LARGER THAN EVER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25090, 4 December 1942, Page 3

LARGER THAN EVER

THE AMERICAN NAVY NATION’S GREAT EFFORT (Rcc. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec, 2. American intelligence officers estimate that since Pearl Harbour the Japanese have lost 250,000 killed or permanently injured, of whom approximately 37,000 were naval casualties, tantamount to 10 per cent, of the Japanese naval personnel. This was disclosed in a speech today by the Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Knox, who added that the United States casualties were 50,000 killed and missing, including 30,000 in the Philippines, The American naval losses represented about I per cent, of the personnel, and the estimated comparative losses of ships and planes were equally encouraging. “We have a larger and more powerful navy, measured in tonnage, air power, or anything else, than the day before Pearl Harbour or after it,” said Colonel Knox.

He acknowledged that America in her war effort had displayed timidity, hesitancy, inefficiency, confusion, waste and all the other things the critics say, but she had also converted the greatest peaceful plant into the greatest arsenal in history, maintained the four freedoms and solvency at home, equipped the armies in the South Pacific. Britain, and Africa, and operated the navy in all seas.

Colonel Knox added: “We might as well face the hard fact that a tough period is directly ahead in the Atlantic, where the African operations have tremendously increased the navy’s task. We have made a good start in Africa, but may have to pay a price in losses from submarine attacks during the next four months. We know the Axis has a large and growing submarine fleet in the Atlantic, and more training in the Baltic.”

Summing up the war effort, Colonel Knox said; “If we have been ankle deep in the war in 1942, we shall be in it up to the neck in 1943, and until we are in this thing up to the neck we cannot hope to end it.”