ALLIED AIR SUPERIORITY

Evening Star, Issue 24918, 16 July 1943, Page 3

ALLIED AIR SUPERIORITY

JAP. ACTIVITY ALMBST AT STANDSTILL (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY, July 10. To-day's communique from General MacArthur's headquarters gives striking evidence of the continued Allied air superiority over the entire Southwestern Pacific battle zone. While out aircraft were active over uine enemyoccupied aeas, Japanese air activity '• was virtually at a standstill. When three enemy dive-bombers were intercepted by Kittyhawks near- Salaniaii-i ail were shot down. The main Allied offensive air activity yesterday was directed against Japanese aerodromes in the Northern Solomons. "■'■ .-,. >; War correspondents in the Central Solomons .report that American troops are steadily infiltrating the outer, pertmeter of the Japanese defences at Munda, where the beleaguered enemy garrison is facing annihilation. Meanwhile, Munda's companion air base, Vila, on Kolombahgara Island, is being "softened up," by Allied bombing .attacks. The; fall of Munda would enable the Americans to mount artillerr on the New Georgian coast and sln'll Vila, only six miles across the Kii'a G u ]f_just as. Munda is being shelled across the Blanche Channel from IReudova. - -'.''■■ i" :. ■ ...,■■'•-. -...;.'. Au Australian-:' war; .correspondent writes that "the probability is that the Japanese will, leave'■-.Munda to tha fate that is steadily overtaking it and make their last stand : in, the New Georgia Group on Kolombanan'ra. There is evidence that _the, enemy, is pushing reinforcements into , Vila, bitt there is no evidence that" he'is trying to reinforce Munda from Vila.-"