PACIFIC AIR ENCOUNTERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 June 1944, Page 2

PACIFIC AIR ENCOUNTERS

JAP. LOSSES AGAIN HEAVY SEVERAL SHIPS SUNK (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent) ~SYDNEY, June 6. The Japanese Air Force is making a costly reappearance in the South-west Pacific. ’ After shooting down 34 enemy machines in Saturday’s combats, General MacArthur’s bombers and fighters accounted for 17 more in dog-fights on Sunday. Ten of these were destroyed over Biak Island, Dutch New Guinea, where American ground forces are making progress in a converging movement towards three Japanese-held airfields. A formation of 42 enemy aeroplanes was intercepted over the American beachhead by four Thunderbolts. In spite of terrific odds the Thunderbolts are credited with destroying four Japanese fighters, and probably a fifth. Other Thunderbolts shot down six enemy fighters off Owi Island, just south of Biak, where the Americans landed on Friday. . A Japanese merchantman, with other ships, was damaged in concentrated Allied air raids over the Dutch East Indies and New Guinea waters on Sunday. Punishing blows on enemy shipping reached as far as Halmaheras, 575 miles north of Biak. Liberators in this area early on Sunday' morning surprised enemy ships east of .Morotai Island. They left a destroyer sinking and two other vessels damaged. A second enemy destroyer was bombed by a United States Navy Catalina over Manokwari, Dutch New Guinea. Two direct hits left the warship “dead” in the water and probably sinking. In Geelvink Bay Bostons sank a freighter wnile Mitchells destroyed two barges filled with enemy troops. The presence of a destroyer'at Manokwari suggests chat the Japanese might be attempting to strengthen their rear bases in Dutch New Guinea. No further reports have been received of ground fighting on the Dutch New Guinea mainland.. American forces have been attacking Japanese troops holding the Maffin airfield. For more than a week Allied warships have shelled targets in the area. Ad-miralty-based Liberators, which dropped 79 tons of bombs on Dublon ana Eton Islands, shot down seven of 20 Japanese interceptors. CENTRAL AREA BOMBED. (Rec. Noon.) WASHINGTON, June 6. Army Liberators bombed Truk atoll oh Saturday night, hitting the ar-fields at Moen, Paran Islands, says a Pacific Fleet communique. Ponape Island was attacked on Saturday night by Army Liberators in daylight on Sunday by Army Mitchells, which hit installations and a-a batteries. Nauru Island was bombed by Army Mitchells in daylight on Saturday, and by Navy Venturas on Monday. Gun positions were the principal targets. Other aircraft strafed enemy positions in the Marshalls on Saturday, hitting gun positions and runways.