War Diary, USS Preble 
Letter 
en Route Pearl Harbor 
Ap 22, ±9k2 
From: Com. Off. USS Pr.eble (DM20) 
To: Com. in Chief US Pac. Fleet ■ 
Vic Com lhth ND 
Sub: Invest, of P & H Reef & Kure I. 
1. In compliance with Cincpac 190251 of April and ComfourteeJ200120 of 
April investigated P&H Reetf on April 19 th & Kure I. on April 20. 
2. Prior to putting ashore the landing party, Southeast Island of P&H Reef 
was shelled with 17 rounds of 4- in. service ammo. & 2k- rds of 4 in. 
target ammo. At the same time the bldgs on the island were bombed and 
machine-gunned [by] two Marine corps fighter planes from Midway. An 
armed landing party was then put ashore and the four buildingswere 
destroyed by fire. These bldgs, consisted of a small warehouse, two 
ousbuhkhouses and a messhall. There was no evidence in the buildings or 
on the island of recent habitation or landing. 
3* On the morning of April 20th an armed landing party was put ashore at 
Kure Is. Air coverage was provided by two Marine Corps fighter planes 
from Midway I. The entire center portion of Green Island is densely covered 
with shoulder-high shrubs. Due to the short time available this area 
could not be thoroughly searched. The remainder of two fires and a 
small lean-to were found on the beach at the southwest end of Green I. 
A grapnel with chain and about 10 feet of line was found near the lean- 
to. The fires and lean-to appeared to be less than two months old. 
The grapnel and line appeared to have been exposed to the weather a 
short time; the grapnel was not corroded; the chain and line were in 
excellent condition. Ho other evidence of landing was found. The lean- 
to was destroyed by fire. 
4. The grapnel, chain & line and some charcoal from one of the fires on 
Kure I. have been delivered to the Office of Naval Intelligence at PH 
for examination 
H. D. Johnston 
