ON TO TOKIO

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 208, 3 September 1943, Page 5

ON TO TOKIO

MARCUS ISLAND RAIDED BY U.S.FORCE OPENING PHASE OF PACIFIC OFFENSIVE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Rood. 8 p.m. New York, Sept. 2. Tokio official radio said that many enemy planes raided Marcus Island at dawn yesterday and that enemy warships also shelled it. Marcus Island ;s 1200 miles south of Tokio. An American spokesman said that a raid by a carrier task force was presumably in progress at the spot. The raid was planned for yesterday, and the task force should have arrived on time. No reports had been received, and none was expected until, there was no further need for radio silence. The Associated Press points out that the Navy has not previously issued a statement reporting a raid while it was in progress. The announcement yesterday indicated the High Command's confidence that the task force was so powerful it would be able to cope with any forces which the Japanese might bring up. Pearl Harbour observers express the opinion that the Marcus Island attack signified the opening phase of the long-awaited real offensive in the Pacific, says the New York Times. There are indications that further blows inside Japan’s defensive perimeter may be expected. The destruction of Marcus Island deprives Japan of an important air base which served the dual purpose of a relay point to the Marshall Islands and a defensive airfield less than 1000 miles from Tokio.

It is recalled that Marcus Island was attacked on March 4, 1942, by carrier-based aircraft, but yesterday’s announcement of both shelling and bombing operations shows that the Pacific Fleet now intends to remove Marcus Island permanently as a Japanese base, whereas last year’s operation was merely harassing. There is so far no indication of the size of the attacking forces or • from where the attack was made, but it is believed that an Allied naval concentration of considerable power is at sea. “SURE AS YOU’RE BORN” STEPPING UP CAMPAIGN IN PACIFIC THEATRES (P.A.) Auckland, Sept. 2. The most important American military mission which has visited the South and South-west Pacific areas arrived in Auckland to-day. It is headed by the United States Undersecretary for War, Judge Robert P. Patterson, and includes Lieut.-General William S. Knudsen, director of production in the office of the Secretary of War. Judge Patterson said shortly after the mission’s arrival that he and his colleagues intended to see United States servicemen and military installations and jiold consultations with the New Zealand Government and service leaders. Other members of the mission are Major-General Le Roy Lutes, director of operations at headquarters of Services of Supply in Washington, Brig?.-dier-General Boykin Cabell Wright, of the International Division, Army Service Forces, Colonel Stanley Joseph Grogan, deputy director of the War Department Bureau of Public Relations, Julius H. Amberg, special

assistant to the Secretary of War, Colonel Carl D. Silverthorne, chief ot the Pacific Theatre section of the operations division of the War Department General Staff, Washington, and Major Andrew J. Goodwin, a member of the office of Ihe UnderThe mission camo to New Zealand Secretary for War. from Australia and was welcomed on arrival bv the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C.. Minister in Charge of War Co-ordination, and -senior officers of the United States and New Zealand services. “The campaign in the Pacific will be stepped up,” said Judge Patterson in an interview shortly after his arrival in Auckland. “Measures are now in hand which will result in greatly increased activity in this area. You won’t have long to wait now. “I am here,” added Mr. Patterson, "Io see United States servicemen, to consult with your Government, and service leaders and to study the prospect of increasing the flow of munitions to this area.” Asked whether this last intention included additional aid for New Zealand, Mr. Patterson said he certainly intended to examine Lend-Lease deliveries as well as to .study the general flow of war materials to the combat, areas, saying that he sometimes had an impression that America thought of the war in the Pacific as a side-show and that the main issue was Europe. Judge Patterson said he would like to correct that impression if it existed. “There are not two wars going on,” said Mr. Patterson. “It is all the same war and it is of tremendous proportions. Strategical plans have been mapped out from that point of view, since any other approach to the problem of defeating the vast military power of our enemy is manifestly impossible. . According to this plan men and equipment are allocated to the various theatres of war. The resources of America are great, but it has taken time to bring them into effective use. A year ago we had an army of hardly more than 2.500,000. To-day we have 7,000.000 in the army, more than 2.000,000 of them already overseas. Many more will be serving abroad by the end of the year.” Mr. Patterson said that already the pressure against the enemy in the north was steadily increasing, and as that pressure intensified the war would move further and further away from Australia and New Zealand. Military operations were denendent on supplies, and now the “pipe-lines” between the Pacific combat areas and the sources of supplies were being filled. Asked whether the capture of the Japanese bases in the Aleutians made it possible to bomb Tokio, Mr. Patterson said: “The bombing of Tokio is coming just as store* as you’re born. Every step nearer we get to Japan brings that day closer/* Judge Patterson would not commit himself to a statement on the strategy to be employed, but he said: “We are in this war to stay, and we are going to win it.” While he was in Australia Judge Patterson had conferences with General MacArthur, and he also revealed that during his tour he has had conferences with Admiral Halsey. Judge Patterson said he had visited New Guinea during his travels* and had gone as far as Buna. He said he had not seen anything of the Japs, and smilingly admitted that he did not like enough to want to see them. “I am very glad to be in New Zealand,” he said. “In Australia I was very favourably impressed by the war effort, and I am sure I will find New

Zealand also is excellent. I recall seeing New Zealand troops in France in the last war, and there were no finer troops anywhere. In this war they have magnificently kept up that reputation.” Judge Patterson gave the interview within a few minutes of his arrival. He was the only spokesman for the mission, and immediately after the interview he and his colleagues entered cars and were driven to the city, where it is expected thpy will remain for the duration of their visit i to New Zealand.