Word: truk
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...thin, 16,000-mile supply line, the longest in the world. A southeast China port through which can flow thousands of tons of needed war materiel from the U.S. is Claire Chennault's key to decisive victory. Only the Navy, knifing through the Gilberts toward Truk, and northward to Wake and Guam, while General Douglas Mac Arthur pushes toward the Philippines, could open such a port...
...tiny pin points of coral and sand, Admiral Spruance's Marines and soldiers fought Japs for whom there was no line of retreat. But ahead of the Americans there was a pregnant line of advance-to the Marshalls, to the Japs' great naval-and-air center at Truk...
Pacific. Alarmed by U.S. Navy and Marine landings at Bougainville, the Japanese rushed reinforcements from Truk to Rabaul, the major South Pacific base which the Allies now threaten. Allied air planes found many warships in Rabaul, attacked and hit eight cruisers, two destroyers. Despite constant bombings, the Japs managed to keep air power pouring into the area...
Then the Japanese began pouring reinforcements down from Truk, their South Pacific naval center. General Douglas Mac-Arthur's announcements indicated that a total of 53 warships and eleven supply ships might be on the way. Identification of enemy naval types by U.S. aviators occasionally leaves something to be desired; and last week's communiques on the reconnaissance reports may very well have duplicated each other. But it was clear that the commander of Japan's Combined Fleet, Mineichi Koga, had been stung into action. He sent forward to Rabaul substantial cruiser forces in support of troop...
...also remember that a strong carrier force raided Wake and at any time might support an invasion blow at Truk's eastern flank-at the Marshalls and Gilberts, for instance. He must have realized that last week's Solomons action might be partly a diversion. He probably had means of hearing excerpts from a speech Admiral Nimitz made in Honolulu last week: "Before we can bring our fast-growing air and naval superiority to bear on the Japanese homeland, we must secure adequate bases close enough to that homeland. This will be done...