In their icy tundra dugouts the 10,000 to 12,000 isolated Jap defenders of Kiska were warmed up last week by heavy bombardments from the sea, first since the U.S. Navy raided this Jap-held Aleutian base nearly a year ago. Now, when heavy fogs had slowed up the air force's shuttle-bombing, the Navy stepped in again.
In the first attack a sizable task force cruised offshore, pouring round after round of high explosive on the rocky island. No answering flashes came from the shore batteries. Perhaps the Japs, anticipating invasion, did not want to give away their guns' location. Perhaps U.S. battleships which...