STRENGTH IN PACIFIC

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21735, 17 August 1940, Page 8

STRENGTH IN PACIFIC

U.S. Preparedness Fleet In Pearl Harbour By Telegraph —Press Association AUCKLAND, August 16. Forceful and tangible impression of United States preparedness and strength in the Pacific was afforded at Honolulu to members of the party of American journalists on their way to New Zealand in the Californian clipper. On their arrival at Auckland they said that 10 battleships, two aircraft carriers, 15 cruisers and about 50 destroyers and a number of submarines were at anchor in Pearl Harbour. “At this greatest American naval base one gained the impression that here at least defences were going forward earnestly and with visible signs of progress on the part of both the army and the navy,” commented Mr Harold Callender, special correspondent of the “New York Times.” "In addition to naval personnel there were some 25,000 officers and men stationed at base units, including coast artillery and air squadrons.” The Hickham airfield, near the harbour, was in process of enlargement work which began in 1935 and should be completed in 1943 at a cost of 25,000,000 dollars, said Mr Callendar. It was the headquarters of the 18th wing of the United States air arm. comprising two bombardment groups and one pursuit group. Under the new programme of expansion it was expected that the wing would become a division with perhaps a doubling of equipment and personnel.