Smashed Aleutian Base For Loss Of Observer Plane

Northern Advocate, 13 August 1942, Page 3

Smashed Aleutian Base For Loss Of Observer Plane

WASHINGTON, August 12. In a Navy communique the information v/as received re the following incidents in the Aleutians. On July 22, Army bombers were active in the Kiska Harbour, but, owing to fog, the results were not observed. On July 29 Navy patrol planes attacked Kiska at night time. Army bombers attacked shore installations and ships in the same vicinity. On August 3 a Japanese aircraft attacked the United States destroyer Kane off Atka island, 305 miles east of Kiska-. No damage was inflicted and Army bombers re-attacked the Kiska Harbour area. The results were not observed. On August 4 Army pursuit planes shot down two Kawanishi 97 seaplane bombers. On August 8 a Pacific Fleet Task force, protected by Navy patrol planes, heavily bombarded a group of enemy ships, camp facilities and shore installations at Kiska. Enemy Completely Surprised The attack was a complete surprise. The enemy, mistaking the first salvos of shells for bombs, opened anti-aircraft fire against imagined planes. Intensive bombardment from cruiser and destroyer guns soon silenced the shore batteries, started fires and inflicted severe damage to the camp area. The only enemy resistance was from aircraft. Our loss was one observation plane. On August 9 patrols planes folowed up the bombardment, attacking two cargo ships in Kiska Harbour, scoring two bomb hits on each ship and causing severe damage. Observers also sighted a sunken cargo vessel believed to have been sunk during the previous bombardment from surface forces.