JAPANESE WARSHIPS BOMBED

Southland Times, Issue 24872, 12 October 1942, Page 5

JAPANESE WARSHIPS BOMBED

ONE DESTROYER SUNK (United Press Association— Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) * WASHINGTON, October 10. A Japanese destroyer has been sunk and a heavy cruiser and another destroyer have been damaged by United States bombers off Guadalcanar. A United States Navy Department communique discloses this and states that on Monday night last Navy and Marine Corps dive-bombers and torpedo-planes from Guadalcanar attacked six enemy destroyers, which were located by American planes. These ships were attempting to assist enemy landing operations on the north-western end. One destroyer was sunk and another was damaged. On Wednesday night the enemy continued to reinforce his troops on Guadalcanar and Navy and Marine Corps dive-bombers and torpedo-planes, assisted by fighters, attacked an enemy surface force north-west of Guadalcanar. This force contained one cruiser and five destroyers, which were covering the enemy landing on the island’s north-western tip. The cruiser received one torpedo hit and was further damaged by bombs. Four enemy seaplanes were shot down during the air battle which followed and two of our planes were lost. An observer reported that the cruiser was still burning on Friday afternoon. Additional details of the Co-ordinated attacks on enemy shipping concentrations at Japanese bases on the north-western Solomons reveal that the attacks on Monday last were carried out in three phases:— (1) Carrier-based planes from, a Pacific Task Force attacked enemy ships in the Shortland Islands area and bombed the airfield at Keita. (2) Army heavy bombers from the South-West ‘ Pacific Command attacked the Japanese bases at nearby islands. (3) Army, Navy and Marine Corps land-based aircraft in the South Pacific Command attacked enemy positions at Buna and Gizo, also Rekata Bay. The Buna parking area was bombed and several planes were damaged. At Gizo the results were not observed and at Rekata Bay beach installations were bombed and two seaplanes were shot down. One seaplane and a small launch were destroyed on the water.