CORAL SEA BATTLE

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 May 1942, Page 5

CORAL SEA BATTLE

JAPANESEVERSION COMPLETE VICTORY CLAIMED (Rec. 12.20) NEW~YORK, May 21. The Tokio official radio to-day, in an apparent attempt to elicit information, broadcast further purported details of the Coral Sea battle. It said the battle was fought on two days, May 7 and 8. The battle on iMay 7 was similar to that off Malaya, i Powerful British and American fleets I were lured into the northern part of I the Coral Sea by a feint carried out .by a small Japanese aircraft-carrier. Our naval forces speedily trapped the enemy fleet in the effort to finish it in one fell swoop. The spokesman then reiterated previous claims of the losses inflicted, and said the battle was modern in every sense. Several hundred Japanese and enemy planes violently stormed at each other. “Although the Japanese were seriously outnumbered, we sank. two powerful air-craft-carriers, with all planes on board, and shot down additional aircraft four times the number of those destroyed with the carriers, proving that the Japanese fighting strength in the air is superior to the enemy. What surprised us was the desperate retreat of the enemy.” The spokesman then gave a dissertation on American secrecy, in an obvious effort to elicit information. He proceeded: “The Coral Sea has become our patrol zone. This should make it clear who was victorious.”

TEMPORARY POST (Recd. 11.15) NEW YORK, May 21. The Tokio official radio announced that General Hayashi, former Premier and senior of the military clique, has been named as President of the Asia Development Federation. The Domei Agency announced that the Federation has organised separate bureaux to handle ideological problems relating to Manchukuo, North China, Inner Mongolia, Central China and the southern regions.

RAIDS ON JAP. BASES. MELBOURNE. May 21. Allied aircraft on Tuesday attacked the aerodrome and installations at Koepang in Dutch Timor. Two Japanese aircraft were destroyed on the ground and buildings set on fire. The enemy seaplane base at Di Hi in Portuguese Timor was also attacked. These operations are reported in to-day’s communique from Allied Headquarters in the South-west Pacific. The communique also reports that 12 enemy fighters made a strafing attack on Port Moresby aerodrome. They were intercepted by Allied fighters which damaged four of the raids. VICE-ADMIRAL GHORMLEY. AUCKLAND. May 21. Until recently Chief Naval Observer in London, Vice-Admiral Robert L. Ghormley, United States Navy, has arrived in Auckland. Admiral Ghormley, who commands the South Pacific area, in which New Zealand is included, is an officer who is regarded in United States naval circles as a strategist of exceptional ability. While in Britain he was intimately associated with the preparation of all joint plans between the Royal Navy and his own service.

He entered the United States Naval Academy at Washington in 1892 and graduated four years later. In the succeeding years he passed through the usual ranks and his career contained a normal mixture of sea and shore service. Later he passed through the War College at Newport, Rhode Island. Admiral Ghormley’s specialty is war planning, and he has a very considerable reputation in this field of study. For a number of years he held an appointment in the Navy Department, being engaged on staff duties and war planning. Before being sent to London he was assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations.