AIR WAR IN PACIFIC

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 January 1944, Page 5

AIR WAR IN PACIFIC

JAP. RAID FAILURE

NEW GUINEA LOSSES

SYDNEY, January 18

General MacArthur in his communique to-day reports ' the first major attempt by the Japanese Au Force to blunt the Allied offensive along the north coast of New Guinea. It was made on Sunday. The Japanese sustained heavy losses. Kittyhawks almost wiped out enemy air formations which Intel - cepted Allied planes over Saidor (American beachhead) on Sunday morning. Seventeen enemy fighters and dive-bombers were shot down. Two more fighters probably were destroyed. The Allies suffered minor losses." , , , Mitchell medium bombers, escoited by Lightnings, bombed ana strafed enemy-held villages from Sumarang to Cape Gourdon (northwest of Madang), causing heavy damage. More than 30 Japanese fighters attempted interception. Three enemy planes were shot down, two were probably destroyed, and others damaged. One Allied aircraft was lost. . , In a series of coastal sweeps north of Sio, Airacobras destroyed a number of enemy barges, in- a strafing attack on. an aerodrome at Alexishafen a Japanese fighter was destroyed on the ground. JAP CONVOY BOMBED.

(X.Z.P.A. Special -Australian Correspondent)

SYDNEY, January 18. On Saturday night American Catalina bombers, on night patrol on the New Hanover coast, m the New Ireland area, attacked a Japanese convoy which Avas proceeding southwards. The convoy consisted pt four merchant ships and two escorts. It was located on Saturday night 45 miles off the north-west coast ol New Hanover. The bombers destroyed a 10,000-ton freighter I hey left'two other 8000 ana 6000-ton freighters in flames. The 10,000-ton ship was twice bit amidships. Several explosions followed. A neavy bomb struck the port side of- the 8000-ton ship. A second bomb was a possible hit amidships. There was one hit and possibly two on the 6000ton ship, causing violent explosions. None of the Catalinas was damaged. Heavy anti-aircraft fire was encountered. An Allied reconnaissance plane went over the sea at noon on Sunday and found the 10,00-ton ship almost submerged and the two other vessels hit were still burning fiercely. The rest of the convoy was not sighted on Sunday.

MARSHALLS AND GILBERTS

WASHINGTON, January 17.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet in a communique. says: Seventh Army Air Force planes made two daylight raids on Mili atoll on Sunday. In the first attack two enemy bombers were shot down over an airfield. The second was carried out in considerable force. Ground installations Avere heavily machine-gunned. One of our planes was shot down. U.S. Army bombers made a low -altitude attack on Maloelap atoll Airfields and a fuel storage installation were damaged, and several planes on the ground were bombed. Probably two cargo ships were sunk. Some forty-five enemy fighters were encountered. It is believed two of these were shot down. One of our bombers was lost. Navy search planes sank a small cargo ship at Likep, and probably sank another small cargo ship at Jaluit. . ~ Enemy bombers have made three raids on Makin Island, and two on Tarawa Island in the Gilbert Group. There was no appreciable damage to our installations. Our casualties were light. On enemy plane was shot down over Makin Island.

SMOKING THEM OUT

(Rec. 10.30 a.m.) PEARL HARBOUR, Jan. 18. “The Japanese are thoroughly entrenched in the island archipelagos remaining to them,” said Admira* Nimitz in a broadcast. “They are vicious and resourceful, but we .will smoke them out at times and places chosen by ourselves. The elements ol' American land., sea, and air power arc fused into a deadly and disciplined fighting team.”