U.S. Air Power Holds Solomons

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 108, 3 November 1942, Page 5

U.S. Air Power Holds Solomons

LONDON, November 2. Seven Japanese warships were damaged in last Monday's big' air and sea battle east of the Stewart Island. The first reports of this action have now come in. The battle began on-Sunday, October 25, when at least 50 Japanese warships attempted a knockout blow against Guadalcanal Two separate Japanese forces were concerned, one comingin with a strong- screen of cruisers and destroyers near Florida Island, nine miles north-west of Guadalcanal, and the other making' course near Santa Jsabel Island. 'As soon as the alarm was flashed scores of American divebombers and torpedo planes took off from Guadalcanal, and met Japanese carrier-borne dive-bombers across 150 miles of water. The air and sea battle went on for several hours until the Japanese broke off the engagement. One hundred enemy planes were shot down into the sea and 50 more were probably destroyed. Two Japanese aircraftcarriers and three cruisers were damaged and two battleships were hit. The American losses were one aircraft-carrier and one destroyer. It is officially stated today that United States marines killed 2000 Japanese last weekend when the enemy tried to storm the land positions on Guadalcanal. There were only 85 American casualties.