U.S. VENGEANCE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 35, 5 November 1942, Page 5

U.S. VENGEANCE

Story Of Sea Fight Off Savo CLASSIC BATTLE (By Telegraph.—Press Assn,—Copyright.) (Received November 4, 8.20 p.m.) WASHINGTON., November 3. The Secretary of the -Navy, Colonel Knox, announced that two more Japanese erpisers and a destroyer were sunk in the battle off Savo Island, in the southern Solomons, three weeks ago. This brings the known enemy losses in this battle to three cruisers and five destroyers. [On the United States side one destroyer was sunk and other ships received “minor to moderate” damage.] The Pearl Harbour correspondent of the Associated Press of America states that Captain Ernest Small ha* vividly described the battle on the night of October 11, in which it is possible that nine Japanese warships were sunk. “It was a hell of a melee, completely surprising the enemy,” lie said. “We sank one heavy cruiser, and I believe we got two others and one light cruiser. I know we sank one destroyer and probably four others. Watched The Salvoes.

“Within the first four minutes I saw our salvoes going in like red freight cars on a Japanese cruiser, plunging right into her, and she sank. It was like seeing a prizefighter socked on the chin and then drop cold. It was one of those things naval officers wait 20 years to see. “We caught them at five-mile range, hitting some ships before they were able to open fire. We crossed their ‘T.’ They had been coming at high speed toward Guadalcanal at rightangles to our course, and they turned in utter confusion, each ship taking it* own course and trying to bring action parallel and uncross the disastrous ‘T.’ “One destroyer came in at high speed for a torpedo attack and got within 1500 yards when our salvoes obliterated it. Like Fireworks.

“The action was like the Fourth of July fireworks. It lasted for 40 minutes, and its conclusion was like dying set-pieces burning out. Action came in spurts of three to 10 minutes, with both forces moving at top speed.” The battle occurred near Savo Island two months after the first battle in which the cruisers Canberra, Quincy, Astoria, and Vincennes were surprised and sunk by the Japanese. The tables were turned this time, the Japanese were surprised, and they suffered much heavier losses than they inflicted in August