The Wilmington Morning Star

SEVEN JAP SHIPS
SUNK BY RAIDERS
(Continued from Page One)

area of the former Japanese territory southwest of Chichagof.

The 400 enemy soldiers were slain Saturday night and early Sunday as our forces advanced to the junction point. The destruction of the foe was achieved, a Navy spokesman said, in a series of small skirmishes and patrol actions rather than in a single battle.

The principal battle seems to have developed about 12 hours earlier when, at dawn Saturday, enemy troops counter-attacked American forces in Chichagof valley and were annihilated, except for a few snipers. The valley fighting had been reported by the Navy Sunday.

Japanese losses in the battle of the valley plus the troops the enemy lost Saturday night suggested that probably about a third or more of the entire enemy force on Attu was killed in a single day's action. The strength of the force has not been announced officially but estimates have put it at between 2,000 and 3,000 men.

With the Chichagof area cleaned up there apparently remained only the area further to the east around Cape Khlebnikof. A Navy communique last Saturday reported the presence of the foe in the Khlebnikof area but described that sector as quiet. At that time the Navy said other parts of the island were devoid of enemy activity.