DARING U.S. CRUISER

Grey River Argus, 19 November 1942, Page 5

DARING U.S. CRUISER

Goes Right Through Enemy’s Lines and disables battleship ENEMY COMPLETELY FRUSTRATED. ADMIRAL CALLAGFIAN’S SQUADRON.

(Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] NEW YORK, Nov. 17. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says:— Admiral Callaghan paved 'the way for the Solomons victory by a daring night attacks against three lines of Japanese ships. His vessels steamed between the lines, opening fire at point blank range, destroying several Japanese ships, and so confusing the enemy that after the American ships withdrew, the Japanese con-, tinned firing at each other. The United Press Pearl Harbour correspondent reports: Admiral Callaghan was killed on the bridge of his flagship, off Savo Island, after he threw a cruiser task force against a superior group of Japanese battleships, cruisers and destroyers, and other vessels which were screening a large body of transports attempting to land reinforcements at Guadalcanar Island. Admiral Callaghan closed audaciously within two thousand yards oi a Japanese battleship, scoring eighteen hits thereon with the main battery. At the same time, the secondary battery on Callaghan’s cruiser sank destroyers before the remnants of the shattered enemy force could retire. During the action, Callaghan’s vessel received several fourteen meh shell hits from the enemy battleship wrecking the bridge and other parts of the superstructure, and killing Callaghan. The military commentators of the New York paper “P.M.” says: The New Britain-Solomons engagement, of the United States-Australian Pacific fleet with powerful Japanese navy units is the biggest and possibly the most significant sea battle 1 of the war. It looks like a decisive victory. A significant aspect of the Allied victory is the evidence that our suitace strength in the Australian war theatre has been underestimated. The loss of four cruisers many weeks ago, and the detachment of strong naval units to North Africa, probably led the Japanese, as well as many observers here, to underestimate our seapower in , the Australian area. Foss’bly. the most encouraging thing, apart from the terrific damage inflicted on the enemy, is the evidence that Armv and Navy co-operation has reached a point of perfection which will win us many more battles. The fact that groups of enemy warships fired on each other during the Solomons battle is highly suggestive of lack of co-ordination and confidence within the Japanese Navy, which augurs well for the progress of the war in the South Pacific.

Japanese Completely

Frustrated

IN FULL SCALE ATTACK. ADMIRAL NIMITZ’S ACCOUNT. WASHINGTON, Nov. 17. Following the first announcement of the victory, the Commander-in-Chief of the United . States Pacific Fleet (Admiral Nimitz). issued a communique at Pearl Flarbour. It sa’d' “The strong Japanese Heet has been completely frustrated bv the action of Vice-Admiral Halsey s Hoet. The 1 enemy’s transport units in the Solomons area have been anmhilatea. On land United States- Army and Marine Corps units have the situation well in hand. All the Japanese naval forces in the area have been destroy-1 ed or dr'ven back.” Admiral Nimitz said: “The Japanese have been concentrated in the Rabaul area for a double thrust against Guadalcanar and New Guinea but I think they will be disappointed in both cases. The enemy fleet came in several directions *rom the north and the north-west. They brought everything they had, and were undoubtedly bringing heavy equipment, tanks, shore artillery ana everything they needed. However, the Japanese did not bring carriers. Either they did not have- any left, or did not choose to risk them. ’ Admiral Nimitz’s a’de said later. The United States made great use of carriers and carrier.-based aircraft.