SOLOMONS BATTLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1943, Page 5

SOLOMONS BATTLE

Fifteen Japanese Ships Sunk or Damaged

(My Tck'grai>U—Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, February 16. The Navy Department announced that 15 Japanese ships, including 12 destroyers, were sunk or damaged, and two American warships, including the heavy cruiser Chicago, were Jost in a week of furious sea and air fighting in the Solomons beginning on January 29. The Japanese also lost 60 planes and the Americans lost 22.

The Navy Department announced that the action occurred in an area covering almost 100,000 square miles and was entirely an aeroplane v. ships encounter. No surface ships engaged one another.

The Chicago went down after two torpedo-plane attacks. Personnel casualties were not large. The commander, Captain Ralph Davis, was saved.

The Navy communique says that during the latter part of January United States reconnaissance planes located heavy Japanese fleet units., including battleships and aircraft-earners, between Truk and the Solomons.

Simultaneously reports were received of large groups of enemy destroyers in the islands and an unusually heavy concentration of enemy aircraft at all the Japanese bases in the Solomons and New Britain area.

It appeared possible that the Japanese fleet might accept a decisive battle. Subsequent events indicated that the enemy was solely concerned with the evacuation of troops from Guadalcanal and interference with the movements of United States troop transports landing soldiers on Guadalcanal shortly before the collapse of enemy resistance there.

There were no actions between! heavy forces. The active operations of the enemy surface forces were confined mainly to movements of destroyer detachments under heavy air cover between Guadalcanal and the enemy bases in the northern Solomons. During the evening of January 29 a force of United States cruisers and destroyers, covering transport moveI ments and operating about 70 miles southward of Guadalcanal in the vicinity o? Rennell Island, was attacked by enemy torpedo-planes. The Chicago was hit by torpedoes and severely damaged. She was taken in tow by another cruiser and the tow was later transferred to a tug. On the afternoon of January 30 the Chicago was again attacked by 13 enemy torpedo-planes and sunk. United States aircraft shot down 12 enemy planes but were too late to ward off the attacks on the Chicago. The casualties on the ship were not large. <■ THREE SHiPS LEFT BURNING. On January 31 a force of United States bombers and fighters attacked an enemy formation of one destroyer, one corvette, and one large cargo vesisel in Vetla Gulf. The three enemy vessels were left dead in the water, ; burning and listing. , On February 1 a force of United States dive-bombers, torpedo-planes, and fighters attacked an enemy formation of four destroyers in the northern Solomons area. Two destroyers are believed to have been sunk and a third was left burning. The United States aircraft were attacked by 10 Zeros, two of which were shot down. Two United States fighter planes Were lost. In air combat at least 20 Japanese planes were destroyed in the Guadalcanal area during the day. Ten United [States planes were lost. AFTERNOON ATTACK. I During the afternoon of February 1 a force of enemy dive-bombers, esicorted by Zeros, attacked and sank a i United States destroyer between Cape Esperance and Savo Island. During the i night of February 1-2 an enemy force of about 20 destroyers approached Guadalcanal. They were attacked by United States torpedo-boats and at least one destroyer was sunk. Two others are believed to have been. sunk. Three United States torpedo-boats were lost.

On the morning of February 2 a force of Dauntless dive-bombers and Avenger torpedo-planes attacked 16 enemy destroyers north-eastward of Kilombangara. One bomb hit was scored on an enemy destroyer and a near hit on another. One Avenger was damaged by ack-ack. During the evening of February 2 a force of Flying Fortresses, escorted by Lightnings and War Hawks, scored hits on a large enemy cargo ship off Shortland Island. The vessel was left burning and listing. JAPS LOSE NINE FIGHTERS. Our planes were attacked by 20 enemy fighters and nine, or possibly 10, enemy planes were shot down. All the United States planes returned to their base. During the afternoon of February 4, a force of United States torpedoplanes, dive-bombers, and fighters attacked an enemy formation of 20 destroyers 200 miles north-westward of Guadalcanal. One destroyer was sunk and another badly damaged. An enemy destroyer was later observed to be burning. In this attack seven Zeros were shot down and five others probably destroyed. Four United States torpedo-planes, one bomber, and one fighter were lost. In a second attack Dauntless divei bombers, escorted by Wildcats and ! War Hawks, attacked 18 enemy dejstroyers which were covered by 22 j MORE PLANES DOWN. i Two hits were scored on one destroyer and one hit on another. Ten enemy Zeros were shot down and two others probably shot down. Three United States fighters and one divebomber were lost. The above account includes all the known United States and Japanese losses. Events subsequent to February 4 centred on the collapse of Japanese resistance on Guadalcanal as announced in previous communiques.

raid by starting a large blaze on the Rapopo aerodrome stayed over the area to make observations, and no fewer than 16 separate fires were counted. These were widely distributed. „ ~ . At Stettin Bay, in New Britain, a heavy bomber on reconnaissance scored direct hits on a Japanese cargo ship. . ' . . The enemy's main New Guinea base, Lac, has received another damaging blow. Two waves of Mitchells and Havocs with an escort of Lightnings dropped 17 tons of bombs on supply | dumps in the Malahang aerodrome I area, with devastating results. Finschhafen aerodrome was also bombed. North Of Australia the Japanese apI pear to have been forced to abandon Dobo, their base in the Aru Islands. Destruction of their installations there I was completed yesterday when two flights of Hudsons raided the area. This was the second big attack on Dobo within a week. On the first occasion three-quarters of the town was destroyed. TOWN NOW IN RUINS. General Mac Arthur's communique today states: "The town is now in ruins. The wharves have been destroyed and the enemy have apparently been forced to abandon this position as At tlie important naval base of Ambon, which is 580 miles north of Darwin, an 8000-ton enemy transport ls believed to have been destroyed, following two direct hits with 5001b bombs. Liberators which made the raid drove off four intercepting Zeros and started big fires in military installations near the port.

The sole mention of ground operation! in General Mac Arthur's communique today is that 72 additional Japanese dead have been counted along the enemy's line of retreat from. Wav to Mobo. in northern New Guinea. Australian patrols continue to round Up small parties of enemy stragglers.