Show SEC SHROUDS NAVAL FLIGHT 1 I I mm fARMADA MAY MAYI I I HAVE LANDED f AT TINY HOT ISLE 1 f f torm Reported at l Midway Goal of 46 Planes i WAS WASHINGTON INGTON May 10 IP JP a- a J n J Navy Kavy officials said late toda today not U the 46 6 planes which left yesterday yesterday yester day by from Pearl rear Harbor Hawaii would woold fly to o Midway 1 island more Ulan than 1300 miles distant 1 V t E I B By ny Associated Press V HONOLULU May 10 In 10 In grim fashion all aU communication I were silent today concerning 1 ithe the whereabouts o of 46 navy na seaplanes r ithe the greatest armada ever to make a aJ J long ocean mass flight light r i The planes participating in the 1 gigantic i 1935 war maneuvers maneu of ot the ther I r Unit United d Stal States fleet roared away from c. c th h Pearl Harbor base here yesterday yester- yester day da for Midway Island 1323 miles t Divest West of Honolulu Then they vanished to the outside when nav naval l officers scrutinized ill all dispatches from Midway l ii L' L 1 May Have Ha Alighted Alig I It t was believed the aircraft to void a storm which swept over Midway Mid Mid- way Va may have alighted at one of two barren little islands this side otheir r destination estina tion j Their exact whereabouts was wast V t Continued on P Pue Pase e Two 4 SECRECY VEILS MIDWAY FLIGHT i Continued from Page Pise One known only to the United states navy Y Ships of or the fleet i the they might have joined also silenced their radios And officers a of naval radio stations which could receive the only report would not even admit to civilian civilian civil civil- ian inquirers that the planes had gone on their spectacular dash With wartime precision the planes took off au yesterday starting starling at a a. a m. m 1248 p p. p m m. eastern standard time in the face of reports of a n mile 24 wind and rain gain over Midway island Whether they continued In the face ace of ot these conditions or sought shelter at French Frigate shoals mil miles from Crom Honolulu or at Pearl and Hermes reef reet miles from Midway was the navys navy's secret Stress Secrecy The navy operating on a wartime basis basis' stressed the Importance of se secrecy secrecy c- c cr crecy cy in winning the war game No word official or otherwise came from the big body of or planes Officials said that when they pa passed ed out put of or the harbor they fell feU under the jurisdiction of Admiral Joseph M. M Reeves as part of at the United States I fleet leet maneuvers There was considerable speculation n where the planes spent last night but officials termed it mere speculation When the planes departed a storm was brewing at Midway island and it was regarded possible the flying boats alighted at French Frigate sh shoals aLs for the night There also was a possibility the planes spent the night at Pearl and Hermes reef where a circular coral arm one a of the finest natural harbors in the Pacific This spot lies about miles cast o of Midway island When the plan planes reach Midway if H they are not there alread already the they will evil have ample room It has a reef reel opening opening open open- ing westward inclosing enclosing on area of water about six mil miles l long ng and two and one one halt half miles wide Somewhere in the thc triangle bounded bound ed by Hawaii the mainland and the Aleutian islands the ships of the fleet were carrying out training problems of which the flight light was only one phase Problems Secret Radios on the fighting craft crall have b been n silent since this mighty force put to sea from Pacific ports a week ago and the exact problems undertaken undertaken undertaken under under- taken will remain official naval secrets It was learned the planes plane will be away from here about one month giving rise to the belief beliet some of ot them may continue northward from Midway Midway Midway Mid Mid- way to the Aleutian islands about 1700 miles farther Establishment of military air bases in the strategic chain of Aleutian islands has b been n advocated by several several sev sev- eral members o of congress in Wash Wash- ington This Is the first time the area has been d designated as the site of oC extensive naval maneuvers Leader of or the armada takeoff from Honolulu was squadron VP VP 10 10 six planes which set a precision mass flight Hight record in Januar January 1934 1034 b by hopping lopping 2400 miles from San Francisco Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco to Pearl harbor The navy said it was a a. routine transfer of oC equip equip- ment Start Guarded Preparations for the trail trail blazing blazing flight started suddenly late Wednesday Wednesday Wednes ds day when n despite a shroud o of of official official official of- of secrecy activity at Pearl harbor heror her her- bor or indicated the takeoff was im im Naval officials would not even admit admit ad- ad mit nit a mass flight was bein being made mad but they were unable umble to hide visual aspects of at the unprecedented maneuver maneuver maneu ver as plane after alter plane skimmed the placid waters and rose into the air air Midway Mid island will be a way point in the proposed transpacific commercial commercial commercial com com- mercial air route from the mainland to China planned for or later this year Ships Maneuver For Positions WASHINGTON May 10 UP UP- UP The zero hour for lor start of or the war games in the Pacific approached ached today today to to- day wi with h the two wings of or the U. U S S. S fleet maneuvering into advant advantageous positions For the past three days das the black fleet composed o of heavy and light cruisers destroyers and aircraft h has scouted and reconnoitered by sea an and l air along the chain of oC Aleutian land islands reaching out from Alaska toward oward Japan This w was the raiding force orce to represent the attack at at- tack The battle force lorce comprising the big battleships and accompanied by destroyers destroyers de de- light cruisers aircraft carriers carriers carriers car car- submarines and minelayers had ad reached a point today approximately matel between Honolulu and Midway Midway Mid Mid- way island and thus had thrown its it bulk aulk between the raiding cruisers and a possible attack on Hawaii The mass flight light of or 46 navy plans planes was considered here considered as part of the defense fleets fleet's tactics The planes are to take take ke and hold the tiny island for or the defense forces until the blue fleet arrives Then Admiral Joseph M M. Reeves chief of the fleet and umpire in m the present maneuvers will be ready to flash the go go signal to o the thc commanders of ot both fleets HeelS and the war games will be on Navy officials here estimate the actual contact between the two fleets will take place between Midway Honolulu and the thc tip of ot Alaska The defending or blue fleet will throw its ils Is forces In a long line between the raiding fleet and both the American mainland and the Hawaiian islands The job o of Admiral Lanning commanding commanding commanding com com- manding th the defending fleet leet will willbe willbe wille be e to guess the objective e and intentions ions of the raiding fleet and to defeat decat de- de feat cat that purpose |