NEW TARGETS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25214, 1 May 1943, Page 5

NEW TARGETS

RAIDS IN PACIFIC NAURU AND TARAWA BOTH HEAVILY DAMAGED WASHINGTON, (Rcc: 0.15 a.m.) Apl. 30. Striking twice in 36 hours, American Liberator bombers have severely damaged the important phosphate works and aerodrome areas in the outlying Japanese bases of Nauru and Tarawa (Gilbert Islands),” writes the Associated Press correspondent with an American Army task force in the Central Pacific. "This,” he says, “is a foretaste of the industrial destruction awaiting Japan proper.” The latest phase of the growing Central Pacific bombing offensive involved one of the longest aerial task force missions of the war. Nauru is 750 miles north-east of Guadalcanal and is reported to have suffered on April 21 a daylight assault, which is unprecedented in this theatre. Tarawa was raided just before dawn. Both missions were led personally by Majorgeneral Willis Hald, commander of the United States Seventh Air Force. He described the operations as extremely successful. The raid on Tarawa may be the prelude to an attempt to drive the Japanese out of the Gilberts, according to the Washington correspondent of the Associated Press. He says the raid was regarded by Washington authorities as particularly significant because of its relation to other recent events in this area. , . He adds: “Tarawa’s triangular reef lies athwart short-cut routes for American supplies. Any movement to drive the Japanese from the Gilberts would transfer strategic advantages now possessed by the Japanese to the American forces, shortening and strengthening the American supply lines. For several weeks there has been a series of manoeuvres, indicating that American strategy might be developing towards the fulfilment of these purposes.”