Greatest Air Victory In History

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13090, 8 March 1943, Page 3

Greatest Air Victory In History

BATTLE OF BISMARCK SEA JAPANESE POWER FADING - One Allied Bomber and Three Fighters Lost Fine Fighting Morale London, March 7. The wiping out of the Japanese invasion fleet in the Bismarck Sea has been declared to be the greatest air victory in history. General MacArthnr states that 13G Allied aircraft were used. Ouv losses were one heavy bomber and three fighters. Allied planes dropped 220 tons of bombs and scored SO direct hits and 03 near misses.

The enemy employed about 150 fighter aircraft, and 102 of these were put out of action, 63 being definitely destroyed. The Japanese naval force escorting the convoy consisted of three light cruisers and seven destroyers and they were all sunk. At least 15,000 Japanese soldiers are believed to have been on board the ships and they all perished. Allied losses were less than one man for every ship sunk and there were 22 of them.

The victory is mainly attributed to the tremendous Allied fighting morale and the brilliant anticipation of the Japanese moves by Allied leaders. There was magnificent teamwork between Australian and United States personnel.

The victory was also largely aided hy the construction of numerous fighter and bomber landing strips in northern New Guinea. The United press comments widely on the great victory. The Kansas City Star says, “The enemy lost more ships than we lost men. 1 ’ The New York Herald-Tribune states that the power of the Japanese air force for defensive .and offensive action is fading. Mr C. R. Attlee, Britain’s dep-uty-Prime Minister, said that air control in the South-west Pacific is now in Allied hands.

Japan maintains a complete silence about the battle but ironically enough the Japanese Emperor has. just called in 13 Japanese admirals and congratulated them. The Japanese have now lost two more large destroyers in a surface action with U.S. light naval craft in the Solomons. The U.S. ships suffered no losses. This is the first engagement of surface forces since the battle of' Guadalcanar in November last.