U.S. NAVAL LOSSES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 11, 14 January 1943, Page 5

U.S. NAVAL LOSSES

OFFSET BY NEW SHIPS Control In Solomons Waters Still Held N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. NEW YORK, Jan. 13. The loss of the eleven ships in the Solomons battle identified in yesterday's communique, states the New York Times correspondent, Hanson Baldwin, is more than counter-bal-anced by new fleet additions. The loss of the aircraft carrier Home is the most severe because she was the newest of the seven regular carriers with which we started the war and the fourth to be sunk. "That the Japanese losses were much heavier is proven by the fact that we are still in the southern Solomons with our positions consolidated and are exercising naval control in Solomons waters. The Japanese have been repulsed in every attempt at. reconquest. "Our carrier strength should soon be far greater than it was before the war. Three new carriers have already been launched and eight more will probably be completed in 1943. Three carriers, converted from cruiser hulls, will soon be fighting, while literally scores of freighters and tankers are being converted to carriers "Our cruiser and destroyer losses are similarly being replaced. We will be fighting before the War ends with a fleet that before Harbour was only a dream in the brain of the Naval High Command." A Washington cable message yesterday stated: The Navy Department has published the following list of ships previously reported as having been lost;— Aircraft carrier: Hornet. Light cruisers: Juneau and Atlanta. Destroyers: Cushing, Preston, Benham, Walke, Monssen, Laffey and Barton. Heavy cruiser: Northampton.