GOOD USE MADE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22491, 28 January 1943, Page 6

GOOD USE MADE

Allied Airpower In Pacific Japanese Suffer N.Z.P.A.—Special Australian Correspondent (Rec. 10.30.) SYDNEY, Jan. 27. “The latest operational reports from the South-west Pacific underline the grave warning given the nation by the Prime Minister,” declares the war correspondent of the Sydney “Sun.” Mr Curtin’s warning is crystallised in the following sentences: —“As I speak the enemy with all his strength is assailing the outer fringe of islands adjacent to the Australian mainland. If these go we are faced with a struggle on our own soil with the enemy in command of all the sea approaches.”

The prevention of the consolidation of the Japanese bases around the 2000 mile arc stretching from the Arafura Sea to the Northern Solomons was again the object of the Allied air attacks in this theatre on Tuesday. Aerodrome and harbour facilities were the chief targets. Again the Allied Air Force struck its heaviest blow at a Japanese shipping concentration at Rabaul —the eighth attack in 10 days. Formations of Flying Fortresses raided aerodromes as well as shipping, starting fires. At least one large merchantman was left burning. The Japanese followed the unusual course of sending up intercepting night fighters, but their effort was ineffectual. More than 220,000 tons of enemy shipping has been sunk or damaged since the present series of raids on Rabaul began on December 27. Other Bases Strafed Shipping at Waterfall Bay, aerodromes at Gasmata, Cape Gloucester, and other New Britain targets were attacked by Liberators. Further east Catalinas attacked Buka in the first raid on the area by bombers of General MacArthur’s command since November 22. Fires were started among aerodrome supply dumps. Three points on the Northern New Guinea coast were attacked—Finschafen, Lae and Salamaua. Mitchell mediums and Havoc attack planes had Lockheed Lightning fighter protection for the heavy raid on Lae. Havocs and Beaufighters made strafing sweeps inland from Salamaua to Mubo and along the coast from Salamaua to Bakumbari. North of Australia Allied Hudsons swept across the Arafura Sea and attacked three enemy cargo vessels off Cape Van der Bosch. results are not known. The sole Japanese air offensive was a harmless night - attack on the Port Moresby aerodrome area by two bombers. Hit Japan This heavy emphasis on the offensive use of airpower in the South Pacific Is supported by Captain Richenbacker. “If we do not hit at the heart of Japan through our airpower the war will go on for years,” he told the New York interviewers. “Guadalcanal and Papua are unbelievable victories, but they are only a thousandth part of the war against Japan. We cannot win by moving from island to island.” Captain Richenbacker said he could see no final victory before the autumn of 1944, and added that unless the United Nations employed their airpower to the maximum the end might be long deferred. The “Christian Science Monitor,” which is published in Boston, U.S.A., in a leading article, says: “On its face the painfully slow Australian and American campaign in New Guinea has not supported General MacArthur’s declaration that the attack against Japan can be freed from the slow island to island process, th? new use of air power suggests that in the island-hopping business some islands could be skipped. One could imagine Allied attacks not against Munda, but against Java and the Phillippines. This presupposes holding advanced airfields, but General MacArthur’s ingenuity may do wonders. The new airfields may be laid out in territories only loosely held by the Japanese or old ones captured by parachute. We hope it will be possible to employ sufficient air and sea forces in the South Pacific in order to realise the possibilities which imaginative use of air power suggests.” In the Solomons A Navy communique issued in Washington states—“ Yesterday a large force of Japanese dive-bombers, twinengined bombers, and fighters headed for Guadalcanal, was intercepted and attacked by United States aircraft. The nemy planes were driven off and no bombs were dropped on United bcates positions. Four Japanese Zeros were shot down. No United States planes were lost. “Two units of United States ground forces joined at Kokum Bona, on Guadalcanal. One unit entered the village from along the beach to the east and the other encircled a strong enemy pocket and entered from the south. The manoeuvre resulted in giving the United States forces unrestricted use of Kokun Bona and the beach to the east. During the operations 293 Japanee were killed and five taken prisoner. Seven 77mm. guns, two 37mm. guns, one tank, several trucks, three 40mm. anti-aircraft, various other field pieces and small arms were captured in the offensive operations against enemy resistance.”