SUMMED UP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 June 1942, Page 3

SUMMED UP

BV ADMIRAL NIMITZ RESULTS OF PACIFIC BATTLES JAPANESE LOSSES OF SHIPS & PLANES. “AT LEAST TEN TIMES OURS.” (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) HONOLULU, June 18. The Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Nimitz, in a speech aboard a warship on the occasion of awarding medals to heroes of the Pacific battles, summed up the battles by saying: “At every meeting since December 7 the Japanese losses have greatly exceeded ours. In the Coral Sea and Midway actions the Japanese losses in personnel were at least 10 times ours, and the Japanese plane losses were on about the same ratio.” Admiral Nimitz particularly congratulated the crews of the aircraftcarriers and the air groups. He said: “Air power has taken a leading role in fleet engagements, and it will increasingly do so in the future.” He promised that new carrier groups which will be speedily organised, will soon give the naval men who are now on duty in the Pacific, a well-deserved rest. ROUGH TIME IN PROSPECT FOR JAPANESE. MR NASH SHOWS RESTRAINED OPTIMISM. WASHINGTON, June 17. A note of restrained optimism was sounded by the New Zealand member, Mr Walter Nash, at a Press conference after a meeting of the Pacific War Council. He said that the Council paid particular attention to the south-west Pacific, where the general situation was encouraging. Moreover, the shipping situation,, in spite of all difficulties, looked better. There was a possibility of really good shipping news. There was no reason to throw hats in the air, but on the contrary there was no reason for pessimism. Mr Nash expressed the opinion that the Japanese were going to have a rough time. Lord Halifax, the British member, said that Mr Roosevelt fully reported happenings in the Aleutians. Asked by reporters if the situation there was good or bad, Lord Halifax declined to answer directly saying that the general effect of what the United States forces had done to the Japanese naval forces was most encouraging. The Philippine Commonwealth joined the Pacific Council today, when Mr Roosevelt inducted President Quezon.