Snooper Shoot

After a week's tour with one of the Third Fleet's task forces, in the neighborhood of Bougainville, TIME Correspondent William Chickering cabled:

"For most of the week it was ideal torpedo weather. The high tropic moon flaunted itself above masses of gauzy clouds. During these nights death passed the ships so close that we could hear 'the beating of his wings.' Some nights we had the advantage of black storms but even in dense rain and squall, weirdly lit by lightning, the Japanese snoopers sought us. One torpedo plane found us and tried to hit our flanks.

"The regular nightly diversion is what we call a snooper shoot. The Japs' reconnaissance planes circle like midges, dropping flares to summon torpedo bombers. Our main batteries light out with unexpected bursts. Sometimes we let go with everything and the tracers dance across the sea like ping-pong balls. It is impossible in the darkness to count how many we shoot down.

"Our ships snake about as nimbly as Fred Astaire. swaying from side to side with rhythmic ebullience. The Japs, boiling mad, fail to attack the troop-laden transports, concentrate instead on the escorts.

"The task force also rescues fallen air men. One afternoon we picked up five of our men. The Jap airmen were less interested in this gratuitous service. Four Japs on a raft shot themselves rather than be captured."

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