet then had to turn eastwards for the launching of its aircraft. It lost 90 minutes for this operation. After an aerial battle in which almost all of the Japanese planes were destroyed, the American fleet again had to steam eastwards for the landing of its returning planes. The time thus lost prevented the American fleet from catching the Japanese fleet.