HEAVY SEA BATTLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20916, 16 October 1942, Page 3

HEAVY SEA BATTLE

AMERICAN AND JAPANESE FLEETS ENEMY BID TO RETAKE SOLOMONS DAMAGE TO BATTLESHIP BY U.S. BOMBER THREE TRANSPORTS HIT; TWO SET AFIRE (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (11 a.m.) ‘ WASHINGTON, Oet. 15. A heavy naval and air battle, involving battleships, cruisers and . destroyers, has developed between American and Japanese forces off Guadalcanal* Island in the Solomons. 'The fight is still raging, according ,to a Navy Department communique. The first, clash occurred just off Savo Island while the Japanese warships were escorting transports. American planes secured three direct hits on one transport and left two other vessels blazing. A Japanese battleship was also damaged. The communique added that American army forces have now landed on Guadalcanal*. Japanese troops from transports, covered by naval units, have been landed on the north coast of Guadalcanal westward of the American positions. This is reported in a Navy Department communique which adds: “On Tuesday night Japanese surface vessels bombarded the airfield and shore installations on Guadalcanal’ < The Associated Press says that while the Navy Department- made no interpretation of the facts reported in the communique, obviously the Japanese have rallied forces for a major effort to crush the American offensive in the Solomons. The first objective of such an undertaking would be the destruction or capture of the Marines’ base on Guadalcanal*. It seemed certain, therefore, that a major battle on land and possibly at sea was impending. The Secretary of War, Mr. IT. L. Stimson told a press conference that American Army ground and air forces, who recently arrived at Guadalcanal* to reinforce the Marines, had seized important positions in the Solomons to which they are holding tenaciously against vigorous Japanese counterattacks. Mr. Stimson also said that substantial army forces are how in the New Hebrides and Fijian Islands and other points where their presence was undisclosed previously. All these forces are under the command of the air force commander, Major-General Millard Harmon who has his headquarters in New Zealand and has spent most of his time at an advanced base in New Caledonia. The Army and Navy forces in this area are fighting in ,the closest possible co-operation under the unified command of the navy.