LOSSES OF JAPANESE

Southland Times, Issue 24869, 8 October 1942, Page 5

LOSSES OF JAPANESE

U.S. ATTACKS IN SOLOMONS (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 7. Eleven more Japanese planes have been destroyed and a Japanese heavy cruiser has been damaged by the American Air Force in the Solomons. These latest enemy losses are recorded in a United States Navy Department communique just issued from Washington. The communique also admits further Japanese landings on Guadalcanar Island, the main United States marine base in the Solomons. The enemy cruiser was hit at least twice with torpedoes and once with bombs. United States Navy and Marine Corps dive-bombers also at-

tacked several Japanese destroyers, but the results were not observed. Two American planes were lost in this attack. A small group of enemy bombers, preceded by 30 Zeros, attempted to raid installations on Guadalcanar on Saturday, according to toe communique. Navy Wildcat fighters shot down nine Japanese fighters, while two were destroyed by anti-aircraft fire. The enemy bombers turned back without dropping their bombs. One American plane was lost, but the pilot was saved. ATTACK ON WARSHIPS The communique says that toe Japanese cruiser and destroyers were attacked while landing enemy troop and reinforcements on Guadalcanar. American dive-bombers also bombed and strafed enemy troops and supply dumps. There has been little activity between toe ground forces on Guadalcanar up till Sunday, but the enemy continued attacked while landing enemy troops under cover of darkness. In toe 10 days up to Sunday toe losses inflicted on toe Japanese in toe Solomons area include 63 planes destroyed and others damaged, three cruisers damaged, one destroyer damaged, one seaplane tender damaged and one large transport set on fire and probably sunk. AIR-FIELDS ATTACKED In toe past 24 hours medium bombers of General Douglas MacArthur’s command have attacked Japanese air-fields at Buin and Buka in toe Northern Solomons. The results at Buin were not observed, but at Buka demolition and incendiary bombs were scattered over toe target areas, scoring hits on runways, dispersal bays and adjacent buildings and anti-aircraft positions and causing fires and explosions.