SEA AND AIR BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 28, 28 October 1942, Page 5

SEA AND AIR BATTLE

Many Bombs On Jap Ships

U.S. CARRIER BADLY HIT

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received October 27, 9.35 p.m.) LONDON, October 26. A United States naval communique states that the Japanese have launched a co-ordinated land, sea and air attack at Guadalcanal Island.. The army, marines, and aircraft opposed the attacks, and there was heavy action all day yesterday. An American carrier task force today exchanged aerial thrusts with a strong enemy force north-east of Guadalcanal, the communique said. The American destroyer Porter was sunk, and an aircraftcarrier severely damaged, and other vessels received lesser damage. Two enemy aircraft-carriers were damaged in this action. Details are not complete. . , In the early morning enemy troops determinedly attacked the southern flank of our positions on Guadalcanal. 'The army and marines held their positions. In mid-morning a force of enemy cruisers and destroyers shelled Guadalcanal from the north.

Early in the afternoon Douglas Dauntless dive-bombers from Guadalcanal attacked a force of enemy cruisers and destroyers north of, Florida Island. A direct bomb-hit damaged and stopped one enemy cruiser.

Shortly afterward 16 enemy divebombers attacked the airfield. Five were shot down. Nine more bombers attacked the airfield soon after, inflicting minor damage. Late in the afternoon dive-bombers from Guadalcanal again struck the force of enemy cruisers and destroyers north of Florida. One bomb-hit was reported on an enemy cruiser. Army Flying Fortresses struck the same force 10* minutes later and scored two bombhits on an enemy light cruiser, which was left burning and dead in the water. Enemy fighters were active over our positions periodically ail day. Gruinan Wildcats are reported to have destroyed 17 of these planes, the communique concludes.

CRITICAL REVIEW Conduct Of War In South Pacific , (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received October 27,11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 27. With the news of additional American losses of warships in the Solomons, Hie conduct .of the war. in the. South Pacific is again being critically reviewed both in the United States and Australia. The New York paper “The American" declares that the divided command in the area has been largely responsible for the heavy losses, and the Sydney “Daily Telegraph” declares: “There cannot be close co-ordination and maximum efficiency till the whole of the South Pacific is placed under a single high command.” The appointment of the proved offensively-minded Vice-Admiral Halsey to the South Pacific naval command in place of Vice-Admiral Ghormley is welcomed in Australia as suggesting that Washington is anxious for aggressive action. “The changes in the command must also be accepted as confirmation that all has not gone well, in addition to being a sign of American determination to maintain an aggressive strategy in this area,” the Sydney "Herald” says. The paper also stresses the need for closer co-operation between the forces of Admiral Halsey and General MacArthur. MacArthur Not Shelved. Answering the long-smouldering gossip that General MacArthur was ‘‘put on the shelf or exiled to Australia,” David Lawrence writes in the New York ■•Sun”: "If General MacArthur is not taking a bigger part in the Solomons fighting; the responsibility lies with General Marshall, the United States Army Chief of Staff. It is General Marshall’s duty as a member of the high command to insist on the army’s participation if he thinks it wise. General MacArthur is not shelved, but the time has not yet come for him to assume command of military operations, because the navy has not acquired big bases or approaches to new land areas for him to command.” United States newspaper and radio commentators and Congressmen are hammering on the censorship front for a more liberal policy on the release of information about what they describe as the “unknown war with Japan," and it is believed that swifter release of battle news, compatible with security, may be hoped for.