U.S. NAVAL SUCCESS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 99, 26 March 1942, Page 5

U.S. NAVAL SUCCESS

HAVOC AT WAKE ISLAND ENEMY OUTPOSTS BLASTED. LONDON, March 25. A Washington communique reveals recent successful attacks by American naval and air forces on Japanese-occupied outposts in the Pacific. The engagements took place at the end of February and the beginning of March, and aircraft-carriers, cruisers and destroyers took place.

Wake Island was tho first objective and great havoc was caused to shor« installations. American planes dropped over 200 bombs. Two enemy patrolboats and three seaplanes were destroyed. An airfield, power plant, ammunition dump, and underground hangars were also destroyed. Another attack was made on Marcus Island, 700 miles north-west of Wake, and 96 bombs were dropped, much damage being done here also. A Japanese gunboat which sighted the American force approaching Wake Island was blown to pieces by a broadside from a warship, but was able, to flash a warning message to the is>.ind before it went down. The Vice-Admiral who commanded the American forces has been decorated ' with the Distinguished Service Medal. A Press -Association cable from Washington says: It is announced from Pearl Harbour that the official 'Navy spokesman described the attack on Marcus Island as swilt and cleanly completed. The spokesman stressed that Marcus was potentiallv a highly valuable base for aircraft as well as surface patrol units, grcatlv extending tho. range of patrol "aircraft. The spokesman said that Tokio had ordered black-outs on several nights following the Marcus attack.

AMERICAN DESTROYERS LOST. A Navy communique on the Far East states that the United States destroyers Pillsbury and Edsall, reported missing since early in March, are presumed lost. The Pillsbury is believed to have been lost in the vicinity ol Bali Strait after the naval engagement in the Java Sea. The last report from the Edsall placed her in waters south of Java. These destroyers were units of the original United States Asiatic fleet which had been used since the beginning of the war in an attempt to Irustrate the Japanese invasion in the islands in the. South-West Pacific. PHILIPPINES ACTIVITY.

The Washington War Department states that Lieut.-General Wainwright, United States, commander in the Philippines, reports a. successful attack by his lorccs in Mindanao cm a Japanese motor column near Zamboanca. "The enemy losses were heavy, while only one of our soldiers was killed," the announcement adds. Numerous floating mines have been encountered in Philippine waters, indicating that the enemy is sowing mines with a view to disrupting uitcrlsland shipping The Japanese claim that they have encircled the Americans in the Batan Peninsnla after heavy fighting. The United States Administration has requested from Congress an appropriation of 165,000 dollars for the High Commissioner of the Philippines. It explained that the provision was necessarv "in view of the possibility that the High Commissioner might bo able to return to Manila, where he will probably find the Japanese have destroyed most of his equipment.'