No Fun for the Airedales

The Navy's report on its stab into enemy waters 1,250 miles from Tokyo (TIME, Sept. 13) sounded like an anticlimax. According to the communique finally issued last week by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet: 80% of little Marcus Island's military installations, seven twin-motored Jap bombers, hangars, fuel and ammunition dumps, shops and living quarters were destroyed; an enemy trawler was sunk. After pounding the 740-acre island for nine hours from the air, losing two fighters and one torpedo plane, the U.S. task force, commanded by air-minded Rear Admiral Charles Alan ("Baldy") Pownall, retired.

Airedales (Navy airmen) were disappointed. Mourned a bomber pilot: "We were loaded for bear and bagged a possum. What a flotilla to waste on a postage-stamp air ferrying base."

But the anticlimax had its own significance. The Japs failed completely to react. If there were any fighters on the island, they never got in the air. Although U.S. surface ships were within bombing range of strong Jap bases on Bonin and Marianas Islands, no bombers ever appeared to retaliate. Conspicuously absent was the Jap fleet.

The raid temporarily knocked out a handy air base well inside the enemy's perimeter of defense. Despite the wails of the Airedales, the practice which unseasoned pilots and carrier crews got might be put to good use.

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